Stacie

I'm at my whit's end once again with my car...and you guys are always great at giving advice when nobody else can think straight. I've replaced literally everything I can think of that could possibly be related.

I am hoping someone knows the magic solution that will help me, because I have spent enough to buy a new car trying to repair this one at this point...

Background on the car/current mod list off the top of my head that could possibly effect engine performance:
Steeda CAI and inlet elbow
BBK fuel rails (shouldn't effect anything really)
Accel coils
Ford Racing Hot Rod Cams
Brand New: Pacesetter long-tube headers
Brand New: Pacesetter H-Pipe (no cats, but I put in 18" glass pack resonators for back-pressure)
SLP loudmouth axle-back exhaust (straight pipe version, no resonators/muffler)
Ford Racing Intake Manifold
Brand New: McCloud dual disc clutch, flywheel & slave cylinder
Brand New: Spectra 300lph fuel pump

I can't think of anything else that isn't just drive-train, that could effect engine stalling.

OK, so this all started in Summer of 2014 when I had a photo-shoot on an island with construction speed-bumps to give a background. My GT is lowered 2-3" all around, so I went over slowly but because they're temporary bumps they're about 5 inches tall and pretty much square. Coming over the other side, despite trying to break and crest as slow as humanly possible, it hit hard and crunched my exhaust. Ok, so I lived with an exhaust leak for a little while. I was tight on cash, and the only issue since it crunched after the sensors and Cats was an annoying vibration and tick sound. Zero drivability or performance consequences, never threw a DTC code.

So I waited to replace it.

Then I hit another one on my way to a different shoot. This time it bent the header on the driver side, which cracked. So, it became time to fix it asap as it was now causing engine stalls at stop-lights, and exhaust was getting into the cab. So I tore it apart and ordered parts.

I pulled out the BBK long-tubes and mid-pipe and replaced with the less expensive Pace Setter version to save money and since the reviews didn't lead me to believe it would cause any significant performance issues... Dumb...we had to rip the motor apart to fit them in. Tip: spend more on BBK!.

With that, just in case, I replaced the throttle body since the position sensor is part of the throttle body motor...and bought a new MAF, cleaned out the air filter and elbow...the usual BS. Replaced alternator and battery, did oil change and spark plugs, checked all my fluid levels, the usual crap you do when your baby is not behaving.

Put them in, should have fixed the stalling issue. Nope. Day 2 I blew out the cheap pacesetter gaskets right out. So I replaced those with the super pricey 50% crush type. Fixed the NEW header leak. Should be fine now right? NOPE.

Now it stalls every time I stop at a light on a hill. Flat was fine. So, thinking back to my tech days, and throwing ideas with my husband, we decided it might be the fuel pump as I often run it down to 1/8th tank due to work schedule and photo-shoots on location (I'm a real estate photographer so I need this car to be reliable and just GO).

So, I bought a Spectra 300lph fuel pump and put that in, and also got a new throttle body from the auto parts store on warranty replacement since I thought perhaps the new one I bought 3 months ago might have been faulty.

Replaced cam positioning sensors.

IT'S STILL STALLING EVERY FRIGGIN TIME I HIT THE CLUTCH. Does NOT throw a code.

I've gone back and forth with the Bama Tunes people seeing if it's a bad tune.

Now I am begging you all to see if anyone knows anything I'm not thinking of? I'm desperate...if I have to drive my husbands over-sized "Mom" SUV for one more week I'm going to be very unhappy...hoping you guys can help! Please please please!!!

I'm sure I've done more than this, but can't think of anything right now.

movielover40

Does it start right back up and rev good?

Sounds like a Mass Air-Flow Sensor to me.

Mine was stalling and no codes but it would start right back up and sound great. Dealer replaced MAF and it's been fine ever since.

Good luck to you.

Derf00

If you hit the header hard enough to flatten it have you checked for other damage such as flattened fuel lines?
What brand of Throttle body are you using? To be honest after so many years on this forum, I've seen brand new ones be bad out of the box on more than one occasion. The fact is, the aftermarket ones are junk so unless it's a Motorcraft or FRPP i'd still doubt the throttle body.

Have you checked out your plugs to see how the engine is firing? If they're coated in white you are running lean, if they are sooty or crusty in brown you are running rich.

Other than that you should probably have it taken to a shop to diagnose and save yourself the time and frustration of just throwing parts at it.

Stacie

Brand new MAF Sensor in it...

I checked for everything. I had done all the modifications myself until that happened, at which point I took it to a shop. The construction speed bump I hit that cracked the header was one of those put together for temporary use that isn't flat. The angle I hit had to have been 'just right' to do the damage as absolutely nothing else was even scraped. I've had every test run at the local performance shop...fuel system, intake & exhaust, put it on the smoker, everything.
It starts up and idle's just fine. Sometimes I can even get into town without it dying, but after exiting the freeway it starts the antics again. The shop test drove it after the most recent money waste, and didn't have a problem. Then it died 3 times on me just going back to my office. Ideas? The New Throttle body I used a motorcraft one. I didn't want to bother dropping money on a bigger BBK or anything since I originally planned to supercharge the car, but haven't yet.

Since the original exhaust leak, I did cave and take it to a shop. I'm up to over $4000 in shop time alone now. They seem to be unable to put their pants on. They always say "I don't know what's wrong with it" but they don't drive it farther than a block down the road and back. No more shop time for this girl... Seems each time I've let someone else work on it, more problems come out of the woods that were never there before I let some moron with an ASE cert touch it. No offense, they just don't seem to get modified cars. I used to be a tech at a local repair shop, so I'm pretty savvy. The lack of any DTC code is really getting my blood pressure up. I've done everything that can be related that doesn't always throw a code. Oh, and a new fuel filter too.

evillela2001

I had aftermarket coils on my mustang with a similar setup (I had shorty headers but everything else was the same) and it would have a rough idle and bog really heavy under 2k rpm. Once I put the stock ones back on the issue was gone. Try using the stock coils if you still have them available. Worth a shot.

Stacie

Thank-you...I actually did that for a week or two a bit ago in the midst of trying all the other things. The idle is smooth, but lopey due to the cams. It doesn't bog at all like it did when I had a dropped cylinder due to the granitelli coils I used to have, it actually is screaming fast and extremely responsive. I put the stock coils back on for a few weeks in January, but it only resulted in slightly reduced fuel economy. I had a problem like you described above with the Granitelli Coils, so I got a set of Accel and it stopped the coil issue. I keep forgetting all the things I've tried, sorry!

evillela2001

Yeah the granitelli coils are the same ones I had. I went through 4 sets then I just gave up. Ended up losing $200 on them. Oh well. Good luck finding your issue.

danzcool

A vacuum leak could cause it to die when braking/clutch in. Also, the idle with the cams may be just a bit too low, it's tricky because for the best sound/lope you want it just on the edge of dying.
I know I've almost always had a similar issue on the current setup when tunes are loaded for about the first 3 drive cycles, seems to start acting up once the car gets warm, the second drive cycle is the worst since it dies on every stop and even while shifting gears if you're not quick, the third drive cycle seemed to get better and by the fourth drive cycle it seems to be catching itself before dying every time, the PCM is adaptive and does take some time to 'learn' to idle with highly modded cars, but it starts over every time the tune is loaded or the battery disconnected.
PS, I haven't heard anything good about any aftermarket coils for our cars, just the ford/motorcraft ones.

Simon1

Had a data log been done to see what the computer is doing? It would point you in the right direction of what's wrong. I'm guessing vacuum, coils or tune.

Could be an exhaust leak. Whoever you bring it to should be a real tuner, not a regular specialty shop.

outceltj

Is your throttle body stock or aftermarket