Fox random stalling

[1BAD92LX]

looking to the experts here for this one.
car is loosing ignition power randomly. car will stall, I loose dash and suspect ECM too. I wait 2-3 minutes and car re fires.
When it stalls, it dies. No hestitation, chug nothing. Battery light and check engine light illuminate shorty after stalling.
Cannot predict when this will happen. Seems to be able to idle for ever. Stalls at random speeds and time after start up/engine temp.
Thought Frankie solved the issue at track day with finding a suspect ECM relay behind the glove box. Worked for the day now back to stalling.
I've replaced the ignition coil, ECM relay and fuel pump relay, ignition switch and checked every ground I can find.
Original ECM does have a DCT chip in it. Not sure how those work tho. (not sure if it piggy backs the original chip or replaces it all together?)
So..... now what? LOL

[ZR]

Pull the chip and test drive.

[1BAD92LX]

Should have asked if it will still run with out the chip.
So it will then?

[ZR]

Yes for sure but best to test what we talked about first.

[1BAD92LX]

Stalled 4 times in my way to work.
Had my volt meter set up on the ignition switch for the way home, and it ran perfect.

[ZR]

Car is being a fawker for sure.

[RedSN]

I don’t remember if you have a stock distributor in there? Or some kind of aftermarket like an MSD?
Did a little reading and possible to be distributor related. Heat soak, cuts out, cools down, runs fine, will idle all day long.

[hammerhead]

maybe fuel pump?

[1BAD92LX]

Has stock distributor. Are you thinking the pick up might be going bad?
I have kinda ruled out the fuel pump, because it’s a sudden stall.

[hammerhead]

They can be intermittent like that. Not really sure if it can be diagnosed until one day it just doesn't work at all.

[ChickenLips]

long shot, but maybe TFI? In my experience they're good, then bad, not intermittent but a quick thing to swap assuming you have a proven good spare.

[Frankie]

Sounds like TFI or PIP problem.
I'd pull the distributor and replace both.

And the igintion coil for good measure - a bad coil can kill a new TFI and a bad TFI can kill a new coil - best to just shotgun it and replace all 3.

[1BAD92LX]

I’ve tried multiple TFI’s. Has a new motorcraft coil.
Must be a resistance measurement of the pick up coil?

[RedSN]

Has stock distributor. Are you thinking the pick up might be going bad?.
Yes, that’s what the thread was suggesting. It was an SN95 forum (94-95), but we basically have the same car.

[ZR]

IMHO...............start with confirming power in / power out of the ign switch is ok first.

[1BAD92LX]

Next time I drive it I’ll put my volt meter on the R/LG wire coming out of the ignition switch that powers the EEC relay. Hopefully it acts up

[ZR]

If it acts up at that wire, next check wire that feeds ign switch.
I'm assuming you've check n cleaned body and engine grounds?

[1BAD92LX]

There are two yellow wires at the ignition switch with all time 12v. Both seem to come from the starter solenoid for constant power. It’s stalls with both ignition switches I have.
And yes for cleaning grounds.

[ZR]

you tug on em at the solenoid to check for fusible link partially burnt?

[1BAD92LX]

I was digging in there last night. Plan on digging some more tonight

[Frankie]

The PIP is a semiconductor device. If it's suspect, you just have to replace it - resistance will only tell you if its burnt completely.

I bought the last couple i installed from RockAuto, had good luck with Standard Motor products ones.

[1BAD92LX]

What were the signs you needed to replace the PIP in the cars you did?

[Frankie]

Wierd ignition related issues.

PIP, TFI and coil all together are under $200.
Considering you are dealing with 35 year old parts, that's cheap insurance.

[ChickenLips]

I travel with a TFI change kit. Tools, gloves, marker for dizzy position and proven good TFI. I've had 2 TFI failures with complete ignition death. 1st stranded me at night in a parking lot, requiring tow home and cancel of date plans (no sugar tonight). 5 minute swap once home.

2nd incident was on the way to a crucial medical appointment made months earlier. Died and swapped all in a 10 minute window, made the appointment.

I may expand the kit with PIP, coil, and coil swap tools as per Frankie, good advice IMO.

[1BAD92LX]

I think every fox owner has swapped a TFI on the side of the road.
Me included.

[LX89]

My 89 still has the original TFI module with about 209,000km.
I took it off once years ago and put computer heat sink paste on the back.

There was a dime size amount of some dried out white stuff from the factory on the back.

[Mustang4]

Tired of those surprises.
Bought a kit and relocated my TFI module over to passenger firewall with a big heat sink attached.
You can see it just above where the cold air intake comes in from the firewall.
No issues since.

36233

[RedSN]

^^^like a SN95 setup. Was wondering why more fox owners don’t make this mod

[Frankie]

https://www.fatfoxx.com/

[m_owing]

That fatfoxx kit even comes with arctic silver 5 thermal paste/compound. Normally used in between heat sinks and computer chips, it helps transfer the heat. Not to be confused with dielectric grease, which is an insulating grease for electrical parts it’s not made to transfer heat. Despite this, many ignition module instructions call for it.

[1BAD92LX]

Car went to storage yesterday for the winter, so this is a problem for the spring time.
It stalled 5 times on my way to work then two more times on the way to storage just for good measure.
I now have the restarting procedure down to where I don’t have to pull over and stop anymore.

[m_owing]

I now have the restarting procedure down to where I don’t have to pull over and stop anymore.

Well that’s something!
Because of this thread I ordered a tfi tool and a tube of thermal paste.

[1BAD92LX]

Installed a new to me used distributor last night.
Didn’t stall on a 20 minute test drive so things are looking up