Hard to start but runs great.

[TexasDuck66]

Hello again, I'm actually posting this for my buddy who just bought a 1988 Ford Ranger Extended Cab 2.9' 4x4 Auto. We picked it up for 3000$ and it's a really nice looking truck. It needs a little bit of work. It was owned by a old gentlemen who owned it for over 10 years. The truck had a rebuilt motor in 2012, had the paperwork proving it. It's just been sitting for a while.

The main issue is that it's hard to start and to keep running. You have to hold the pedal down for about 5-10 seconds before it'll catch and stay running. After it's up and going, it idles and runs like a dream. We've replaced the ignition coil. The ICM is working fine, we had tried replacing it with a Durashit brand ICM and it actually caused the truck to run even worse. We stuck the Motorcraft back in and it returned to normal.

It has a new fuel pump in it along with a pig tail. I'm suspecting it's something fuel related like the fuel pressure regulator, injectors, fuel rail, or just the system in general. We put a can of sea foam through it and she ran a lot better. Drove it two hours from LA to his place in San Diego and it never shut off or broke down. My little 2.3L, 4x4, '4 Speed that I own myself could barely keep up with it lol.

Anyone got any ideas of what it could be?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

If you have your foot to the floor it shouldnt start. Not even try to. Foot to the floor is clear flooded engine procedure. If it does try to start then you most likely have leaking injectors.
Now if your holding the pedal almost to the floor then you are allowing more air in which indicates a rich condition. Could be injectors, FPR, or O2 sensors. O2 sensors are good for about 100,000 miles.
Pull the vacuum hose off the FPR and smell for gas. If you smell or see gas then the diaphragm is not good. Replace the FPR.

 

[TexasDuck66]

If you have your foot to the floor it shouldnt start. Not even try to. Foot to the floor is clear flooded engine procedure. If it does try to start then you most likely have leaking injectors.
Now if your holding the pedal almost to the floor then you are allowing more air in which indicates a rich condition. Could be injectors, FPR, or O2 sensors. O2 sensors are good for about 100,000 miles.
Pull the vacuum hose off the FPR and smell for gas. If you smell or see gas then the diaphragm is not good. Replace the FPR.

I gotcha, thank you and we appreciate your help!