I have a very sick car. It is a 1985 LTD Crown Victoria with 80 thousand original miles. Yes, that is the correct mileage. My father was the only owner/driver and retired shortly after purchasing it from the company. He was not a gad-about at all. He suffered a heart attack and the car sat for over a year, almost two years.
I know I probably am not calling some of the parts by the correct names. Please be patient with me. I need help in the worst way. First off, it is fuel injection, but looks like it has a carburetor. The motor is a 302 (5.0 liter). It has an automatic transmission, air conditioning, and no other bells or whistles. It has no cruise control, power doors or windows and only an AM radio.

The car started up and ran great after the tank was changed out, along with the fuel pump being replaced and fuel filter changed. The motor was flushed and oil was changed right away. The car ran probably over 400 or so miles over the next week. No problems at all. During that time, we had the oil changed again, the headliner, tires and other cosmetic things done.

We left to meet our daughter 4 hours away for a family funeral and got about 140 miles away when we stopped to take a break. When we came out, the car wouldn't start and was "flooding " out. It wouldn't stay running. A mechanic there said it was running too rich. It was leaving soot on the driveway it was so flooded. We replaced the EGR valve, sensor and module in the distributor at that time. Hours later, like 10 of them, the mechanic poured some Chemtool in the gas tank, got it to stay running at high speed only. We drove it back the 2 hours wide open. I have taken it to a reputable mechanic here locally, he was bumfuzzled after trying everything he could imagine. He then took it to the Ford house for advice and also to another repair shop in town. They have All exhausted their ideas. The car has been put on several different analyzers by several different mechanics at different shops. None of the machines showed anything wrong, yet it won't idle/run at low speed.
This is what all has been replaced on it or done to it to the best of my memory:

a different fuel tank (mechanic said the gas had laquered it up from sitting so long)
fuel pump
two new fuel filters
EGR valve and sensor
fuel regulator
fuel sensor on side of intake
module in distributor
sensor on fender wall
dashpot/accelerator control adjusted (replaced?)
pcv valve
2 new sets of spark plugs
new spark plug wires
injectors removed and checked out to be o.k.
guaranteed used computer (we are thinking it may still be the problem)
oil changed 3 times (motor flushed before first change)
transmission and rear end fluid checked
timed no less than 3 times
air filter and small filter on air cleaner


Please can you offer some suggestions. As you can see from the list above, we have tried alot of things and spent too much money on the car. I am sure I have forgot to mention some other things done or replaced on the car.

Thank You for allowing me to pick your brain.

 

Its never a good idea to leave a car setting for to long[] Will I hate to step on any of your mechanics toes but.........Why are they changing things like the igntion module, spark plugs, wires, EGR, tranmission fuilds, none of this will fix your problem. I'm going to guess at what you have replaced;

fuel sensor on the side of intake- TPS- throttle postion sensor?
sensor on firewall- MAP sensor- manifold atmosphere pressure?
dashpot/accelerator control adjuster- you got me there-maybe ICV- idle control valve?

OK, you got some of the things that came to mind. Going back to when the car was drive 140 miles. When you stopped for that rest. How long was that? Did the car cooldown or was it just a quick break?
When a car been setting that long, it time to replace the tank, fuel pump w/sending unit, and fuel line if possible. Then a good fuel injector cleaner job, one done at a good shop (not a can in the tank). They disable the pump, disconnect the fuel inlet line and add fitting to a canistor with cleaning chemicals, then the block the fuel tank return line or just keep the pressure below the regulated pressure.

My guess is that you need to look at what the ECT (engine coolant temp) sensor is reading. This may explain why the engine didn't start after your break. Or you can just replace the O2 sensors and the ECT looks like that all that left. I'd still like the injector cleaner ran though. GOOD LUCK and let us know what you find

 

Yeppers gotta agree with you {cctxfish }, whole lotta stuff be changed , ( throw some more money at it ) why was the computher changed ??? , if you think thats the problem put the old one back in. Also theres a idle valve in Throttle body ,you can remove it clean it re install .I would recheck those INJ. with the KEY ON , stick a mirror at the base of them an see if fuel is leaking out . The only other thing I can think of is a Massive Vaccum leak. I had this happen on a old Ford a few yrs back . it had sat for a spell to. Same thing they drove it a few days around town , went on vacation a few days later stopped after 3 hrs . wouldnt start, Found both intake manifold gaskits bad . They just crumbled in my hands. I think after sitting for that spell an then getting them good an hot on that drive , just cooked them.,, An as { cctxfish } said check that cooler sensor , when it fails- or the thermostst has been removed those Fords do funny things !!!!!!!!!!!I know first hand ....