QuestionQUESTION: My Tribute with 58K on it has a problem with the engine just turning off while driving down the road. This is not the safest thing! it will restart fine and then just shut off again. Maybe ten times in ten miles. No service lights come on. In the morning when starting the engine cranks and starts but will shut off immediately unless you keep it revved up for a few seconds. Whatcha think?
ANSWER: Is your MIL "check engine light" on?
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: No...no trouble lights come at all. It is very strange. I can drive the car for two or days and all is fine. Then this cutting off of the engine starts again. Engine is the big 6 cylinder. Get in the car, hit the starter and engine fires up but stalls right away. Start again and keep your foot on the gas revving it up even as you put it in gear (will stall when put in gear if you don't have some trottle)and it will be ok or so it seems. Then as driving down the road the engine will just turn off. No power steering brakes...nothing. No warning lights nothing. Put in neutral and it will start and go along okay for awhile then do it again. Next day maybe it will be fine?? Very Strange. The last time it was at the dealer they told me that my battery was bad and should be replaced which I haven't done yet. I can't believe that could be the problem could it. Even if it had a dead short in the plates it wouldn't cause the engine to stop would it?
AnswerNot likely the battery. The truck should run on it's alternator alone. To rule this system out start the truck and while it is idling disconnect the negative (- black) terminal. If it dies then the alternator/regulator are not doing there job.
A quick check of the belt and its tension is also called for (engine off of course).
If it keeps running then even with a bad battery you shouldn't see your symptoms. An internally shorted battery would be dead over night. A weak battery might give you lighting and accessories but not be able to provide the cranking amps to get you started.
If you do these checks this will rule out the charging/starting system.
Have you have any recent work done, oil change, air filter etc.?
Follow Up:
The last issue I had with this type symptom was the MAF (Mass Air Flow Sensor). Rather the sensor was not bad but the connection and harness were. Since the vehicle seems to act up sporadically a connection issue seems likely. The Tribute is not my area of expertise but, if someone recently removed the air cleaner to check the filter they could have disturbed the plug or harness to the sensor. These plugs are often well fitted and can be a bear to remove hence an inexperienced technician might pull on the wires inadvertently damaging them.
A wiggle test while the engine is running at this plug might replicate the issue. If so either the plug, harness or possibly the sensor are the blame.
