engine stalls in hot weather and then won't start

[stevem]

Hey everybody, I'm new to the site but I think this is the place to find answers.

I have an 86 BII with the 2.9L engine and I'm having a problem with it running in hot weather. I live in Arizona so you can imagine it get's pretty hot around here. Everything seems to be fine in the mornings, evenings, and of course the at night. But during the hottest part of the day, the engine seems to start to sputter and die like it has vapor lock (which I'm pretty sure is highly unlikely). The engine will not start at all for a few hours. It will turn just fine, but it will not fire up. After a few hours and the engine is completely cool, it will start up just fine and run.

Anybody have any ideas on where to start with this problem?

Thanks for any help you guys can provide.

 

[inuyasha2875]

have you checked for spark when it won't start

 

[stevem]

I have not checked this. what would cause the lack of spark in hot weather?

 

[inuyasha2875]

sometimes when the ign. gets hot it won't work

 

[inuyasha2875]

sorry the modual on the dist.

 

[Clem]

This may sound silly, check the inside of you upper intake for an oil film. If you find oil there, take the cat off and put a pipe in its place.
Keep us posted.

 

[Shran]

This may sound silly, check the inside of you upper intake for an oil film. If you find oil there, take the cat off and put a pipe in its place.
Keep us posted.

Yep, and that would also be illegal and impossible to pass emissions.

 

[Clem]

Yep, but at least you will find out if that really be the problem without having to spend a couple hundred bucks, plus if it is the problem you probably won't pass emissions anyway.

 

[stevem]

Well I live in an area where emissions is not a problem. Thanks for the ideas guys. I will try to get to this in the next week or so. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Clem]

Curious about whether the problem still exists?
I have spent the last three weeks trying to get my 86 B II to run, (it has set for the last 6 plus years). During the starting attempts, I have done a whole lot of reading and checking with an ohm meter. While checking the TFI (which was bad) I came across this article about TFI: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/TFI_Diagnostic.html. You might have a look. There is also: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/remote_tfi.htm. And then this is the diagram for a remote: http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/files/remote_TFI_harness1.gif. I also found a wealth of information here, I am going to find some where to post this link for all, the column on the right is the key to a lot of information: http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/?p=20.

 

[Xploda]

vapor lock. see it all the time in planes. Have you modified the fuel sys at all? new lines or ne thing? ne sharp bends of ne kind can cause vapor lock. if you have not modified the sys then I wouldn;t worry about vapor lock it's become more so uncommon with newer cars so to speak. older ones with damaged and bent lines you may see but I doubt it.