[rlthomasson]

1988 Mustang GT
I was driving down the highway at about 55 miles per hour and it popped and died. I checked it over and everything looked good, so I tried to fire it up and it started. I pulled back onto the road, accelerated and started to shift to 2nd gear and it died again. This time it wouldn't restart at all. I had to tow it home. It turns over just like it should, but it just doesn't fire. I haven't checked anything yet, but was wondering if anyone had any ideas to start with. At no time did the engine miss, hesitate or give any indication that anything was amiss. I'm just looking for the most likely place to start.

Thanks

 

[junior barding]

check for fire distribture gear fuel pump

 

[jerry9665]

check for fire distribture gear fuel pump

Yeah, check for spark, then fuel/fuel pump/fuel filter

 

[EagleAutosports]

Just one question... does the tach jump around when trying to crank it? If it does, then the problem is inside the distributor, more specifically the ignition pickup. What you describe sounds like what happens when the pickup fails. There's no warning, and it'll shut off like someone turned the key.

 

[rlthomasson]

Eagle,
The tach just moves up when the engine is turning and drops back when its not. It is not at all erratic. I can hear the fuel pump run and then stop when the pressure builds up. Do you still think it is a pickup or could it be the control module? And yes, that was just exactly what happened, just like the key had been turned off.

 

[EagleAutosports]

Still sounds to me like it's the pickup, I've had that very thing happen to me.

 

[Jdennis]

Sounds Like It needs a new distributor.

 

[rlthomasson]

Answer to my own question

I know that it has been nearly two years ago, but it was the module. I replaced the pickup as well. Someone had used a wrong size screw to hold the module to the distributor and it was not cooling properly I think.

 

[spdjnky_42]

Thanks for the info. PIP and TFI are pretty easy to figure when the car dies while driving and the fuel pump still whines. :bigthumbsup