Hi there,
I bought a 2007 Ford E 350 Super Duty XLT, a 15 passenger van with 100k last month (June 2012). Did a full tune up, changed spark plugs, fuel filter and air filter and put about 800 miles on it in a month. Last week, it died while I was going 50 Mph on major highway, I was taking exit so i was slow, while driving, I lost power control and it wouldn't start again. If I tried to turn on the ignition, it would make alarm sound like "ti to ti to ti to" and where the odometer is, it would say "Rsc not working"

I Towed it to a Ford specialist, and when he checked it a day later, the Van started while he was trouble shooting; he left it on for a few hours and drove 20 miles and no problem. He said it is a Harness or wiring issue for sure, and when Van goes dead again, he can figure it out but nothing for now. I took the van back and drove it all around personally, put about 80 miles and the problem happened again. It died in the middle of a major highway at 55 Mph, same alarm noise when I tried to turn on (check engine, and a few other signs stay after it dies). Battery, lights everything works fine. 10 minute later it started again, ran like brand new, and died after driving 2 miles, then again 5 minute later it started, but died after driving 3 miles.

Next day morning I tried to start and wouldn't start at all. I towed it to the mechanic on Saturday. When he checked it on Monday, he said van started just how it should without showing any problem or sign. I asked him to drive every day till this happened. He put about 100 miles in last 4 days, and then I put another 350 miles in last week driving personally.

I know this problem will happen sooner or later, and I want to avoid this, especially when passengers are in the Van. I don't know, did anything like this happen to you? It is not the fuel filter or fuel pump issue here, but computer, wiring or harness, but just don't know how to solve this. I am thinking to sell it in the Auction nearby and take the ditch of loss and move on. Can you please give me some realistic ideas what to do with this mysterious unknown annoying problem.

~Urjo

 

This really sounds like a classic vapor lock issue caused by a weak fuel pump. It doesn't matter if the filter was changed; the damage was probably already done.
If you can put a gauge on this and take it for a run when the problem occurs, that will tell you what's going on.
Also, if there are any continuous codes in the pcm, that can help in the diag.

 

NO codes are showing up. Mechanic said it is nothing to do with the fuel pump at all. I thought it would be a bad fuel filter that is clogged to begin with or fuel pump, but he says its neither. He is sure that it is either harness or wiring, but he can only be precise when problem happens. And this damnn problem doesn't happen when the Van is towed to him.

 

Wow, I guess nobody had such weird problem that I am facing I guess. I drove another 150 miles, a total of 560 miles after this unknown problem happend two weeks ago. Again, car drives like new without any sign of problem, yet I am afraid this thing is going to show out of nowhere soon.

 

Have you tried canceling te RSC and see if there is any running change?

 

I'm having the exact same problem with my 91 e350 motorhome. Acts like vapor lock. Took it on a 3000 mile loop from Ca thru Colorado. Broke down in Glenwoodsprings. Mechanic said it was a plugged fuel filter. Changed it out and didn"t have a problem for 1200 miles... Problem happened again two weeks later heading up to the Sierras. Broke down 3 times heading up the mountain. We let it cool down and it would stat right up. Engine is NOT running hot. Ended up taking the dog house off and prolong the hood open to get better air flow and problem gone. Suspecting HP fuel pump but friend had similar problem. Turned out to be a corroded ecu harness. Unfortunately no KOEO or KOER codes. Pretty hard tO diagnose until it breakdown, then you're busy trying to get the beast to a safe spot...

 

Not all problems like this can be hit the 1st time. There are some things that can be done to pin it down.
Of course the is always the shotgun approach of "replace everything and hope you hit it". But , if you didn't, then you take the process of proving out each suspected system and that can take some time and expense.
I agree with greasemark, and would install a fuel pressure gauge to be able to tell on the spot when it quits , as to whether you have good fuel pressure or not.
Once that is known move to another system if necessary. Even a doctor can't always diagnose symptoms without running certain tests .

 

I had a similiar problem on my 1989 E350 w/7.5 engine (Champion Motorhome). It would randomly stall for 20 - 30 minutes, usually under load. It finally died completely (on a beach during a tsunami alert ) and we isolated it to a bad fuel pump in the tank. None of the manuals mentioned the possibility of a second pump. The previous owner had burned thru 3 high pressure pumps thinking it was a filter problem before he sold it. Once the factory original low pressure tank pump was replaced the problem never returned.

 

A fuel pressure gauge connected to the fuel system as greasmark suggested earlier is the only sure way of knowing if there is definitely a fuel problem or not. Otherwise you are flying blind and can only hope you hit the cause/solution.

 

URJxxx, this might be a long shot, but you never know.

I had the same problem on my E-150 last year. Except it always happened when I hit a major bump in the road. It is possible that you are at the beginning of what we experienced.

Issue was the wire beam which runs on the passenger side along the alternator. What happened is that the alternator was replaced. There is a bracket in the front which holds the harness in place. After the work, the shop did not put the bracket back in place and the harness was dangling there. Eventually, a wire became exposed because the whole harness was occasionally (while moving) touching the running belt.

We paid $200 at the Ford dealer who was unable to figure out what was wrong. The tow truck driver directed us to a local shop, and they found this problem with 2 hours.

Just take all the input, you never know if it might help you.