View Full Version : Car stalls after 3 miles. Restarts after 5 minutes
Took my roadster out after about 2-3 weeks of sitting. A nice Mid-80s day in Florida. I got about 3 miles from home when the car stalled. The engine was just getting up to normal temps. When I tried to restart, the cranked with no sign that it would start. After sitting about 5 minutes, the car started as normal. I turned around and drove home. Just as I reached the entrance to my community, the car stalled again. Same symptoms, car would crank but not start. Sat for about 5 minutes and it started as normal.
5.0 liter Ford racing engine, Mass Flo EFI, I2 wiring, everything sourced from either FFR or Breeze.
Anyone have any ideas?
steno
10-04-2020, 11:46 AM
If it was a ford ignition, I’d say faulty TFI module.
rich grsc
10-04-2020, 12:11 PM
Try a different coil?
Jeff Kleiner
10-04-2020, 12:44 PM
That's a classic failing TFI module scenario.
Jeff
Not to be a smart ***, but instead of playing the guessing game -- try systematically troubleshooting the problem. An engine needs fuel in the proper proportion, spark at the correct time, and air at the proper proportion. When the engine quits, which of these needs is (are) absent?
Since there is a commonality of time involved -- 3-mins run then 5-mins rest, that is what we call a clue. Clues can provide direction: If no spark after 3-mins then perhaps something is overheating causing a loss of spark or CB tripping due to overload. If no fuel after 3-mins perhaps the gas tank vent is plugged or fuel pump quits. Keep drilling down until you find the problem.
It is a Mallory distributor. I had someone suggest installing a remote tfi that has its own cooling module. It is from McCulley Racing. http://www.mccullyracingmotors.com/index_files/tfikits.htm
If it is the tfi, how hard is it to replace?
Erik W. Treves
10-04-2020, 01:13 PM
x2 on Jeff's point
Ok, after trying to find a replacement TFI module, I am confused and wary. How do I determine what module to buy?
Rdone585
10-04-2020, 05:04 PM
I had the same scenario but with a cab setup. Turned out to be clogged fuel filter, but that wasn't the root cause. Final fix was a new gas tank because the internal fuel pump tower had broken loose and it's movement was making fine metal particles in the tank that got caught up by the fuel pickup. I hope the TFI module fixes your issue.
Xkuzme1
10-04-2020, 06:20 PM
Took my roadster out after about 2-3 weeks of sitting. A nice Mid-80s day in Florida. I got about 3 miles from home when the car stalled. The engine was just getting up to normal temps. When I tried to restart, the cranked with no sign that it would start. After sitting about 5 minutes, the car started as normal. I turned around and drove home. Just as I reached the entrance to my community, the car stalled again. Same symptoms, car would crank but not start. Sat for about 5 minutes and it started as normal.
5.0 liter Ford racing engine, Mass Flo EFI, I2 wiring, everything sourced from either FFR or Breeze.
Anyone have any ideas?
My 5.0 donor was doing the same thing. I changed TFIs, nothing. I changed multiple coils, nothing. Plug, wires.. nothing. Unplug the computer and See if it stops the problem. If you need a new one, Napa has the best deals on computers. I got a newly rebuilt one for $125. You can run it without harm without the computer but the timing will be way off, you you’ll have to bump up the timing. There will be no timing advance, but it’ll get you home.
michael everson
10-05-2020, 05:38 AM
You were really able to get it to run without he computer? Cant see how. Injectors are fired by the computer. Anyways if the TFI part does not fix it you might have a bad PIP sensor in your distributor. Just go buy a rebuilt one and your problem will likely go away.
Jeff Kleiner
10-05-2020, 07:46 AM
You were really able to get it to run without he computer? Cant see how. Injectors are fired by the computer.
Agreed. If you really did this I'd like to know how.
Jeff
seagull81
10-05-2020, 08:42 AM
Take a can of air duster and when it stops, blow the TFI module until it cools and see if it starts back up.
Xkuzme1
10-05-2020, 10:09 AM
Agreed. If you really did this I'd like to know how.
Jeff
Agreed. Thanks for the correction. My post was madly typing and half thinking about something else. What I meant to say was remove the Pip chip. That takes the computers control of the ignition system out of play. The FTI bo longer matters. It will fire and run just fine without the pip and the computer controlling the ignition. The timing will not advance to retard as needed, but at least you know what the problems is.
I replaced nearly every ignition component in my car and was thinking I had broken wires in the harness. Eventually I disconnected the pip and it ran Beautifully. I replaced the computer and my car has been running good ever since. Prior to that, my car would only run a few mins at a time. Once the computer got hot, it was done.
X
Jay-rod427
10-05-2020, 10:30 AM
As NAZ said do some diagnostics first. Just throwing new parts at it may or may not fix it on the first part. Or end up wasting a lot of time and money replacing perfectly good parts, and still not have it fixed.