Shuts off when taking a turn

[axelhdz2k3]

Maybe someone can help me here. My 97 Explorer has been shutting off when taking a left hand turn. It seems like it is running out of gas but there is fuel in the tank. A mechanic came by and said it was the crankshaft position sensor and changed it for an atrocious $200. The truck still shuts off.
I suspect it is the fuel pump because 2 weeks ago when my wife drove it it shut off on her and would not start. 45 minutes later it started. I drove it home and again it shut off and would not start for over an hour.
The fuel pump was replaced 5 months ago and it is still under warranty.

 

[410Fortune]

I suspect your fuel pump RELAY not the pump itself

pull the relay and inspect it
also inspect the wires that it plugs into, ddown inside the yellow power dist box
I have seen more then one Ford fuel pump relay come loose internally and make intermittant contact.
I had one on my BII that I would pull it out of th ebox and it appeared 100% fine, go to push it back in and one of the blades would go inside the relay! LOL
took like 4 attempts to find it was loose loose


Do you lose all your gages/dash/radio or just the engine just dies?

did this start happening about the same time the fuel pump was replaced or was the pump replaced because of this issue?

dont go back to that mechanic! but I would sure call them up and let them know their $200 fix did nothing, so they dont make that mistake again...

 

[axelhdz2k3]

I suspect your fuel pump RELAY not the pump itself

pull the relay and inspect it
also inspect the wires that it plugs into, ddown inside the yellow power dist box
I have seen more then one Ford fuel pump relay come loose internally and make intermittant contact.
I had one on my BII that I would pull it out of th ebox and it appeared 100% fine, go to push it back in and one of the blades would go inside the relay! LOL
took like 4 attempts to find it was loose loose


Do you lose all your gages/dash/radio or just the engine just dies?

did this start happening about the same time the fuel pump was replaced or was the pump replaced because of this issue?

dont go back to that mechanic! but I would sure call them up and let them know their $200 fix did nothing, so they dont make that mistake again...

Thanks for the reply.It just shuts off as if it ran out of fuel. The gauges are fine as far as I can tell. Where is the fuel pump relay located and how do I test it?

The problem started just 2 weeks ago and the pump was replaced 5 months ago. The strange thing is, it now shuts off when making sharp left turns.

 

[budwich]

I would go get the $200 back since it didn't solve the problem he said it would. When you attempt to restart, what observations can you provide.... first, when you turn your key to just on (no attempt to cause the starter to engage), what happened with your instruments indicators ie. check engine light, does it stay on for as long as the key is on??? Second, if you try to cause a "starter engage", does the check engine light go off????

 

[axelhdz2k3]

Check engine light does not come on at all and it starts again normally.

 

[budwich]

I don't think you understand.... you said that it would not start for "an hour".... that's when we need the "exact observations". Your check engine light should always come on during key on... if it doesn't, you have a problem. IF you don't provide accurate observations, you are likely to get lots of opinions on the problem and will either be replacing lots of parts, spending lot of time, and / pulling lots of hair out before you solve your problem.

 

[410Fortune]

try a search for "fuel pump relay" on this forum, you will find it oh so easy to locate and check! all the info you need and then some is here

 

[axelhdz2k3]

Fuel pump inertia switch

Thank you all for the help. I just performed a fuel pressure test and everything seems fine. It reads 35 psi with ignition on and 29-30 psi when the engine is running. I am now suspecting the problem is the Fuel pump inertia switch since the vehicle shuts off when making a sharp left turn. I removed the Fuel pump inertia switch and the red button pops out with a delicate tap. I also checked the continuity at the switch and sometimes it has continuity and sometimes it doesn't. Is there a way for me to jump the wires at the switch or bypass the switch so I can drive test drive it. I really don't want to waste money on a switch if it turns out to be something else.

 

[budwich]

its nothing "spectacular"... basically just a switch.... take it out and connect DG/Y to the PK/BK.

 

[410Fortune]

jumpering the inertia switch is a common thing to do when troubleshooting a feul pump power issue

you can even take the inertia switch apart and see how it works, it shouldnot trip with a slight budge, at all!

You can find a new switch in MANY MANY MANY ford vehicles, dont have to buy new

 

[axelhdz2k3]

Thanks for the reply. Same problem though, make a sharp left turn and it dies. I guess I won't be going to Nascar.

 

[410Fortune]

check the RELAY

does it fire back up when you turn back straight??????

 

[axelhdz2k3]

Thanks for the reply. Where's the relay located? I don't have a diagram for the block where the relays and fuses are located and I can't find one online.

Thanks again

 

[axelhdz2k3]

Almost there

Update: I checked the fuel pump and it's fine, the relay is also good along with the inertia switch. I added fuel to the explorer and it drove fine until the needle dropped below 1/4. Once it dropped to less than a quarter of a tank the same problem returned. I've driven this car almost on fumes before and never had a problem. What could cause the explorer to react as if it were out of gas?

Thanks

 

[scucci]

Possibly this applies?
HESITATION ON ACCELERATION OR TURNING - LACK OF FUEL PRESSURE
EXPLORER / MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 8/15/2000 AND EXPEDITION / NAVIGATOR
VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 6/30/2000
FORD: 1997-2000 EXPEDITION1997-2001 EXPLORER
LINCOLN: 1998-2000 NAVIGATOR
MERCURY: 1997-2001 MOUNTAINEER
ISSUE: A hesitation on acceleration or while turning may be felt on some vehicles. This may be
caused by fuel pump cavitation due to fuel sloshing away from the filter sock in the fuel tank
reservoir.
ACTION: To service, check fuel pressure. Check all fuel pump related electrical circuits. If a fuel
pressure concern is verified, refer to the following ServiceProcedure for details.
SERVICE PROCEDURE:
1. Attempt to verify if fuel pressure drops during the event.
2. If a fuel pressure drop is verified, check all fuel pump related electrical wiring, connections and
related systems.
3. If all checks OK, replace the fuel pump/sender assembly with a revised fuel pump/sender
assembly. Refer to the parts listing for application.
F7PZ-9H307-BD Fuel Pump -1997-1998 Explorer/Mountaineer (All)
4. Refer to the appropriate model year Workshop Manual, Section 310-01, for removal and installation instructions.

Scucci

 

[dean1997sport]

I know this may be an old thread but I wanted to find out if the above reply is a reacall?

 

[scucci]

It is a TSB. TSB-00-20-1
10/02/00

Scucci

 

[axelhdz2k3]

Update

I finally found the problem. Today i removed the fuel tank and when I removed the fuel pump I noticed the filter was not attached to the bottom of the filter. I had the pump replaced back in October 2008 and apparently the mechanic did not attach the filter correctly.
The tank was not difficult to remove or install, just make sure it is empty.

Thanks for all the help.