1998 Ranger
3.0L engine
189K miles

Ok, here's one I've never encountered before in any vehicle. Truck has been running fine except that it threw a CEL for a cylinder 2 misfire 2 different times over the course of a week about 2 months ago (it ran fine, and didn't seem to be misfiring). It has run fine since without incident. Today I made a turn from one highway to another, and began accelerating. At approximately 45 mph, the engine cut out for about 2 seconds, then ran for about the same amount of time, then cut out for another 2 seconds, and repeated this about 20 times until it finally just quit. The "on/off" pattern was very consistent until it quit. I coasted to a side road, and figured it was dead in the water. Surprsingly, it started right up, and it ran fine the last 10 miles home. I've started it up a few times since, and it seems fine.

Anyone have any ideas what might have caused this, or what I might try looking for or testing?

Thanks.

 

Reads like fuel pump is on its way out

Computer can monitor most engine systems, spark, injectors, air/fuel mix(O2s), RPMs(crank and cam sensors)

But one thing it can not monitor is fuel pressure, it monitors if fuel pump is getting 12volts, but no way to monitor if its using the 12volts, lol

So with the absence of codes of a system issue, best guess is the one thing it can't monitor, the fuel pump
It could be a bad connection on the gas tank, corroded or ??, causing fuel pump power to drop out

Only other thing I can think of that fits, is the computer is shutting off and rebooting, but CEL would come on EACH TIME that happened, and you don't mention that

 

I should have mentioned that a CEL was thrown, but I've not had an opportunity to see what it threw. Whether it threw one each time the engine cut out or not, I don't know, but it was showing a steady CEL when it quit and I was coasting, but no CEL when I restarted it. That said, I'll hopefully have no problems driving back to town to test see what code(s) was/were thrown, but that's 20 miles away, so it won't be without some anxiety. :)

 

You can get a Bluetooth OBD2 reader, $20-$40, it uses a free APP and your smart phone(or tablet) to display information

It works on ANY vehicle sold in the US or Canada from 1996 to present day, that was required by LAW, so not a Ford thing

If does more than read codes, you can watch LIVE data while driving, don't get a ticket, hands free only, lol

If you get one, get an extension cable with it, maybe $4-$6, reason is some OBD plug-ins are behind a smaller panel and the Bluetooth reader won't fit in all the way, on most it does, but better to have it an not need it than to need it and not have it

When you have an intermittent issue these can help because of the LIVE data, you may see a sensor or control drop out when engine does

 

Finally read my OBD, and there were no codes. Not even the prior cylinder misfire code I never cleared. Whatever happened, cleared the computer. I did go over the truck looking for obvious clues, but found nothing out of place, including the fuel pump connection (it's only a few months old, so I would have been surprised to find something there). In any event, I have no clue what happened except I did read online where a couple of others with somewhat similar circumstances/issues, but there was no resolution. There were some suggestions it could be the ECM/ECU going bad. Regardless, I've driven my truck well over 300 miles without incident. It's running perfectly, but whatever it was, cleared the prior CEL code.