Wot On Freeway Then... Boom! Omfg!

[Treachery]

I got off work, started my 93 Mustang GT and let it idle for a few minutes to warm it up.

Suddenly, my Mustang died... The engine just stopped. No backfire. No shaking. Nothing. The just died. Strange.. I start it up again. No problem. I let idle for about 3 minutes and then... The engine stops again. I don't get it.

???

I then get on the freeway and traffic is extraordinarily very light. There came a point the freeway totally opened. So, i hit the gas pedal WOT. The revs are building up.. but then.. the car buckles for a second and then suddenly-

BOOOOM!!!

The engine sounds as if it exploded! The explosion happened on the driver-side of the engine. I pulled over and took a look at the engine, expecting the worse... but i found no damage!!! My Mustang started back up OK. The idle is OK. No blown seals that i can see. No oil or coolant leak. It drove normally with no shaking or whatever.

What the hell happened?

 

[90lxwhite]

no smoke out the rear?

 

[Noobz347]

TFI, PIP, ignition coil, wires, plugs, cap/rotor...

Sounds like an intermittent TFI (getting hot and quitting on you). That BOOM that you heard was likely improperly ignited fuel.

My second guess, would be failing fuel supply (pump).

Either way, you need to resist the urge to go out and romp on it until you find the source of the problem. You can start by pulling codes and testing fuel pressure.

 

[VibrantRedGT]

Weird the car ran fine after that. I would have thought the timing was off and backfired through the intake.

 

[Bullitt95]

TFI, PIP

Those are common failure points on Fox Mustangs and the random stalling is a typical symptom.

 

[jrichker]

Dump the codes: Codes may be present even if the Check Engine Light (CEL) isn't on.

Dumping the computer diagnostic codes on 86-95 Mustangs

Revised 26-July-2011. Added need to make sure the clutch is pressed when dumping codes.

Codes may be present even if the check engine light hasn’t come on, so be sure to check for them.

Here's the way to dump the computer codes with only a jumper wire or paper clip and the check engine light, or test light or voltmeter. I’ve used it for years, and it works great. You watch the flashing test lamp or Check Engine Light and count the flashes.

Post the codes you get and I will post 86-93 model 5.0 Mustang specific code definitions and fixes. I do not have a complete listing for 94-95 model 5.0 Mustangs at this time.

Be sure to turn off the A/C, and put the transmission in neutral when dumping the codes. On a manual transmission car, be sure to press the clutch to the floor.
Fail to do this and you will generate a code 67 and not be able to dump the Engine Running codes.

If your car is an 86-88 stang, you'll have to use the test lamp or voltmeter method. There is no functional check engine light on the 86-88's except possibly the Cali Mass Air cars.

The STI has a gray connector shell and a white/red wire. It comes from the same bundle of wires as the self test connector.

89 through 95 cars have a working Check Engine light. Watch it instead of using a test lamp.

The STI has a gray connector shell and a white/red wire. It comes from the same bundle of wires as the self test connector.


WARNING!!! There is a single dark brown connector with a black/orange wire. It is the 12 volt power to the under the hood light. Do not jumper it to the computer test connector. If you do, you will damage the computer.

What to expect:
You should get a code 11 (two single flashes in succession). This says that the computer's internal workings are OK, and that the wiring to put the computer into diagnostic mode is good. No code 11 and you have some wiring problems. This is crucial: the same wire that provides the ground to dump the codes provides signal ground for the TPS, EGR, ACT and Map/Baro sensors. If it fails, you will have poor performance, economy and driveablity problems

Some codes have different answers if the engine is running from the answers that it has when the engine isn't running. It helps a lot to know if you had the engine running when you ran the test.

Dumping the Engine Running codes: The procedure is the same, you start the engine with the test jumper in place. Be sure the A/C is off, and clutch (if present) is pressed to the floor, and the transmission is in neutral. You'll get an 11, then a 4 and the engine will speed up to do the EGR test. After the engine speed decreases back to idle, it will dump the engine running codes.

Trouble codes are either 2 digit or 3 digit, there are no cars that use both 2 digit codes and 3 digit codes.

Alternate methods:
For those who are intimidated by all the wires & connections, see Actron® for what a typical hand scanner looks like. Normal retail price is about $30 or so at AutoZone or Wal-Mart.

Or for a nicer scanner see Equus - Digital Ford Code Reader (3145) – It has a 3 digit LCD display so that you don’t have to count flashes or beeps.. Cost is $30.

 

[nine3cobra]

i had this exact same issue with my car when the tfi/pip went bad, car would completely lose spark dumping raw fuel into the exhaust and backfire something fearce. then would not start untill car was cool. Was still able to get the car restarted and limp the car home by pulling the spout connector. ended up just getting a whole new distributor and tfi and have had no issues since

 

[twistedwankel]

My stock 86GT AOD with 125k miles and many important new parts but original. I autocross this car so it gets some abuse in higher rpms. NO CODES.
Showed perfect 90 on running test for injectors.

Started breaking up really bad at 4500rpms especially in second gear. Assumed it was fuel as have never had to get into the injectors even tho the pump was replaced two years ago. Took it today to shop and they checked fuel pressure was within specs. No apparent issues with injectors or timing.

Old Ford Tech working there remembered there being alot of issues with the distributor timing "spout" shorting out at higher rpms. He removed it and put a jumper in it's place. Problem solved. Car pulls hard all the way to 5800 redline now in 1st and 2nd.

Only cost 1/2 hour of shop time.

 

[89white50]

That boom was definitely raw fuel in the exhaust. I would personally think the TFI.

 

[7991LXnSHO]

So now we have the wagers placed and curiosity up, what were the codes and solution?