Need Help Extremely Badly

[1983Ranger2wd]

Ok i have a 1983 Ranger four speed manual. It started and ideled just fine yeserday. It did this morning to but on the way to school it sputtered and lost all power. I pumped the gas once it didn't reve at all, so i pumped it again and it reved. Pulled over stoped put it in first went fine but as soon as i hit third it happened agian, pulled over looked at it got in it and it drove fine all the way to school. When i left school drove fine all the way home but it did it again on the way to a job interview. But then it would sputter and die in first to but reverse was unchanged. Went to the interview and tried it again an hour later ran fine through first and second but died and wouldn't start when i hit third. Thought it was out of gas put some gas in it ran fine still did it agian when it hit third. got it home in second gear luckly. Runs fine in first and second but sputters and dies in third. Cant find out whats wrong with it help please.

 

[Mark_88]

And your truck is fuel injected or carbed? Can make a difference on what is causing this, but only because FI has sensors that the carbs don't...

Sounds like you've got bad gas, a wonky sensor (MAP or MAF), maybe a plugged fuel filter, or a fuel pump that is going south...none of these are expensive fixes if you find it first try...but they can add up if you start swapping in parts that are not causing the problem...

 

[1983Ranger2wd]

it is carborated it has good gas drive it everyday. I was wondering if it was the fuel filter but only dies in third. A kid from my school said it was a presure plate because his honda was doing the same thing, i really did believe him anyone ever heard of such a thing

 

[Earl43P]

83, wow.
I used to have an 83 2.8 4wd.
Sounds like a fuel pump problem to me. You could try a new fuel filter first.

Assuming your not getting up to much rpm in 1st and 2nd. Basically crawling home?


Has nothing to do with any pressure plate.

 

[Mark_88]

Yeah, it could be the diaphram in the fuel pump is shot and can't build pressure enough to keep it going under load...but try the fuel filter first...pumps are fairly cheap, but you'll find you can't return them once they're installed. I have two of them sitting in a bin in my truck...went with electronic pump when I found the 87 block didn't have a hole for the manual pump (it can though)...

On a carbed engine, when it dies does it happen to be raining or wet roads? I was getting road spray on my distributor and wires causing them to stop working properly and the truck would flood and die at highway speeds...ran terribly in wet weather but was great when the roads were dry...

 

[1983Ranger2wd]

it was damp that morning but not wet and it was eighty out later that day when it did it again and dry as could be. I'm going to take it to school and replace the pump and filter, i looked at the distributer for burns and at all the wires but they all looked fine

 

[red85]

Wires can look good but be internally f-d. To test them get out your DVOM and test the resistance. I can't remember clearly if it's 1000 ohms per foot or not. Someone else can chime in here...

 

[1983Ranger2wd]

we didn't do that for all the wires just the disributor wire and it checked out, i also replaced a wire that had melted to the exhaust i checked the new wire just to make sure it was good before i put it on, i'll check the rest to though thanks

 

[Earl43P]

Mist the plug wires with water at night, look for arcing at idle and gassin' it.
Listen for sputtering.

I still think it's a fuel problem.

 

[1983Ranger2wd]

ok i finally got around to changing the fuel pump. it started up fine, drove it down the road and it died and wont start. it'll crank pop and die, like it's starved of fuel, i have two fuel filters on it the outside one is clear and looks fine and the second is behind that on the carb so i figuered it was fine to. other than changing the filter any ideas

 

[gotmudd]

don't assume. to break down the word assume: ASS U ME, whenever you assume something, you make an ass out of you and me. everyone is telling you it's fuel related, don't be obtuse,change the damn filters and see if there is a difference. then you will know and if that doesn't work, you just changed something that needed changing anyway. my bet though is the filter is too plugged. had one on my mom's bronco II, pulled the filter, blew through the filter[ don't ask] it felt good so i assumed[there's that word] that it was good, i was wrong, had to re-pull filter. lesson learned.

 

[Byrd]

How old is your carb? Did you change those filters yet?

To anyone else: Do the tanks on these rangers come with little gas screens on them? if so, another (though not as likely) possibilty...


-Byrd