acts like its running out of fuel

[Psychopete]

FWIW 58 & 59 are the 2 injector banks and 60 is a ground.

Pete

 

[Flat Toy]

I did a thread on this and a few other forums. First start of the day and it ran like new. Some days it ran great, some it would not pull itself down the road. Some days it seamed to be running rich and would not run till it got to about 2000 RPM. Other days it seamed to be running out of gas.
Still some times it would go a week and run like new. When I put a Pressure Gauge on it I did find the fuel pump was bad and replaced it. About a week later the in tank pump froze up and had to replace it. Since I have access to high pressure hose I put a long hose on my pressure gauge and ran it up to the hood and taped it down for about a week and a half and drove it.
The pressure stayed good but it still seamed like it was flooding out. It finally hit me that on roads with a lot of bumps or if someone was sitting in the passenger seat it would mess up every trip out but if it was just me for the most part it ran good.
Took the computer off the kick panel and with the engine running used a pair of pliers and moved each wire on the plug till I moved pin 58 and the engine started to sputter and run rough. Took the plug apart and tightened about 15 of the metal sleaves inside of the plug.
That was 16 days ago and it hasn't missed a beat since.

 

[baddis]

ok here is an update. i was at a friends and we were discussing the issue. it seems that the issue showed up after i did the 5 speed swap (i don't drive it much in the summer) i switched to the auto computer and it runs better but still not great. i need to find where the fuel pump on the framerail grounds at.

 

[baddis]

ok with the auto computer the truck idles great. but driving it acts up. i haven't done a check of fuel pressure yet going down the road though. but sitting still when you rev the engine the presssure jumps where the 5 speed computer would drop. is it possable that the computer is shutting fuel down in the auto computer waiting for it to shift?

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

the fuel pressure is controlled by the fuel pressure regulator, which is entirely mechanical. the PCM doesnt have any direct control of the fuel pressure.

if the fuel pump is cutting out for some reason, something is wrong..it should run continously as long as the key is on.

 

[baddis]

ok hopefully this is the final update on the issue. after messing with it yesterday with no luck and it took 1 1/2 hours to make a 25 minute trip i did some checking. i used a screwdriver to check for pressure at the rail as i didn't have the gauge with me.when i pressed the valve i got a lot of air. i had just replaced the high pressure pump again as it is easier to get to the other night . so i pulled the bed and poped the sending unit out of the tank and the sock was full of rust. so i used an electric fuel pump and filter and drained the tank. i found parts of the original ford pump that the previous owner had replaced in the tank. i cleaned it out to the best of my ability and installed a new sock and pump. if this works it will be great and if not a new tank is in the trucks future.

 

[terminater221]

I have an 86 Ford Ranger with a 2.9L that I am working on. It is really cold blooded. After starting it and about 7-9 backfires it starts to run a little bit. After that you have to constantly work the pedal to keep it running. After about 6 minutes of doing that it will idle for a wile then start to drop off slowly and then once I rev it up it idles for a wile longer. My instructor thinks it is just low fuel pressure but the fuel pump has been replaced and numerous other parts have been replaced and the problem still persists. After reading about some of the solutions and problems in here I was wondering if it could be the o2 sensor on it. I was gonna disconnect it today but I am not experienced with dealing with fuel problems and couldn't find the o2 sensor. Can anyone help me locate it? Also if anyone else has ideas I am open to them.

Thanks in advance

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

unplugging the o2 sensor isnt going to help anything as its one of the computers primary sensors. its located in the exhaust system in the Y-pipe.

try pulling the codes and doing a KOEO test (see the tech library).

 

[IMenriched]

ok hopefully this is the final update on the issue. after messing with it yesterday with no luck and it took 1 1/2 hours to make a 25 minute trip i did some checking. i used a screwdriver to check for pressure at the rail as i didn't have the gauge with me.when i pressed the valve i got a lot of air. i had just replaced the high pressure pump again as it is easier to get to the other night . so i pulled the bed and poped the sending unit out of the tank and the sock was full of rust. so i used an electric fuel pump and filter and drained the tank. i found parts of the original ford pump that the previous owner had replaced in the tank. i cleaned it out to the best of my ability and installed a new sock and pump. if this works it will be great and if not a new tank is in the trucks future.

SO has this cured your woes, or rather your trucks irratic woes??

 

[terminater221]

Does anyone have any other ideas that someone who has basic knowledge of cars can do? I am not experienced with working with the computers.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

its necissary with a fuel injected vehicle to occasionaly deal with the computer.

a key-on engine-off test is a basic proceedure that anyone can perform. theres details on how to pull the codes and run the test in the tech library.

 

[ckblum]

Check your other filter if you have 2

 

[dirtsquirt]

Does anyone have any other ideas that someone who has basic knowledge of cars can do? I am not experienced with working with the computers.

I would replace your fuel pump and computer relays, I had simular problems, found the relays would get hot to the touch, replaced them and have not had any issues since. they are cheap to replace.

 

[baddis]

SO has this cured your woes, or rather your trucks irratic woes??

yes it has it runs like a 2.9 with 177k should now lol

 

[yodaman1151]

ok so was did your truck run bad at like random times? my b2 has been running like it is starved for fuel but not consistantly. it started on a wheelin trip, we drove up a logging road that was a dead end and so i backed down a little ways off to the side of the road, grabbed some food out of the back while it was idling... as i took off it started running almost on 4 cylinder, it idles at like 800rpms and the rpms drop almost instantly when you push in the clutch (while driving). it did this all the way down the hill (like 1/4 mile.. 1/2 tops) i parked at the bottom and played with it for a while (revved it jiggling connections). after about 10 minutes it decided to run perfectly fine again. i drove it 3 days to work, it ran perfect. third day at lunch i got in it and BAM! it ran crappy again. started it to go home and it ran crappy all the way home (20 miles). let it sit for a week and a half and it started up just fine. i changed the cartridge fuel filter and the spark plugs... no change. i was told two things, first that it might be a split in one of the plug wires and that it might be arcing to the head when moisture is present.. well it has been dry lately and it still does it and it will decide to do it randomly after the engine has warmed up and no way moisture is still on the motor after it is 180 degrees. second option was the o2 sensor is covered in mud and needs cleaned off. i'm cleaning that today and if that doesn't work maybe i'll just disconnect it completely to see if that changes things... i think next step after that would be the computer connections...
sorry for the novel but thanks for those of you that held in there and are willing to give me advice