weird sputtering/fuel/ECM problems...please help

[NICE59FORDF100]

ok, this is weird. Last saturday, i was driving to edmond from mustang, about a 40 minute drive, and on the way, i notice Blue start to sputter, and want to loose engine power (the electrical stuff, headlights, stereo, were fine, no affection) and an iratic idle situation. I had to pull over on the side of the interstate (65 MPH, i almost died), and Blue died. well, i got him started again, but with a really bad idle and even higher in the power band, it was irratic. i would press the gas pedal, and nothing would happen.. well, i finally got back on the road, and was doin 55 at 3200 RPM...the computer would shift into overdirve (or maybe even 4th). and the check engine light was on during all this. Heres the weird thing: when it was sputtering, the check engine light was "sputtering" too. like, it didnt just come on and off like a light switch, rather, it would flicker in sequence with the fuel pump relay that was continuosly engaging/diengaging. so the MIL and the fuel pump relay (could have been the ECM relay as well, i dont know) were "synched" together, because they were both acting up together. anyway, i get to edmond, and when ever i would slow down, the truck would sputter, and die. then after being on the shoulder of road in edmond for about 10 minutes, i start it, and it runs perfectly, no problems. then i get near my apartments, it starts cutting out again, like just really really irratic RPMS. well, i finally get to my parking lot, and kill it.
Sunday: i call autozone to see if the can check ANYTHING, and so i start driving it over there. i start the truck, no problem. then i get about 500 ft down the road, it starts doin it again. i pulled over into a parking lot, and call my dad to bring the trailer. when he gets here, of course, it starts fine, and drives up on the trailer, no problem

Later that same afternoon.....

we get to my mechanics shop, and i drop the truck off. well, its running just fine on the trailer. i park it and call my mechianc, and tell him what all i told yall. anyway, i call him today, and this is what i found out

after the phone call...

it acted up on him monday, so at least he saw and felt the problem. he was having trouble keeping it running trying to pull some codes. well, he ran a fuel pressure test, all his electronic diagnostic tests, and pulls two codes. a 290 something code, and a 130 something code. well, come to find out,t he codes he got doesnt exist , even with verification from ford. THE CODES THE COMPTER GAVE HIM WERE FALSE CODES, DIDNT EXIST! ok, i thought, thats wierd. well, after running all of his diagnostics, the truck has been running fine since. hes driving it on three 20 mile trips, with no problems.

so, here is my question: what could be causing all of this, cause my mechanic didnt technically find or correct the problem. it 'fixed itself' i dont want to be driving the truck, and have it 'un fix its self' thanks guys for your help!

 

[MrShorty]

Interesting:

1 question: Was your mechanic using a fancy scanner to pull codes, or was he doing it the poor man's way (see www.troublecodes.net/Ford, www.fordfuelinjection.com, or others)? On occasion it seems that some of these fancy scanners, whether through operator error or what, have trouble communicating properly with the EEC-IV computer. If he used a scanner, I would repeat the KOEO test with just a jumper wire and either use a voltmeter or the check engine light to read codes. I would reread the codes and report the numbers. There are several 13x codes (though almost all apply to a 2 O2 sensor system), but certainly no 29x codes.

You report that he had trouble keeping it running while trying to pull codes. There is an engine running (key on engine running or KOER) EEC-IV test, but he shouldn't have had any trouble running the KOEO (key on engine off) test.

Did all the other diagnostic tests look correct (fuel pressure, etc.)?

 

[PTBishop]

vacuum leaks? like brake booster barely holding on? check all vacuum lines, smoke test it, also is the egr sticking? fuel filter ok? there are a lot of things you can check....i think the snap on scanner would be your best bet to scan that considering it is pre OBD II

 

[NICE59FORDF100]

ok, ya, he used some fancy genisis scan tool, which i believe did try and read the eratic check engine light, which gave him a 290 code and a 30 code. and he tried to pull the codes with it running, because when he tried to perform the KOEO test, the relay would just click nonstop, so the computer couldnt ever get a chance to enter diagnostics mode. ya when he performed the fuel pressure test, there was fuel pressure, the regulator was fine. all the mechaincal aspects of it were fine he told me. it was something electrical. and he also said there were no vacuum leaks of any sort.

ok, star date 9/17/05...

this moring, i pull out of the parking lot to go to work. well, its running fine and everything, until i get about 400 feet away, then the check engine light starts flickering eratically, as did before. only this time, the engine is not wanting to sputter and die. i pull into a 7-11, and let it idle, and its idling pretty eratically, just not nearly as bad as before. but i could still drive it. so i drive to the local parts store, kill the enigne, wait 10 seconds, and try to perform a KOEO test. the check engine light justs flickers with the relay clicking. so i go in, get a new ECM relay, plug it in, and now its running just fine. but thats not to say it was the realy, cause just sitting for a while seems to make the truck 'look fine' we'll see when i drive home tonight, but this whole time ive been wanting to say it was either the realy causing all this, or from the relay to the ignition....bt we shall see. thanks guys for reading so mch on this post, i do appreciate it.

Oh, and my family is wanting to trade my truck and my mom's car in on me a newer vehicle...please sign my petition NOt to...thanks

 

[MrShorty]

Yes, it definitely sounds electrical. Seat-of-the-pants-off-the-top-of-my-head diagnosis would suggest checking the EEC relay/fuse/circuit. Your mechanics description of his attempt to run the KOEO test and the rough running suggests to me the possibility that the relay (or other element in the power supply to the computer) is erratically cutting out on you.

Did you try the KOEO test while it was running well? Do you have a wiring diagram?

 

[93liftedXLT]

did you ever figure out the reason why the truck was running soo weird..?

 

[BlueExplorer]

Bad tank of Gas??? Happened to me on several occaisions. Sends trouble codes all over the place and won't let you pinpoint a specific problem.

 

[NICE59FORDF100]

i think what it was was my superchip. when i took that off, it hasnt done any of this weird **** that it was doin earlier. i havent put it back on in fear of the problems rising, but maybe if i clean the points, it will help, who knows. but i think thats what it was