New Member in Need of Help!! Stranded

[Nimble]

Hey everyone...

I've had my Lighting for about 3 years now. It's an 03' Sonic Blue w/ no performance mods. Just a K&N and Lowered. The vehicle has always ran fine until recently.

About 3 months ago I took it out after storing it and it would run fine for general driving. Then when you'd floor it the truck would miss in the high RPMs. I thought bad gas so I put in new fuel and a bottle of ISO HEET and it went away. Well then it came back about a month ago for a couple days. Then it went away again and hasn't come back since.

FFWD to today. I went to start the truck and it started fine but then immediately died. I try giving it gas but it's like I'm not even touching the accelerator. If I floor it when starting the truck will start up and rev high but the immediatly the RPMs will fall and it will die again. I put fuel in it 3 days ago so I don't think it's bad fuel. The vehicle has been running just fine until today now.


Cliffs: Lighting will start fine but immediately die. If I start w/ gas it will rev but then RPMs fall again and it stalls.

Vehicle Information:
2003 Sonic Blue Ford Lighting
49,000 Miles
K&N Air Filter
Lowered

(No Performance Mods)

The problem is I'm up at my cabin in Northern WI and have no real garage to consult? I'm stranded!!!

Anyone ever have this happen before?

Click to read more...

 

[smith876]

Not by any means the resident expert - - but symptoms sounds quite similar to a fuel pump failure I had some time ago (in a non-ford).

 

[Nimble]

Not by any means the resident expert - - but symptoms sounds quite similar to a fuel pump failure I had some time ago (in a non-ford).

Actually an Update. I jsut tried again and the minute I turn the key foward the THEFT light is on. That's never been there before. I'm thinking that the vehicle thinks it's trying to be stolen? No idea why as I have the keys and i've disarmed the alarm.

 

[Flatliner]

Things that pop in my head

- confirm the pumps are working: when you turn the key you should here a buzz of them kicking in. Filter could be plugged too.
- Spark plugs: pull and check them and the gap
- MAF: when you put the filter on, did you move the MAF position of the sensor? Clean the sensor to be safe as well.
- A bad 02 sensor...
- FPRS: I'm not familiar with the lightning motors, if they have a FPRS, that could be bad too.

 

[Wiked L]

cold air filter & plenum on tight? When you floor the truck or things sit for a long time things get loose.

My cold air filter came off once and the car started but died shortly.

 

[LSX7]

sounds like a fuel pump or ?????

 

[PearlBlue L]

kinda like this?

http://host.stangsource.com/20inchSVT/gas_die.wmv

I had a simular problem with my truck last year.

 

[Nimble]

kinda like this?

http://host.stangsource.com/20inchSVT/gas_die.wmv

I had a simular problem with my truck last year.

That is exactly what it's doing. I didn't see your THEFT light on though. But yah, that's what it's doing.

What was the issue/resolution?

 

[PearlBlue L]

it was caused by this. a resistor on the front of the truck behind the bumper cover. i changed out my fuel pumps, fuel filter and flushed my lines from the rails back before i found out about this resitor being a part of the system. cheap to buy a new one and kinda pissed me off that it was as simple as plugging in a new one and everything finally working. took me about a week of work all together when really it was only 10 minutes of work to finally fix it.

 

[Nimble]

it was caused by this. a resistor on the front of the truck behind the bumper cover. i changed out my fuel pumps, fuel filter and flushed my lines from the rails back before i found out about this resitor being a part of the system. cheap to buy a new one and kinda pissed me off that it was as simple as plugging in a new one and everything finally working. took me about a week of work all together when really it was only 10 minutes of work to finally fix it.

You know what. I was torquing on my bumber earlier today before I tried starting it. The drivers side looked like it was a bit low so I tried to lift it. Where exactly is that resistor? Do I need to remove the bumber cover to get at it?

Thank you so much!!

 

[Flatliner]

it was caused by this. a resistor on the front of the truck behind the bumper cover. i changed out my fuel pumps, fuel filter and flushed my lines from the rails back before i found out about this resitor being a part of the system. cheap to buy a new one and kinda pissed me off that it was as simple as plugging in a new one and everything finally working. took me about a week of work all together when really it was only 10 minutes of work to finally fix it.

Gary FTW!:headbang:

 

[PearlBlue L]

You know what. I was torquing on my bumber earlier today before I tried starting it. The drivers side looked like it was a bit low so I tried to lift it. Where exactly is that resistor? Do I need to remove the bumber cover to get at it?

Thank you so much!!

i dont remember exactly where on the front it is. if your truck isnt lowered you might be able to get under the truck and look without taking off the cover. i gotta look through my old post and see if i said anything about the exact location. give me a few minutes.

 

[Nimble]

i dont remember exactly where on the front it is. if your truck isnt lowered you might be able to get under the truck and look without taking off the cover. i gotta look through my old post and see if i said anything about the exact location. give me a few minutes.

Thank you so much. This wouldn't be an issue if I wasn't at my cabin. I'm in the middle of nowhere right now an hour away from the nearest town. My cell doesn't work up here but for some reason my wireless card does. I usually don't take my laptop with me up here but thank god I did this time!!!

I appreciate you help here A LOT

 

[PearlBlue L]

well it looks like i never posted where exactly its at, just behind the bumper. try looking behind the impact bar.

heres a better description of what it is.

$29

820ohm dropping resistor found behind the bumper for the fuel pumps. It's part of the fuel pump system, it drops voltage to the pumps so they run slower and is bypassed when going into boost or at WOT. You can splice the two wires together and bypass the resistor but the pumps will run full speed at all times.

 

[batman]

looks like the problem

 

[LSX7]

wow bad ass

 

[PearlBlue L]

if you find yours and it doesnt seem to be broken at all pull off your passenger kick panel and see if your red switch needs to be reset.

 

[Nimble]

if you find yours and it doesnt seem to be broken at all pull off your passenger kick panel and see if your red switch needs to be reset.

So I found it and pulled it off...Didn't look as bad as yours but I tried starting it without the resistor and the same thing happened. Started and stalled immediately. So I spliced the wires together and put it back in and the thing runs like a champ now!!!! So Can I drive this thing 400 miles like this or should I goto the nearest auto store and get a new one before my trip?

Again. Thank you so much! You've really really helped me out here! Thank You!

 

[PearlBlue L]

So I found it and pulled it off...Didn't look as bad as yours but I tried starting it without the resistor and the same thing happened. Started and stalled immediately. So I spliced the wires together and put it back in and the thing runs like a champ now!!!! So Can I drive this thing 400 miles like this or should I goto the nearest auto store and get a new one before my trip?

Again. Thank you so much! You've really really helped me out here! Thank You!

i tried to drive mine spliced, only did about 10 minutes. it wont run like it should but you can drive it. i would try to get a new one right away though. 400 miles seems a bit far to test it out.

 

[Nimble]

i tried to drive mine spliced, only did about 10 minutes. it wont run like it should but you can drive it. i would try to get a new one right away though. 400 miles seems a bit far to test it out.

Ok...I'll probably have to stay over tonight then and leave in the AM as all the places here are closed already.

I can't tell you how much you've helped me here.

Thank You

 

[PearlBlue L]

Ok...I'll probably have to stay over tonight then and leave in the AM as all the places here are closed already.

I can't tell you how much you've helped me here.

Thank You

i think i had to get my new one through ford. if i remember they had to order it cause its a weird part to have in stock.

 

[Nimble]

i think i had to get my new one through ford. if i remember they had to order it cause its a weird part to have in stock.

Probably. I just called Advanced Auto Parts which is the closest auto parts store. He said they have resistors but he doesn't know what wattage I need and I will have to goto a Ford Dealer and find out. I think the closest Ford Dealer is about 2 hours away. I'll have to figure it out. It's just a big relief now that I know what it is... I can't even imagine what the Tow would have been from here to a garage that could work on an SVT.

 

[PearlBlue L]

Probably. I just called Advanced Auto Parts which is the closest auto parts store. He said they have resistors but he doesn't know what wattage I need and I will have to goto a Ford Dealer and find out. I think the closest Ford Dealer is about 2 hours away. I'll have to figure it out. It's just a big relief now that I know what it is... I can't even imagine what the Tow would have been from here to a garage that could work on an SVT.

well, glad to help. i say get up in the morning and call the ford dealership by your house here and have them order the it. 820ohm dropping resistor for the fuel system. then try to drive it home, just take it easy and dont go WOT at all.

 

[Oncebitten03]

Glad you got it figured out Jason

 

[Nimble]

Glad you got it figured out Jason

Yeah...Me too! Thanks for your help earlier. I'm just going to call the nearest Ford Garage and sit up here at my Cabin and fish for a few more days till it comes in

We have to hook up this summer. I still have my bike and I've only managed about 700 miles on the thing. Dave told me you all had a mod party about a week back and you stretched you 1000? I'll get in touch with you when I get back to Chicago.