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Post by firstwd on Apr 24, 2015 20:18:10 GMT -5
My daughter's 1996 F 150 laid down on me last weekend. I ended up changing the fuel filter and it has acted better than it has the entire time we've had it.
Tonight, it spit and sputtered and died while going down the road again. I figured I would have to give up and change the pump and clean out the tank, but I was going to try the filter again to get it home. Got a filter, pulled the line off, got a complete upper body shower, put the line back on the old filter, started truck, drove like there was never a problem.
Umm.... what?
So any ideas just how deep I'm going to have to dig into this thing to prevent future adventures along the side of the road?
btw.... gas tastes terrible.
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Post by deadeer on Apr 24, 2015 21:00:02 GMT -5
A fuel pressure tester comes to mind. You can tape it to the windshield to watch it while driving.
Jay
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Post by featherduster on Apr 25, 2015 4:06:38 GMT -5
Fuel pump?
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Post by parson on Apr 25, 2015 8:02:08 GMT -5
I had a late 80s F-150 that would sputter and die on me while driving. Then, after setting for a few minutes would start up. In my case, it proved to be the coil.
I'm no mechanic, but from what I understand, the coil can begin to break down as it heats up.
Might be worth looking at.
Hope you git 'er figured out.
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Post by squirrelhunter on Apr 25, 2015 8:16:05 GMT -5
Could be the fuel pressure regulator instead of the pump. It went out on my '94 Ranger and it was causing it to flood out. A pressure tester to see if it's too much or too little pressure might direct you further. As mentioned,could be the coil too.
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Post by hornzilla on Apr 25, 2015 8:54:09 GMT -5
Most time with a fuel pump. When where done. Where just done.
Check the pressure regulator. Then look at coil. A coil will cool down and run again. Then break down. When hot.
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Post by Russ Koon on Apr 25, 2015 10:21:08 GMT -5
I don't recall the exact year when Ford went to newer ignition system that did away with the thingamajig inside the distributor on their early breakerless ignitions that tended to fail in that manner. My '92 Mercury Gran Marquis had a later ignition system that didn't use a distributor, but the F-150 may have retained the older system longer.
It was a flat device about the size of half a credit card, with a wire attached, and only took a minute to change on my '87 Ranger, but had me guessing for a while before it finally died and stayed dead long enough for me to troubleshoot it. Changing it was quick and easy, about like changing a condenser on an older breaker point ignition system.
A friend had one that went out in downtown traffic without any prior warning, but some of them would act like a plugged fuel filter or a weak coil in causing stalling, then recovering enough with a short rest to fire up again like there was never a problem. I don't remember what the term was for that piece, but I know the parts stores all carried them at the time, and were familiar with the symptoms, and they weren't expensive.
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Post by firstwd on Apr 25, 2015 11:17:38 GMT -5
Now there is something I'd have never thought of.
I've already ordered the pump, so that is getting changed. The girl child will appreciate having a fuel gauge, but I will check on the electrical ideas.
Thanks gentleman.
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Post by firstwd on Apr 26, 2015 19:35:07 GMT -5
So, changed the coil, drove around town a bit, filled up and took off on the highway for a little over 30 miles. That's about twice the distance I was getting before it would act up. I believe the gremlin may have been found.
Thanks guys.
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Post by firstwd on Apr 30, 2015 20:56:58 GMT -5
The gremlins acted up again last night, so I got the pump changed tonight. That was fun. I couldn't get the bed bolts to break loose so I had to drop the tank. Not recommended if you don't have two very tall jacks. ...
The connectors were smashed and the male side was missing a piece. One terminal was severely corroded and two others were moderate to heavily corroded. Fuel pressure is fantastic now, and throttle response is a bit surprising for the old thing.
Now hopefully this game can end.
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Post by Russ Koon on May 1, 2015 10:19:03 GMT -5
My curiosity got the best of me and I just had to google up the details about the Ford ignition parts that were so troublesome in that period.
Turns out it was the sensor module for the system that was mounted inside the distributor.
There was even a class-action lawsuit settled in favor of Ford owners with that ignition system some years later.
The symptoms were pretty much as described, sudden failure when up to temp, often followed by complete recovery when cooled down a bit, making trouble-shooting difficult.
The good news is that the ignition system that used these modules was apparently not installed in any vehicles after 1991, so your F-150 should be free of that particular electrical malady. Good luck with rest of them 8^)
Latest Ford in my history was a 1992 Mercury. By the time I bought it, I had become pretty well acquainted with the use of a voltmeter and the basics of auto electrics. Should have been required courses for prospective Ford buyers in those days. Generally liked my Fords pretty well except for the electrical issues.
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