Engine turns off while driving

[vtkdw]

I see similar posts to this all over the place, but am having trouble aggregating the advice or finding someone that has definitively solved their problem. Here's mine. I have a 1994 EB V8 Explorer.

Engine turns off while driving. Both times happened without cruise control and under 45 mph (not that that necessarily means anything). Check engine light comes on and all gauges with the exception of speedometer turn off. Radio still works, airflow still coming from vents, but power steering and braking don't. Once you come to a complete stop (on the side of the road), the car starts right back up as if nothing is wrong and drives fine.

 

[MrShorty]

I would expect this to be something electrical in nature. 1st thing I'd probably do would be to pull codes from the computer. Sometimes the PCM will see the reason for the stall and leave a trouble code in CM to help you focus on the right circuit.

If that didn't give me any clues, the next thing I'd probaby do would be to put a voltmeter on either the main PCM power circuit or the fuel pump circuit to see if either one of those was losing power when the engine stalled.

 

[Roadrunner777]

You could probably throw it neutral or clutch it and restart. I thought of 2 things, and I think you should check Mr. S's diagnostics first.

If it comes to it, I can think of 2 things that occur in a restart. First, you are resetting the computers. Second, you are remaking the contacts in the ignition switch. I have not seen this ignition switch up close, but it may have multiple contacts that make when it is in run. If some of those are worn or the mechanism is getting sloppy, it may loose contact with some functions and keep others going. So, don't picture it as one big wire for the run function, it's more complicated than that.

The computer side, well, it's just gut but sometimes when a computer goes bad, you have to restart it all the time. Anyway, a few thoughts.

 

[Jason94sport]

I have a 1994 EB V8 Explorer.

You sure it's not V6? A V8 wasn't offered yet. Unless it was a swap done.
You sure it's not overheating? I have seen explorers shut off from overheating.

 

[StevenT200]

I see similar posts to this all over the place, but am having trouble aggregating the advice or finding someone that has definitively solved their problem. Here's mine. I have a 1994 EB V8 Explorer.

Engine turns off while driving. Both times happened without cruise control and under 45 mph (not that that necessarily means anything). Check engine light comes on and all gauges with the exception of speedometer turn off. Radio still works, airflow still coming from vents, but power steering and braking don't. Once you come to a complete stop (on the side of the road), the car starts right back up as if nothing is wrong and drives fine.

I take it you didn't try to start while the car was still in motion...you should at least try. Otherwise I found that the Crankshaft Position Sensor on my Explorer was going bad (it was doing the same thing) and am in process of replacing it. It's just under the water pump in front and is a job to replace but worth the effort. $40.00 btw for the part retail. I am replacing all the sensors since my Exp is now 17 years old, making it a veritable new machine. It's a great vehicle and I'm keeping it so that's why. Ineed to know about converting the rear brakes to disc. Anyone??