Engine stalls

Have a big skip in the engine, cuts out real bad. Has done this off and on since new. Before would cut out when cold, after a few miles would smooth out. The ford dealers could never find the problem. Is worse now. Cuts out bad. Had a tune up, cleaned the fuel injectors. Nothing helps. Do you have any answers for me?

No codes in the fuel pressure is good

Hi, I have a stalling problem it was running rough when I bought it took it too get an oil change after that would not start at all just cranked. So I started with a idle air control it fired up and got it home, but kept stalling at lights, but on the highway drove great. Then it was still hard to start have to have the pedal to the floor so I checked the fuel pressure it was fine. I then did the mass air flow sensor still was running rough, did the plugs too. Kept stalling right when I stick it in gear. So then I just did the EGR valve today and it fired right up first try with out the pedal, idle beautiful it the gas no hesitation. Put it in gear still ran great it ran about five minutes maybe little longer then shut right off and it was hard to start and had to put the peddle to the floor and just stalled. I am puzzled.

I have an 2001 Ford Crown Victoria with 56,000 miles. The car was previously owned by salesman at the ford dealership so I do know that the car was taken very good care of and maintained on a regular basis as I have the printout of maintenance done.

The problem, which doesn't happen all the time, is that the car starts on the first crank but immediatly stalls unless the accelerator is kept engaged. I have noticed that while the engine is trying to stall out that the volts gauge is irratic, going up and down with all accessories in the car turned off but the gauge is fine when car runs right and battery and alternator are both fine.

Usually after 5 minutes or so of keeping the car at a higher idle it will stay running on its own, but then when the car is turned off after reaching a destination and the car is restarted the problem again occurs.

Once I get the car to stay running it does not stall while sitting at a red light or being parked even though the idle seems lower than normal. There was one time when this happened and when I returned home from errands I left the car running while I unloaded groceries because I was going to open the hood and see if I could find the problem when all of a sudden I heard the normal idle kick in. The engine runs smooth and fine other than this irratating problem that I can't seem to figure out.

I am on a fixed income so that makes it difficult to run out and buy new parts just to find out that wasn't the problem in the first place.

Any help you could give concerning this problem would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Lynn

Jack,

Thank you very much for the quick reply, and yes you are correct about it being the IAC.

When I went to use the car today the same problem occurred on starting. When I finally got it to a point where it would stay running without my foot on the pedal I opened the hood. I have always been a bit of a backyard mechanic with the older cars, so decided to tap on a few things with the end of the screwdriver. Well as soon as I tapped on one thing the idle picked right up to normal and the car ran great afterwards even after a few stops and starting the engine again.

I wasn't able to find any diagrams online anywhere so had no idea what it was that I tapped on that made the engine run so good, so I stopped at the local advanced auto parts store and had them come out and look to verify for me that it was the IAC. As I stated earlier I'm on a very limited income and I can't afford to buy the wrong part. Lol As it is I will have to wait until my next disability check arrives in July to get the part.

Now, from what I could see of the IAC it looks fairly easy to replace which I am hoping I will be able to do myself with a few ordinary tools as I called the dealership today and they quoted $350 to replace it and that would take half my check for the month.

Is there anything special I need to know or do before I attempt to replace the IAC myself?

Thanks

Lynn

The mileage flip on it a wile ago now.

I can drive for about 4 miles then it was start to studded some. It can then stall out or sounds like the engine can speed way up and the oil light will come on for a little. Seems like if I just keep the gas peddle in the same place not move it any at all it will not stall out. If it does stall out I can't start it. It seems like it's not getting any gas. I can wait about 4 minutes then it will start again! So I guess it's something heating up.

I replace the fuel filer and the fuel pump on it. Did not help. I don't want to spend more $ on it guessing what's wrong. I thought some one else would have the same problem but did not find it here so just asked.

I cleaned the "mass air flow unit" with contact cleaner I have. It's easy to do. Don't have to take off a lot of things to get to it.

Tested the car. After just over 2 miles not pushing on the gas peddle any it engine speed up for about 2 sec. Then all OK.

Other times when it did that the check oil light would come up for a little.

I talked to some people and they said it could be the catalytic converter that my cost $1000! But can get a generic one for about $200 but only last about 2 to 3 years.

But I like to know what's wrong with it and not be wrong. Seems like some one else this would of happen to and they know what it was.

Thank you.

-Raymond Day

I was driving on the beltway doing 70-75mph and the car just stalled on me. Turned the key off after piulling over tried to crank her she started and shut right off.I repeated the process several times and finally gave up and called for a tow. Tried again nothing.3days went pass tried again this time pressing on the gas as it was stalling out, she started let it run for 10minutes turned her off then started it caught first try and seems to be running fine. The tank is full I got a fuel pressure test done and it was 35 -40 shop said thats normal. Is it safe to drive or what should I repair

No check engine light on let it run today for 30 minutes idling then drove for 20