Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting car shuts off while driving

ok for all you contour specialists out there.

i have a 1998 v6 5sp lx it has the return style fuel system. my mods are as follows computer chip, pro m mass air meter, cold air intake, msds headers, all new bosch o2 sensors, and svt throttle body. i hope that describes the car good enough for you guys.

here is my problem i will be driving my car and all of a sudden it shuts off like no fuel to the car. i pull over and try to start the car it cranks but no go almost like there is no fuel again. so i figured i would try and listen for the fuel pump with turning the key to the on position. when i do this the fuel pump runs constantly trying to prime without stopping until i turn the key off (i read in the haynes book that this is the ford "limp mode" for the car, which it says it is something with the cars ecu). for some reason though i do not think it is the ecu unit at all becuase of one simple reason i can get the car running again by going out in my engine compartment fuse box and pull the fuel pumps fuse and stick it back in and the pump will then act normal by priming for a few seconds and then shutting off and allowing me to start my car up again.

so my questions to you guys is what is the problem in the system here it is driving me crazy!!!!!!!!!


could it be
bad ecu
bad fuel pump
bad fuel relay (sticking relay)
bad pressure regulator

i just don't know where to start really besides going to get my computer read for any possible codes in the system which i doubt there is any since i didn't through a cell light


p.s. i recently changed the fuel filter about 3 months ago


thanx guys for all your help i just hope you can figure my problem out

Try pulling the Chip, there might be your answer

Open up the happy manual again & see if you have a fuel cutoff/reset switch. There is one near the drivers left foot in my 1999 SE.

The cutoff switches in some cars have been known to trip fully, & even partially in some cases, causing symptoms similar to what you describe. I had this problem one time with my old Mercury - the reset was in the trunk & worked like a charm.

Most likely it's a bad connection with the chip and when it's jiggling around it loses connection and shuts the car off. Pull the chip first and see if the car does the same thing.

Rick

I have to agree with the chip,,, most of us with chips have all had problems at one time or another from them. I wonder sometimes when my car acts a little funny if it's the chip,, but I dare not pull it because I can't live without it. I'd also be sad if pulling it revealed to me that my car just runs crappy on its own sometimes.

i am going to pull the chip tonite and clean the contacts again but i highly doubt this will solve my problem since all i half to do to get the car running again is pull the fuel pump fuse and put it right back in then she fires right back up. it is almost like something is getting triped. i switched around the horn and fuel pump relays since they are the same ones hoping this will maybe be the prob. since i switched them i have yet to run into the prob but usually it occurs in about week long intervals at around a half a tank of fuel.


please keep on responding with more suggestions!!!!!!!

i need the help on this one thats for sure

any more thoughts on this guys

I bet it was the chip, wasn't it?

-Lance