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Car stalls after starting...Help!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Stanged78
  • Start date Start date Dec 14, 2006

Stanged78

New Member
May 28, 2003
138
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Lake in the Hills, IL
Dec 14, 2006
#1
  • Dec 14, 2006
  • #1
For the past two days, my 2001 GT w/ 78,600 miles has been difficult to keep running right after I start it in the morning. After sitting in the garage all night, my car turns over as normal, but then stumbles and stalls. I can only keep it running if I keep my foot on the gas. If I drive about a block or so, it will run on its own.

Battery is original, still seems to hold juice, voltage reading is normal, and the "green ball" is still visible through the window. Alternator seems to be recharging the battery just fine, as I drive 1 hr. each way between work and home without problems.

Anything to do with the spark plugs, the fuel injectors, etc.? Any ideas?
 

sicK96GT

New Member
Oct 30, 2006
63
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0
Austin (College in Waco)
Dec 15, 2006
#2
  • Dec 15, 2006
  • #2
I had a problem like this when I took my car to have the engine detailed, make sure there is a solid connection to the wires that attach to the top of that alternator. Sounds stupid but mine didnt make a full connection sometimes and caused the car to die.

if not.. is your fuel filter new? start cheap! replace it might need to be replaced anyways. My car died when I started it one morning and I cleaned the MAF and IAC and it ran just fine. Oh also my camshaft position sensor caused my car to stall out a few times, its a easy fix.. but it would throw some codes
 

sicK96GT

New Member
Oct 30, 2006
63
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0
Austin (College in Waco)
Dec 15, 2006
#3
  • Dec 15, 2006
  • #3
if you have never replaced those spark plugs might want to pull out out and see what it looks like
 

Stanged78

New Member
May 28, 2003
138
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Lake in the Hills, IL
Dec 15, 2006
#4
  • Dec 15, 2006
  • #4
Thanks...I'll give those things a try.
 
8

86roadrace

New Member
Jul 14, 2006
12
0
1
Richmond, Virginia
Dec 15, 2006
#5
  • Dec 15, 2006
  • #5
I had the identical problem on my 96 GT, but only intermittant. Turned out to be the IAC. It was sticking closed after sitting overnight and wouldn't release enough to let the car idle. Took it off the elbow/plenum, used carb cleaner to clean out the build-up. Completely eliminated the problem.
 

COramprat

...I can take it. I think.
20+ Year Stangneter
Mar 2, 2003
8,474
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223
Sea of Tranquility
Dec 15, 2006
#6
  • Dec 15, 2006
  • #6
Check the top of this section. There is a sticky there that has the IAC location and info in it.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=583369
 
S

Scorcher2005

Member
Apr 17, 2004
883
0
16
South Carolina
Dec 15, 2006
#7
  • Dec 15, 2006
  • #7
I have the same problem...On cold starts it stumbles and dies when you first start it. Once its warmed up its fine. So you all are saying to look at the IAC?
 
C

CENTENNIALSTANG

Member
Apr 15, 2005
0
0
16
Houston
Dec 15, 2006
#8
  • Dec 15, 2006
  • #8
I found the problem ------------> FORD
 

COramprat

...I can take it. I think.
20+ Year Stangneter
Mar 2, 2003
8,474
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Sea of Tranquility
Dec 15, 2006
#9
  • Dec 15, 2006
  • #9
Scorcher2005 said:
I have the same problem...On cold starts it stumbles and dies when you first start it. Once its warmed up its fine. So you all are saying to look at the IAC?
Click to expand...

It is a possibility. Generally a bad IAC will not let the engine idle at all. You can keep it running by using the accelerator but as soon as you let off it will die. It will usually take the IAC a while to kick itself back on. Mine would have to warm up for about 10-15 minutes before it would hold. In fact there was a noticeable change in the way the engine would run when it would start working. You could feel it smooth out.

Other things could be injectors, plugs, vacuum lines, fuel pump, fuel filter...I'd start with the filter.
 

COramprat

...I can take it. I think.
20+ Year Stangneter
Mar 2, 2003
8,474
1,463
223
Sea of Tranquility
Dec 15, 2006
#10
  • Dec 15, 2006
  • #10
CENTENNIALSTANG said:
I found the problem ------------> FORD
Click to expand...
Call me tech Nazi but if you don't have anything beneficial to add keep it out of here. Thanks.
 

scupking

Active Member
Sep 18, 2005
1,186
1
36
Enfield, CT
Dec 16, 2006
#11
  • Dec 16, 2006
  • #11
I started having the same problem with my 2001 GT a few weeks back. It would stall on cold starts unless I had my foot on the gas. Once I rev it up to over 3,000 rpm it would idle without stalling. I cleaned my IAC and it worked fine for 2 weeks but now its starting to stall again. So I would think this would indicate a bad IAC. Should I go to ford and buy a new one or could it be something else? It’s even worse if it’s cold and damp out.
 

COramprat

...I can take it. I think.
20+ Year Stangneter
Mar 2, 2003
8,474
1,463
223
Sea of Tranquility
Dec 16, 2006
#12
  • Dec 16, 2006
  • #12
scupking said:
I started having the same problem with my 2001 GT a few weeks back. It would stall on cold starts unless I had my foot on the gas. Once I rev it up to over 3,000 rpm it would idle without stalling. I cleaned my IAC and it worked fine for 2 weeks but now its starting to stall again. So I would think this would indicate a bad IAC. Should I go to ford and buy a new one or could it be something else? It’s even worse if it’s cold and damp out.
Click to expand...

Usually parts are made in one factory then shipped to various distributors under their own brand. Not sure if the IAC is the same but I'd bet you could get the same one at Ford that you get at Auto Zone.
 

QuickCapri83

New Member
Sep 5, 2004
80
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0
North East, PA
Dec 16, 2006
#13
  • Dec 16, 2006
  • #13
It is very, very likely that it's the IAC. I've seen this enough times, and it's almost always the IAC, which takes about 2 minutes to replace.
 
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