1987 T-Bird 5.0 EGR question

[glamprinos]

Hi All - I have an '87 with a 5.0. First issue I'm working on is that it shuts off at a stop sign when hot. It doesn't feel like it runs out of gas. More like if someone just switched off the key. It starts up right away. The only code I found is 34 - EGR sensor or valve. Would that cause the issue I'm seeing? If so, I'm going to replace both the valve and sensor. I noticed prices vary from $50 - $150. Is there a difference in quality? Should I buy Motorcraft or is a Standard Motor Products brand good enough? Thanks!

 

[64ZCODE]

A bad EGR valve would cause rough idle and if stuck wide open, the engine would die but probably not all at once as you describe. Your issue might be electrical. Does the ignition have a TFI (thin film ignition) card on the distributor? As those start to go bad, the engine will die, then may start later on after things cool off a bit.

 

[glamprinos]

Thanks 64Z! Yes, it does have a TFI card. And I do remember I had a problem with that card once before. There was a problem with those overheating and breaking due to the close proximity to the motor. They're easy enough to replace, might as well throw one of those in to her too. I see the price varies from $18 to $80 depending on brand. Should I stick with Motorcraft or are the after-market brands just as good? Thanks again!

 

[64ZCODE]

Not sure. The last one I bought was from Performance Distributors and supposedly has a longer dwell cycle to increase spark duration.

Re: EGR you could try cleaning the valve and passageways in the exhaust manifold and see if the fault trouble code reoccurs.