cuts out badly when reved up

[blue83ranger]

I'm getting my '86 ready for the road again and it developed a new problem. If i rev up the engine, usually around 2200rpm+ but sometimes off idle, it'll act like i just turn off the key then turn it back on quickly. I added a tach recently and when it cuts out the tach goes to 0 quickly then back up. The only code i have is a 33 for the EGR. I've had the truck since 2002 only put 10,000 miles on it and since then, not all at once, i replaced the TFI, all electrical stuff in the dist, cap with brass terminals, rotor, wires, plugs, switched coils trying to figure out a different problem, and the engine itself probably only has 20,000 miles or less. It obviously sounds like a loose connection somewhere with the spark, any ideas on what i should try? thanks

 

[IMenriched]

recheck the ground wires, cab to frame, main battery to frame, engine to frame....etc.

 

[blue83ranger]

ok, i'll give them a check. thanks

 

[blue83ranger]

finally got around to checking the grounds, I took all of them off that i knew where they were and sanded them to bare metal. No more cutting out. If i were to guess which one it was i would say it was the one on the coil, one of the brackets was missing a screw and that side had the condenser so i switched the ground to the condenser side. It still doesn't run 100% smooth but it's not cutting out anymore. thanks for suggestion.

 

[blue83ranger]

unfortunately the problem is back. I'll recheck the grounds again and see what i come up with but just in case that's not the problem, dose anyone have any other ideas?

 

[IMenriched]

unfortunately the problem is back. I'll recheck the grounds again and see what i come up with but just in case that's not the problem, dose anyone have any other ideas?

Ok...have you re-ran codes, since the grounds?

did you replace the pick-up coil inside the distributor?? yes you mentioned something about the distributor, just making sure.
Which grounds did you get?...there is like 5-6
did you find the ground wire to the back side of the engine block/head,
(usually orange). If that is good, next on the list of suspects is checking the relays
connections, see if you have a pin pushing back, & frayed/corroded wires
MAP sensor,
clean and or replace the IAC, try cleaning first
check the fuel pressure
when was the last time you changed the fuel filter?

 

[blue83ranger]

I have not rechecked the codes, i did unhook the battery since then though. I'll try to get those, I know every time I check for codes i keep getting an EGR code (33) and i can't seem to get rid of it. The grounds that i messed with were one by the computer, one that y's off the battery ground to the cab with 2 or 3 other wires on it, one on the coil, and the one from the engine to the cab but I only cleaned up the cab side of it. I'll get the other side soon. I have to switch a brake caliper first. and just judging by the tach, the problem is electrical because the needle goes to zero right when it misses, i tried unhooking the tach, thinking the tach might be the problem but that wasn't it. I'll check everything you mentioned and hopefully I'll find the problem.

 

[blue83ranger]

I got the codes, and for koeo no codes, engine running a 33, and continuous memory code was also a 33. I didn't get a chance to check any wires but I test drove it and it only cuts out when there's a load on the engine, like up a hill or speeding up. At a constant speed it's fine, idle is fine although when i start it sometimes the idle is alittle slow at first and sometimes it'll die. But usually it just looses spark (judging by the tach) when there's a load on it then gets it very quickly after that.

 

[IMenriched]

I got the codes, and for koeo no codes, engine running a 33, and continuous memory code was also a 33. I didn't get a chance to check any wires but I test drove it and it only cuts out when there's a load on the engine, like up a hill or speeding up. At a constant speed it's fine, idle is fine although when i start it sometimes the idle is alittle slow at first and sometimes it'll die. But usually it just looses spark (judging by the tach) when there's a load on it then gets it very quickly after that.

Take it acts up more after it is warmed up?

Check the vacuum lines for cracks, especially those small hard green and red ones...they get very brittle over time. double check the rubber vacuum line from the egr to the egr solenoid/regulator, might be molded rubber line aprox 8" er so. squeeze it the whole length ...see if it has any soft spots...I found a pretty soft section on mine on one of the molded bends...don't need this to collapse during operation
Have you replaced the EGR?

might be worth the trouble to replace the relays, they're relatively inexpensive and can corrode inside over time to give you all kinds of erratic behavior

check the MAP sensor, here is some good info on thathttp://www.fordfuelinjection.com/?p=27

 

[blue83ranger]

yes it does.
I have not changed the EGR. I did try pretty hard to fix the egr code. I cleaned out the intake passage for it, replaced the tube from the manifold to the EGR, the old one was rusted out. Exhaust does pass through the pipe now. I used a vac. pump and the egr does open, stays open until i release the vac, and seals when it closes. and i used the vac. pump on all the egr lines, from the egr to the solenoid (not sure the proper name for it) and from that to the vac canister, then from the canister to the engine, and the port on the intake to make sure it's not clogged. and i replaced that egr solenoid with another used one and it does bleed off when the engine isn't running. I'll recheck everything you mentioned hopefully today and let you know what i find. and i did have to replace the fuel pump relay because of corrosion so it would make sense other ones would have issues as well.

 

[blue83ranger]

i did a general search on the net and found this problem is pretty popular. One place suggested the coil would get hot and the windings would spread apart from each other causing the problem when it gets warm. So i replaced the coil with another used one. But as soon as it gets warmed up it still misses under a light load. The coil does not get hot to the touch though. But i did check for spark in the dark to see if anything was jumping and i can barely see, when i rev it up, a very slight spark between the plastic of the coil and the metal plates that surround it. I guess I'll try another coil but I'm not to hopeful at this point. anyone have any ideas?

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

what kind of tachometer did you install? a wire in type or an inductive? hook a test light up to the negative wire of the coil it should blink at all times while running, if it stops or goes solid you should be looking into the distributor pick up coil or the distributor itself, check that the distributor shaft is not sloppy. check this out and get back to us. you need to test this first to rule out any other problems this is the first step

 

[IMenriched]

i did a general search on the net and found this problem is pretty popular. One place suggested the coil would get hot and the windings would spread apart from each other causing the problem when it gets warm. So i replaced the coil with another used one. But as soon as it gets warmed up it still misses under a light load. The coil does not get hot to the touch though. But i did check for spark in the dark to see if anything was jumping and i can barely see, when i rev it up, a very slight spark between the plastic of the coil and the metal plates that surround it. I guess I'll try another coil but I'm not to hopeful at this point. anyone have any ideas?

spark should be consistent, was this "other used coil" from a running 2.9?
might be time for a new one.
also check all the connections, making sure they are solid not corroded or pushing back within the connector.
Have you replaced the pick up coil inside the distributor?
retest the TFI

 

[blue83ranger]

the tach is a wire in one. and i put in a rebuild dist in 2007 because the old one's gear somehow wore down on the dist side of the gear yet the washer and dist. wern't damaged at all. I will check things out with a test light, i'll let you know how it goes.

I tried another coil and condenser to make sure that wasn't it, I took it off my '88 which always ran perfect. and when I got the dist, i put on a new tfi, i will check it out though to make sure it's still good.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

if its a wire in tachometer and it goes to zero when it cuts out, its your pickup coil, TFI module or distributor.

also check the SPOUT circuit for any bare wires or short to ground.