2.9 fuel issue?

PowerRanger · Feb 16, 2018

I have a 1988 xlt 4x4 ford ranger with the 2.9. This is my first project vehicle so I am not very experienced and just got out of highschool. I was driving home the other night and smelled gas. In a rush to get home I continued driving. The next morning I went out to check on it and found that when I start the truck gas sprayed out of one of my fuel injectors. After staying up all night long I managed to replace all 6 (figured a truck with almoat 200k it wouldn't hurt to replace them all). My truck started right up but now it jerks and bucks back and forth when I drive and tries to die if I don't give it gas constantly. Also when shifting gears it won't go for a couple seconds then it takes off out of nowhere. My like the truck dies but stays running then comes back to life. Checked this morning and it won't start at all. My fuel pump in the rail makes a crazy noise and sounds like something inside it is rattling around and stays on as long as the key is on (it has always done these things though). This truck is my absolute dream truck and I'll do anything to get it running again. This is my DD and ive learned a lot since buying this truck. List of things I've fixed or replaced since I bought it 11 months ago
Ratiator
Both cylinder heads (got home after buying it and found they were cracked, shouldn't seen me trying to figure out if I should sell it or learn how to fix it)
Repaired 6 rust holes in gas tank and cleaned the tank before reinstalling
Alternator
IAC replaced a few days ago
MAP replaced a few days ago
FPS replaced yesterday at the same time as injectors (found a procedure on here to install it correctly)
All fluid resoviors replaced
And many other minor things I'll add if I think of them or they become relevant.
I really could use the help guys. I have all the tools o could possibly need EXCEPT A FUEL PRESSURE GAGE! but i am trying to find someone to let me borrow one. Seems like somthing id need if im gonna have fuel issues. Thanks in advance.

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PowerRanger · Feb 18, 2018

Update, got a Fuel Preasure Gage from autozone. Getting about 30-35 psi KOEO. Couldn't get the truck to start for a KOER test. But I did notice that the injectors on the left side don't seem to be seated properly, sticking out of the lower intake about 1/8 inch. Gonna pull the intake off tomorrow and clean it with carb cleaner and reinstall the new injectors properly. Bought new o-rings just incase I mess some up in the process. Any advice would be appreciated guys

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cp2295 · Feb 18, 2018

Sounds like you need to change the fuel filter(s).

Throwing parts at it gets real expensive real quick, and often you are left with a worse part vs a factory one.

Pop the vac line off the FPR and check for raw fuel, if it does have some replace it-it’s bad. Make sure ground for fuel pump is good and clean. Make sure connections to the fuel pump relay are good. Make sure grounds are all hooked up on motor and clean-especially the one on the back of the head (wouldnt hurt to throw one on the intake manifold either).

Try that and let us know if u come up with anything

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PowerRanger · Feb 18, 2018

cp2295 said:
Sounds like you need to change the fuel filter(s).

Throwing parts at it gets real expensive real quick, and often you are left with a worse part vs a factory one.

Pop the vac line off the FPR and check for raw fuel, if it does have some replace it-it’s bad. Make sure ground for fuel pump is good and clean. Make sure connections to the fuel pump relay are good. Make sure grounds are all hooked up on motor and clean-especially the one on the back of the head (wouldnt hurt to throw one on the intake manifold either).

Try that and let us know if u come up with anything

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Headed to work, will check everything this evening. I checked the FPR yesterday and did not see any traces of gas with they key on. Will check all my grounds and connections later. Also going to see if I can figure out how to pull the codes without a code reader. Might narrow down my search. Thanks!

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alwaysFlOoReD · Feb 18, 2018

It sounds like you are running rich. Try putting the gas pedal to the floor and turning engine over. This tells the computer to "clear flooded engine" and stops the injectors from fueling.

PowerRanger · Feb 18, 2018

alwaysFlOoReD said:
It sounds like you are running rich. Try putting the gas pedal to the floor and turning engine over. This tells the computer to "clear flooded engine" and stops the injectors from fueling.

Do you think that could be causing my bucking and running so rough? My exhaust always blows out kind of white too and smells a bit like gas.

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holyford86 · Feb 18, 2018

I'd check for a vacuum leak at intake around injectors, you should always lubricate the o rings with petroleum jelly, or even grease if you don't have the former, you don't need loads of it, just enough to help them slide in without rolling or getting cut up. Fuel pressure seems a touch low KOEO. Make sure that all of your grounds are good, especially the oxygen sensor ground to the back of the passenger side cylinder head. You should definitely pull codes because the parts cannon can get kind of expensive.

PowerRanger · Feb 18, 2018

holyford86 said:
I'd check for a vacuum leak at intake around injectors, you should always lubricate the o rings with petroleum jelly, or even grease if you don't have the former, you don't need loads of it, just enough to help them slide in without rolling or getting cut up. Fuel pressure seems a touch low KOEO. Make sure that all of your grounds are good, especially the oxygen sensor ground to the back of the passenger side cylinder head. You should definitely pull codes because the parts cannon can get kind of expensive.

Just went out to check everything, battery's completely dead. Nothing happens when I turn the key. Didn't have this issue yesterday I don't know what happened. Could a bad ground cause all of this?? It's like everything is failing at once. Brand new battery dieing over night seems odd. Going to check and clean up the grounds you all mentioned. Sure hope this boils down to something simple. Starting to get frustrated with this thing! Any other specific cables or wires I should be looking for? What would make a perfectly good battery go completely dead over night??? And I used a small about of engine oil to lubricate the o-rings. Just little bit on my finger rubbed it onto the rings before installing.

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holyford86 · Feb 18, 2018

If you have a poor connection it could act as a dead battery, check battery voltage at the battery terminals with a multi-meter to confirm this. If you have voltage around 12 volts at terminals you have a bad connection, if you have no or very little voltage there, you will need to figure out what is drawing the battery down. These trucks have a pretty simple engine management system compared to the new stuff so it will be pretty easy to figure out. Also, check the tech library here for instructions on how to pull codes without a code reader.

PowerRanger · Feb 20, 2018

Update
-Cleaned all the grounds I could find in the engine bay. Most seemed fine but the one that runs from the battery to the bottom of the engine was really dirty and covered in old oil and dirt. Cleaned it and wrapped exposed bits in electrical tape. Wire brushed and sanded everything nice and clean
-Removed upper intake and all sensors and cleaned it out with 2 cans of carb cleaner till it was good as new.
-Cleaned pcv valve
-Cleaned all plug connections and wires i could find with brake cleaner and blew them out with the air compressor.
-Tried to start it and it just cranks but doesn't even try to start
Spark plugs look covered in soot and are black
-Put a test light between a spark plug and a wire, it did not flash when I tried to start the truck
-Put the test light on between the distributor and a plug wire, no flashes
-Put test light between the coil and the main plug wire that goes to the distributor and it flashed once when you first turn the key and twice when you turn off the key??
Went ahead and ordered new plugs, wires, fuel filter, and o2 sensor from Napa gonna pick them up tomorrow.
Question is why would I suddenly not be getting any spark to the plugs but have spark coming from the coil?
And should my coil only fire a few times like that is should I replace it? I have a multimeter if there's any way to test it or maybe test the ICM on the back of the distributor?

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PowerRanger · Feb 20, 2018

Also found my EEC relay doesn't have the cap... it was covered it electrical tape but doesn't have the black cap thing like the other relays but its always been like this as far as i can tell. My truck ran before these issues, I didn't think it could run without the EEC relay

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PowerRanger · Feb 20, 2018

Update
-new plugs

-new wires

-new coil

-new tps

-new IAC

-new fuel filter

-all wire connectors I can see have been cleans and dried then put back.

The ignition coil only seems to fire when I first turn crank it over and then a couple times when I let off the key.

I put a spark plug wire test light thing between the coil and the wire that leads to the dizzy and it only flashes once as you start to crank it and once or twice when yiu let off the key. Seems like it only sparks in the run position of the key or something. I just bought a ICM but I don't want to install it unless I need to. The old one is only like 7 months old. Can post pics or video as needed. Thanks for any advice guys

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PowerRanger · Feb 20, 2018

Just bought an Ignition switch also, just incase it turns out that's my problem.

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jimmyfloyd · Feb 21, 2018

interested to learn what you finally find with this and also so I can reference it when I help my friend with his 86.

PowerRanger · Feb 21, 2018

Update, I replaced the TFI (ignition control module) and it still won't start. And I don't think I am getting power at the coil anymore or at least I couldn't see my light flash when I connected it between the post and the plug wire. This truck is driving me insane. I am at my wits end and im all out of ideas. What else could it be?? Again, it ran when I parked it. I have replaced the following:
-Ignition coil
-Ignition control module
-Ignition switch (not the lock)
-Fuel injectors
-Throttle position sensor
-o2 sensor
-Idle air control valve
-MAP sensor
-Spark plugs and wires
-Fuel filter
-Disassembled the upper intake and completely cleaned it
-Cleaned all ground wires I could find
-Cleaned all wire connections and relays
-discovered eec relay does not have the black cap thing and was likely bypassed to stay on by P.O. ( I think this because the truck ran fine before I parked it)
Again, this all started when I parked the truck a week ago because an injector o-ring had busted and was spraying gas everywhere. Started fine with new injectors but ran really rough, bad hesitation, jerking back and forth driving down the road, parked it to look at it in the morning, battery dead when I got up in the A.M. haven't got it to start since.

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2.9 fuel issue?

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