1988 Ranger Fuel Filter or Fuel Pump Problem?

[TangoKilo]

Hi All,

New member here. I have a 1988 Ford Ranger XLT 2.3L, 4 cyl, manual trans with about 86,000 miles, although the odometer has probably turned over at least once! Earlier this year I did a bunch of work on it and it has been running really well until today.

I drove it a few times last week and last weekend and it ran fine. Today while I was driving it on the highway it all of a sudden started to lose power. I was going up a hill but I don't think that mattered much. I downshifted until I was in 1st gear and then coasted to the shoulder and the engine died. I got it started again but it quit. I got a tow home and close to my house I got it started again and pulled it into the driveway. I let it run for a little bit and it ran fine even when I revved the engine. I took it for a short drive and the same thing happened. I gradually lost power and then it quit running. After letting it sit for a little bit I it started again and I was able to get back into my driveway.

It seems like a fuel filter or fuel pump problem that manifests itself when the engine gets warm and there is a demand for fuel that is greater than what is needed for idling. Am I on the right track or could it be something completely different? Like I said, after it cools off a little it idles fine.

Thanks
TangoKilo

 

[TangoKilo]

I have just done a little research on vapor lock, which CAN happen in fuel injected vehicles, and it sounds plausible. It was in the 80s when I drove the 20 miles home today (unseasonably warm) when the problem occurred, but when I went to work at 6:00 this morning it was in the 40s and it ran fine, as it has on previous days when it was cooler than it was today.

 

[tomw]

I will give an off-the-wall suggestion. Check how tight the battery cable terminals are on the battery posts. I had a very similar condition, thought the sky was falling, but when I grabbed the terminal, it rotated with low effort. Tightened, and things were a lot better.
tom

 

[TangoKilo]

I did try that, but also, last night after the temp and the vehicle cooled off I drove it a little bit and it was fine. It sounded good and accelerated fine in town and on the highway. I think it is some kind of weird heat/vapor lock thing. I do not drive it when it's hot because it doesn't have AC but I had to drive it to work yesterday (about 20 miles) to get some sewer pipe. It was cool in the morning and it ran fine. It was on the way home when it was in the 80s that I had the problem.