Having a problem with my 98 GT

WillNeedHelp · Apr 27, 2010

I started experiencing this problem about a week ago. Randomly, the engine will seem like it is trying to die. It will cut out, in the middle of driving, the check engine light will flash and then it will be back to normal. It starts after I have driven for about 10 minutes or so. But, like I said, it just randomly happens and sometimes doesn't happen. Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated.

joshwfl · Apr 27, 2010

More info please!

Does it stall and restart, stall and restart after 10 min, or just cut out and power right back up?

Maxpowers · Apr 27, 2010

Have the CEL checked and see what it says. Very good place to start to push you in the right direction.

WillNeedHelp · Apr 27, 2010

It cuts out and goes back to normal. Sometimes it will sputter and go right back to normal. I haven't had to restart the car afterwards, it never just flat out quits, just cuts out and then goes back to normal. After about 10 minutes of driving, sometimes more is when the issue will start.

mr-mike · Apr 27, 2010

fuel ??????????????????

tough call I would start with fuel ... got a fuel pressue tester ? change fuel filter & drop it down gently so you can check what inside pour it glass bottle , maybe a bad load of gas or maybe fuel pump on its way out need to test fuel , then electric , but the way you describe it I would say check the fuel ststem first then all other stuff ....good luck

Maxpowers · Apr 27, 2010

Does it happen under load? I would assume you are having a spark related issue.

WillNeedHelp · Apr 27, 2010

Maxpowers,
Not sure what you mean by under load. Do you mean while I'm driving? It does it to me while I'm on the Interstate and on side roads. Also, how can I check the CEL when it doesn't stay on. It only comes on as the engine sputters, then goes back off.

Maxpowers · Apr 27, 2010

WillNeedHelp said:
Maxpowers,
Not sure what you mean by under load. Do you mean while I'm driving? It does it to me while I'm on the Interstate and on side roads. Also, how can I check the CEL when it doesn't stay on. It only comes on as the engine sputters, then goes back off.

CEL lights are stored in the computer.

Load = in gear and accelerating. Does it only stutter when you are trying to pick up speed, or will it do it when you rev the engine in neutral?

WillNeedHelp · Apr 27, 2010

So far it has only happened when I have been driving. Never at an idle. Has done it at a steady speed. I know Autozone has the the machine to tell you what the CEL code is, but they told me that it would only work when the light was on. Are they wrong or do I need to take it into a shop and have them do it?

LI98GTStang · Apr 27, 2010

WillNeedHelp said:
Maxpowers,
Not sure what you mean by under load. Do you mean while I'm driving? It does it to me while I'm on the Interstate and on side roads. Also, how can I check the CEL when it doesn't stay on. It only comes on as the engine sputters, then goes back off.

Load is when you press the throttle down and ask the car to accelerate as opposed to keeping a steady speed or slowing down. The computer does have a memory and the code could be stored the memory of the computer and can be read via scanner.
Agree, at this point it could be a few things, but getting the code read might give you direction on where to focus your efforts on. Just off the top of my head, could be clogged fuel filter, bad cat or O2 sensor, bad coil pack, spark plug or wire IAC (always suspect IMO) etc.... See what we mean?

trinity_gt · Apr 27, 2010

The flashing SES light means the PCM is detecting misfires occurring. This may point to a coil pack issue. Get the code(s) read at an Autozone (or wherever) and post back. You'll probably see P0300 but you might also see one or more of P0301 to P0308. If you've got a coil going bad you might be able to identify which one by looking at which cylinders are showing misfires.

If there's no rhyme or reason to the misfire indication, you may have a fuel pressure problem. For that you might want to have a fuel pressure gauge connected to the fuel rail and drive around till it happens and see if the gauge shows any crazy activity.

The fact that it happens after ~10 minutes of driving might point to a thermal issue (e.g. the ignition coil insulation breaks down when it gets warm...)

WillNeedHelp · May 5, 2010

Update to this issue. It had stopped for about 4 days, then started back up yesterday. Today, after it did it to me again, the Theft light started flashing while I was driving also. Could this be pointing me to an electrical problem?

COramprat · May 5, 2010

Possibly electrical like a shorted wire. Mine did the same thing when I had a shorted O2 sensor wire. The problem is where to look. It happens randomly so it is nearly impossible to track. Was there any work done to the car that preceded the issues you are having?

WillNeedHelp · May 5, 2010

No. The car was cutting out on me before and today after it had done it again, the theft light started flashing like crazy and then became intermittent. Are the two related somehow or did one cause another?

COramprat · May 5, 2010

My issue was an intermittent short. It would reset and cause problems at random. It finally got to the point that the car shut down completly and kept blowing the PCM fuse. It could be you are experiencing something similar. As you hit a rough patch of road it could be shorting out and cause the theft light to flash as the PCM loses contact. Keep in mind this is only one reason for the issue you have.

Is the theft light flashing in a series of flashes? If so count them and come back.

WillNeedHelp · May 10, 2010

Here is an update. No codes come up from the CEL. Still having the problem and it is becoming more frequent.

GDTrumbo · May 14, 2010

Try cleaning the ground connections under the hood. There is one near the battery and as I remember there is one near the oil filter/sending unit. Dirty ground connections are known to cause some weird symptoms on all Ford vehicles.

Don't rule out a set of new coils though.

GT

Maxpowers · May 14, 2010

WillNeedHelp said:
Here is an update. No codes come up from the CEL. Still having the problem and it is becoming more frequent.

Sometimes you need to know you are at a loss and get a second set of eyes on it. Get a friend or a shop to take a look at it.

98gtmustang64 · May 14, 2010

i have thing exact same problem with my car right now when im driving down the road it will start missing and when im in town it will randomly like die and come back on and usually if i go wot it would go away and then some other times it would get worse ive got new plugs wires and coil packs i got a new fuel filter on it to it does it at an idle sometimes to i still dont no whats wrong with it and its making me mad mines been like this for awhile to

98gtmustang64 · May 16, 2010

i checked my 02s and they were really nasty and clogged up i cleaned them off and so far it hasnt done anything yet so that might have fixed it it still pops at an idle sometimes though

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