Almost completed a 2200 mile cross country run when engine stalled on interstate.

Tiny
STEVE IN TENNESSEE
  • MEMBER
  • 1993 FORD E-SERIES VAN
  • 177,000 MILES
Engine acted as if starved of fuel and held idle speed but would not accelerate or even maintain highway speeds. Performance gradually decreased, eventually running down to idle and then stopping.

Performed Diagnostic tests with codes 553 and 311 pointing to problems with the thermactor system. Checked vacuum hoses and replaced secondary air diverter solenoid vale (still signals a code 553). Not sure how these codes would affect highway performance. We will be needing to use this vehicle to make a return drive in a few weeks and don't want to spend time on the side of snowy road someplace in Texas.

Fuel filter was replace prior to trip and checked at shop (good flow). Possible contaminated fuel (little vehicle use prior to trip) which might indicate intermittent performance disruption (missing at high speed, usually following rough pavement enounters). At time of shutdown drove across a sustained distance of "bad road" in Los Angeles which might have tossed up the balance of the tank's contamination. Engine starts and runs and I am working up to taking some short test drives to gain confidence for the continued use of this vehicle.

Need to determine if 1)fuel or 2) Thermactor system would cause the engine shutdown.
Thanks,
Steve
Saturday, January 14th, 2012 AT 1:22 AM

2 Replies

Tiny
PROAUTOTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 288 POSTS
Fuel could cause the problem, not so much the thermactor which is more for emissions. I'm leaning more towards clogged catalytic coverter. Did you notice the exhaust sounding different, maybe quieter? The bumpy roads can josstle the metal around in the cat and help it to clog/unclog without notice. I'd put my money on cat rather than what you had in the tank before your trip. Or, a bad tank of gas during the trip, or a bad/intermittently working fuel pump.
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Saturday, January 14th, 2012 AT 1:40 AM
Tiny
STEVE IN TENNESSEE
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Thanks for the reply. I know the cat is not an issue. Some time ago there was a "gang" of recyclers who were know for gutting church vans (especially Ford econolines) converters since they were tall and had a convenient joint in the pipe right behind them which make it easy to open and empty.

I will look into the fuel pump. Old trucks, and cars, have electrical issues over time and this might be one.

What do you know about the PIP? I got a code 211 earlier during the KOER but not on the latest test. When the engine cut out it was hot (LA Santa Ana conditions), nearly 90 degrees, it might be a solid state circut breakdown. Any thoughts?
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Saturday, January 14th, 2012 AT 6:21 PM

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