'84 Ranger woes....barely runs with gas pedal to floor....

[OilPatch197]

1984 Ranger 2.8 V6-auto durasparked.

Just got this problem, I was out driving this truck after my duraspark ignition conversion, new mechanical fuel pump and fixing my Fuel sender unit.... and then after a few miles the engine cut out (like it was out of gas) then it just died.

Now the only way it will start is if I have the gas pedal to the floor and crank for 10 seconds, then it barely runs. Let off the gas pedal and dies, if I keep the pedal to the floor I can barely crawl the truck around in "D" drive!

I will be working on it tommarow afternoon, I will check to see if the mechanical fuel pump is working, or maybe a stopped up fuel filter?

Any suggestions at what to check? I don't *think* it is a ignition problem, at first I thought maybe my ignition was too far advanced, but I let the motor cool off and it still won't start.

I hope it's a fuel filter, but It runs if I got it gassed to the floor, so perhaps it's just not getting enough fuel(plugged filter?) opinions!?

[wrecking-crew]

i think the filter. its a small little basturd

[johndeeregarner]

Yeah, I'd check the filter first, then the pumps.

[OilPatch197]

I replaced the fuel filter, I blew thru it, it did have SOME resistance, and I can see some rust particals(about 1mm dia in size) in the filter, tried to start it again....

same thing, you have to crank with the pedal to the floor, then it starts but before it starts it "poofs" up thru the carburator, and I had the breather off and it caught fire for about 5 seconds.

Is it backfiring? how "delicate" are mechanical fuel pumps? Again this is a brand new pump, but I think I got SOME rust debris in the gas tank(from replacing the sending unit-fixed the gas gauge)

I hooked up a "known" good Duraspark ignition module, same thing.....

So it's either a issue with the Distributor/harness, which I cannot see how, or my new fuel pump has a low flow rate.(perhaps rust debris preventing the diaphram from pumping?)

So now here is the million dollar question, what good electric fuel pump can I use? I need a electric fuel pump that does NOT create RF noise that can be picked up on the radio.

I have a after market solid state pump, I've used it before, but it's a noisy focker and you hear it on the radio... I rather pop on a electric pump, since the truck is stranded, AND that Pump is a POS to replace, and with debris in the tank, it might just take another crap in a few miles.

[wrecking-crew]

the fuel lines might be clogged from rust and varnish.

[wrecking-crew]

i think there is also a inline fuel pump i beleive under the cab. that may be dead. i think there is one on my 83

[OilPatch197]

I looked around and it looks like the solid state pumps is all I can use, such as this one from Mr. Gasket: Autozone link (http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/accessories/accProductDetails.jsp?subSubPartId=&itemIdentifier=732035_0_0_&brandName=Mr.+Gasket&displayName=4+to+7+PSI+35+GPH+Electric+Fuel+Pump+f or+Most+Domestic+4%2C+6+and+8+cyl.+Carburetor+Appl ications&categoryNValue=100008&sortType=&store=2687&fromWhere=&fromString=search&itemId=prod63060&navValue=100501&skuDisplayName=4+to+7+PSI+35+GPH+Electric+Fuel+Pum p+for+Most+Domestic+4%2C+6+and+8+cyl.+Carburetor+A pplications&filterByKeyWord=electric+fuel+pump&productId=732035&appQuestionText=Electric+Fuel+Pump%4035+GPH&categoryDisplayName=Performance&parentId=cat30102&subPartId=prod63060)

I got somthing similar to this, it is self priming, but it makes much hash on the radio when it's running.

[Fraser]

try an R F filter? [for the radio interference]

[OilPatch197]

I just bypassed the mechanical fuel pump with a electronic fuel pump, it still does the same thing... it will idle with the pedal to the floor.

Now I checked the electronic fuel pump for flow, it was pulsating fuel out when it goes "click click click tic tic tic" so it IS pumping fuel.

So I would like to vertify that my gas lines are not partially plugged up. Can I use compressed air and blow any obstructions back into the gas tank?

I would like to get a 2 gallon jug and feed the electronic fuel pump off of that, it then SHOULD run fine(IF there is a blockage in the line from the tank)

What is the best way to do this safely?:icon_confused:

[pwrranger88]

[QUOTE=OilPatch197;453212]

I would like to get a 2 gallon jug and feed the electronic fuel pump off of that, it then SHOULD run fine(IF there is a blockage in the line from the tank)

What is the best way to do this safely?:icon_confused:[/QUOTE ]
get enough rubber line so the can can sit on the ground and hook up the pump and try it out

[OilPatch197]

I just used a 2 gallon jug with a electric pump, it still does the same thing, I have to crank it for 5 seconds with the pedal to the floor and THEN it will barely run for ten or so seconds, then it "misses" runs a little longer, misses again and dies.

looking in the carb, it SEEMS to be getting plenty of fuel....

I also vertified that my filter did not replug, and checked the line from the filter to the electronic fuel pump, everything was okay.

Air filter is not clogged.

I swapped out a known good ignition module.... even bypassed the transmission neutral/park start switch.

checked distributor for looseness, everything seemed tight.

So this is where I am at! **confused** :icon_confused::icon_confused:

I cannot see how it can be fuel related, as I depress the accelrator diaphram and I see fuel squirt into the carb intake....

I am going to vertify that my lower butterflies are opening(maybe a linkage came loose-stabbing in the dark here), and take a ignition module to autozone to get it tested.

I am at a loss.:annoyed:

[wrecking-crew]

is the timing right? maybe the cap or rotor has corrosion somewhere. bad plug wire?
thats what i would check next

[chillmiller]

your heads not blown right???

[mentalbreakdown00]

I would bet big vacuum leak, running very rich, or jumped timing.

[fastpakr]

I'd check ignition timing. You'd never jump the cam timing on a 2.8 without major (audible) carnage. I'm unclear - did these problems start immediately after the conversion to Duraspark?

[skippy]

Dizzy in right?Maybe 1 tooth off or more?

[OilPatch197]

I'd check ignition timing. You'd never jump the cam timing on a 2.8 without major (audible) carnage. I'm unclear - did these problems start immediately after the conversion to Duraspark?

I'll get around the timing checks this week, as I need a helper.

NO, the problems did NOT start imediately, after I replaced the Fuel sender resistor, I did a duraspark, started it up, did timing adjustments and let it idle a few, drove it down the road about 3 miles, I was just about to pull in my drive when it acted like it was choking for fuel....then it died and won't start.

I noticed that my transmission after adding the lucas treatment has had problems shifting from first to second gear.... I had to manually upshift, other than that it worked flawlessly, at first when my motor died, I thought the tranny went, it felt kinda like the tranny bogging down the motor, but it is a auto and should start in park....

At first I thought it might be my timing too far advanced, causing it to die when it is at normal engine temp, so I tried to start it when it cooled down, nothing. The Distributor seemed tight, but a timing check should reveal more information.

Checked my cap and rotor, on the center coil contact I did have some blackness to the di-electric grease, there was no di-electric grease on the outer contacts, and I shined up my rotor with 400 grit, had some dirt.

[OilPatch197]

UPDATE: Not sure how it happened, but my timing was severely retarded. I had to advance the wires on the cap by one spot and finally got it to 10 degrees BTC......

I have *no* Ideal how my timing moved all of a sudden, but now it runs.:icon_confused: