Dies when flooring it.

[aeidian]

89 2.9 4x4 5spd Ranger

Was having hesitation and vibration problems, vibration problems turned out to be the carrier bearing and ujoints. Replaced those and no vibrations. I thought the fuel injectors might be going out, but I did the easy fix and changed the fuel filter first. I know it had shit in it, when I took it out it glug glug glugged when I tilted it down, like turning a 2 liter of coke upside down, no air to pass through so it gulps. I took it off and set it aside and put the new one on. I picked the old one up and tilted it and it poured out some nasty black shit. I apparently have some gunk in the tank. I must have gotten bad gas because I changed out the fuel pump, filter (twice), and even dropped the tank and cleaned it out 6 months ago. The truck ran fine for about 20 mins, even seemed to have more horsepower. I was shifting from 3rd to 4th going down the highway and decided to open it up and it just died when I hit the gas. There was just a slight hesitation once or twice in that 30 mins, but barely noticeable. As I was coasting down the highway in a panic, turning the key over to get it to start I was getting nothing but the sound of it turning over and over. I pulled a vacuum line and sprayed some brake cleaner in it hoping I could at least get it to fire, and after about 10 mins of trying I finally got it to start, roughly. Strong smell of rotten eggs all around the truck when it started running. Someone will chime in and say clogged cat, but I had a new highflow put on 6 months ago, I hope it isn't clogged already. I was able to limp it home, under some heavy hesitation. When I was parked in neutral with it idling fine, I can hit the gas and it chokes and dies, every time. The idle started to ramp up and down like it was trying to catch it's breath, then died. I can start it again just fine, no issues. I don't have a fuel pressure gauge, but when I pressed the needle valve on the rail with the truck off it squirted fuel for a second, then dribbled. Could this new fuel filter have clogged up THAT fast? At 12 bucks a pop, it's gonna cost me my rent if I have to keep changing these things out. Suggestions?

 

[87prerunner]

When parked and you hit the gas and dies, does it smell like its burning rich?

Before spending another 12 bucks, i would first spend it on a fuel pressure gauge, cause that alone will tell you if your fuel system is functioning correctly. If you removed the filter and just pumped up the pressure with cycling the pump, it will also tell you if your pumps are working correctly. It is possible your pump got clogged to, or you bought a bad pump.

Did you install the fuel filter with the flow in the right direction?

If you think its bad gas, a 3 dollar bottle of lucus injection cleaner with additive also wont hurt.

 

[aeidian]

When parked and you hit the gas and dies, does it smell like its burning rich?

Don't think so. It did smell that way when I was turning it over and over and finally getting it to start, but I was giving it gas trying to get it to start, so I think it was burning off what was loaded up.

If you removed the filter and just pumped up the pressure with cycling the pump, it will also tell you if your pumps are working correctly. It is possible your pump got clogged to, or you bought a bad pump.

I thought about this, just disconnect the fuel pump and let the line hang down, like into a can or bucket and then turn the key on and off to kick the pump on and off and see if it shoots out, and what it looks like when it does. That what you mean?

Did you install the fuel filter with the flow in the right direction?

If you think its bad gas, a 3 dollar bottle of lucus injection cleaner with additive also wont hurt.

Def installed in the correct direction, checked twice on the old one and the new one to make sure I put it in right last time, as well as this time. I ran seafoam through the brake booster vacuum line while running, half a can. Then dumped the other half in the tank, filled it up to just over half with gas and took it for a ride.

 

[87prerunner]

No i meant with the fuel pressure guage, you can test to see if the pumps are getting to the right pressure, if the pressure want right with the fuel filter on. you can get a small piece of metal gas line and clamp the end together and take a reading at the fuel rail. Dont run the truck without the fuel filter but take reading by cycling on the fuel pump

 

[aeidian]

I haven't gotten a gauge yet, I'm going to order one soon. I replaced the filter again, and after awhile of turning it over, I got it to start. If I floor it, it still bogs down, and tries to die. I haven't taken it on the road because I'm afraid it will stick me again. I pulled a plug and it's getting spark, the fuel pressure at the needle valve improved substantially after I replaced the filter, but it still doesn't seem to want to take wide open. Still think it's a faulty pump? Is there a faulty sensor that could be causing it to cut out when it's wide open or something? I did have a hell of a time trying to get it started today, before I changed the filter I couldn't get it to start at all, after it took awhile trying. I have it running right now, gonna let it run for a bit just to get the system to circulate.

 

[aeidian]

Friend suggested the IAC module, he took it apart and cleaned it then put it back on and the truck ran great for about 20 mins. I could punch it and it didn't bog down. After awhile it did it again though. It looks like the IAC is the original from 89, so I suppose I'll change that out. This sound about right?

 

[aeidian]

Changed out the IAC, and it ran better for a couple of hours, then started hesitating pretty bad, then wouldn't idle for shit, went up and down a couple times then died. Since I was under the impression that it wasn't getting enough air, I decided to take off the throttle body. I unbolted, unhooked, and unplugged everything and looked inside. There was some black buildup, but nothing substantial, like a dead frog blocking the intake or anything. I cleaned it out a bit, and put it all back together. I unhooked the o2 sensor before I started it, thinking maybe it was throwing a bad reading. Truck ran fine, and I was convinced that it was just that, a bad o2. I could hear a vacuum leak and I traced it to the port on the drivers side rear of the throttle body, the one with 4 ports. Apparently I lost that little nub that goes on one to block off the air, so I just plugged it. Since it was getting dark, I saw a flash of light near the distributor when I was plugging it. I plugged and unplugged it a couple of times to recreate it. Didn't happen every time but it happened quite a bit. I thought maybe the cap was cracked and it was arcing, or maybe a wire split. I grabbed the a/c line to move it out of the way to see better and it shocked the **** out of me. So, short story is that the a/c was grounding the spark plugs out because it wasn't bolted to the back of the throttle body, I don't know if I took it loose and never put it back, or if the previous owner did. Near as I can figure, that would ground out and cause the firing order to screw up, causing it to hesitate, and the injectors were still shooting fuel in, hence the rich smell. I haven't hooked the o2 back up yet because I'm letting the truck cool off before I stick my arm in there, but I think that short was the issue. It might have shorted the o2 at one point, but I don't know till I hook it back up. The truck ran like new after I moved the a/c line out of the way, so I'm thinking that's what it was.

 

[Blake.]

i put seafoam in my old fourwheeler and it ran like crap for while untill i burned the rest of that tank out and went through another.

it would die if you floored it. had to be smooth with the throttle or else it would just die like i hit the kill switch. after all the seafoam was burned out it was fine.

 

[aeidian]

It wasn't the seafoam causing it to die, as it was doing that before I used it. The cause of the issues was apparently the a/c line grounding the spark plug wires. I moved it up and out of the way and it's ran like a top for 3 days now. Suppose when the motor rocked from load, the line would get close enough to ground it out and screw up the firing order. Thanks to those that gave suggestions.