So I'm literally an hour from heading out with the family in our class C motorhome for the Labor Day weekend. I've been driving the motorhome all day getting things ready without issue, anyhow in the last hour I went to turn it on and it kept dying right after it would start. I tried to start it several times and it would just die until I gave it a little gas and then it stayed running. Just now as I was backing it in, it died again, but started right up without issue. When I parked it, it cranked just fine again. We took it out last month and had no issues, since it's been back it's had an oil change and the airfiter changed and has just sat in the driveway. It did get a full tank of gas this morning as well. Any ideas, should I be worried to take it out this weekend? By the way it's a 1997 Tioga on a Ford E350 super duty chassis with 27k miles on it. Thanks!

V10? If so, has the battery died or been disconnected recently?

You might pop off the engine cover and inspect for a cracked emission hose. They can cause small vacuum leaks that can cause poor idling. Recheck the hoses on and around the air cleaner assembly. You may have knocked one loose when changing out the air cleaner.

I thought about that but not familiar with the symptoms that go along with that issue. If it is, is it something I can just deal with over the weekend by just doing whatI have been or is it something serious enough to call the trip off?

Yes V10, and yes the battery had been drained due to the lP/Co monitor staying on. I'll check the hoses too. The battery has since been charged.

Need some insight on engine stalling issue. | Good Sam Community

15 Replies

efiguero
Explorer
Sep 03, 2013
I did not get a chance to post on this topic after I left, but once we hit the road we did not have any issues with the engine (Not so lucky with our tires, had a flat). Weird, but I guess it was a good thing. Now that we don't have any planned trips, I will take it in to get looked at.
patperry2766
Explorer II
Aug 31, 2013
Had a problem similar to this on my car recently. Turned out to be the mass air flow sensor. Are you getting a check engine light?
j-d
Explorer II
Aug 30, 2013
If you have never changed the fuel filter, please do.

Do you have a gauge to test fuel pressure? Hoping it's not a fuel pump failure.
Peg_Leg
Explorer
Aug 30, 2013
Did you fill it "REALLY" full? I've heard of some with high fuel levels reacting with the emissions, fuel getting into the vent line, or some thing like that, and causing some rough idling and dying for a few miles until the fuel level gets lower. Some times throwing a code until so many start cycles are completed.
efiguero
Explorer
Aug 30, 2013
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
It takes X number of starts for the ECU to remember its name. Otherwise it is in limp home mode and stalling is almost guaranteed. When the ECU gathers its wits about it during normal operation all of the nasty stuff will go away.

IMHO turn the key and drive off. Enjoy.

sounds promising, I'll keep my fingers crossed! Thanks for the input all. I will try to monitor the post during rest stops and post any further issues if I run into any.
brirene
Explorer
Aug 30, 2013
efiguero wrote:
Yes V10, and yes the battery had been drained due to the lP/Co monitor staying on. I'll check the hoses too. The battery has since been charged.

My '05 was having similar problems, stalling in reverse after low idling. It was related to the battery having died and the computer reacting to some sludge in the throttle body. Dealer cleaned that, and no more problem. Ford had a bulletin on the issue, so you may be able to find that. I don't know if '97 was included or not.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Aug 30, 2013
It takes X number of starts for the ECU to remember its name. Otherwise it is in limp home mode and stalling is almost guaranteed. When the ECU gathers its wits about it during normal operation all of the nasty stuff will go away.

IMHO turn the key and drive off. Enjoy.
efiguero
Explorer
Aug 30, 2013
I checked the hoses, and did not see anything obvious that was disconnected. It out of the several times I cranked it, maybe 5 times while checking oil levels, etc. It only died once, it seems to be idling fine, it's just the occasional stall after it starts, and the one time is stalled while backing (Which worries me the most.). We are driving about 150-200 miles only, so it is not super far. As for the throttle positioning sensor, where would that be, and look like? I'm no mechanic, but I can poke around and figure stuff out. :-)
ernie1
Explorer II
Aug 30, 2013
If it fires right up and then dies without idling but you can keep it running by giving it a little gas, I would check the throttle position sensor.
John_Wayne
Explorer II
Aug 30, 2013
Well if you pull the engine cover off it should be easy enough to see if a hose came off and where it came from. If you go that way till you get back (don't know how you will be driving ) but if a vacuum hose it will cause it to run lean for the whole trip which can't be good for it.