Runs Good Then Check Engine Light and Won't Restart

[ko4lo]

I've got an '87 Ranger 5 speed 2.9 liter that runs fine until it warms up, then the check engine light comes on. As long as you don't turn it off, it runs fine... but shut it down and try to restart it and it won't fire. Cranks fine though, and by pouring gas in the intake it will start and run till it burns the gas off.

It did this to me the other day after about a 8 or 10 mile trip, I finally figured the inertia switch had been triggered, reset it and today it did it again... same symptoms but the switch hadn't been triggered. Any ideas? It does fine to start and move around the yard multiple times, but going on a 5 mile plus trip and the light comes on and it won't restart.

Any ideas? At the moment it won't start at all. Thanks for the input guys.

 

[JOKER86]

about the only thing that i can think of right off the top of my head is that the cam sensor in the distributer is malfuncioning when the temp is elevated from the engine gettin warm, coould be something as simple as corrosion on a terminal...

 

[almostclueless]

when it dies check for 12v between one of the inertia switch wires and ground.

 

[ko4lo]

This afternoon it wouldn't start at all again. The inertia switch seemed fine. Can I simply disconnect it? Is it as simple as cutting the wires to it?

The battery terminals seem good.

Also, where is the TFI ignition module? Is that it that sticks out from the firewall on a kinda triangular bracket?

Thanks again for the help guys...

 

[fatt_owl2.9]

This afternoon it wouldn't start at all again. The inertia switch seemed fine. Can I simply disconnect it? Is it as simple as cutting the wires to it?

The battery terminals seem good.

Also, where is the TFI ignition module? Is that it that sticks out from the firewall on a kinda triangular bracket?

Thanks again for the help guys...

your TFI module is screwed right onto the back of the base of the distributor. It's a little gray or black rectangular thing.

As for your problem, you might wanna see if you can get any faults pulled.

 

[ko4lo]

Okay... I'll try to get out there and check it out tomorrow...

 

[HndMeDnBroncoII]

Okay... I'll try to get out there and check it out tomorrow...

take a look at my post in the how to section

 

[ko4lo]

Would the check engine light come on, but the truck continue to run, if the fuel pump inertia switch was triggered? Right now the switch feels funny, but I've yet to try just shorting it out.

After the check engine light comes on, it'll keep running fine until you cut it off... it just won't crank back up.

 

[ko4lo]

Messed with it some more today. I found one of the relays on the passenger side firewall would click when I hit it, either the brown or green... don't remember which. Between that and beating on the inertia switch to trigger it, I finally got it to start again but once more it died after it warmed up a few minutes. I let it sit and idle till it died, after that no luck at all. I did find the TFI ignition module on it today though and atleast looking at it, it looked newer and cleaner than most of the engine.

 

[IMenriched]

Messed with it some more today. I found one of the relays on the passenger side firewall would click when I hit it, either the brown or green... don't remember which. Between that and beating on the inertia switch to trigger it, I finally got it to start again but once more it died after it warmed up a few minutes. I let it sit and idle till it died, after that no luck at all. I did find the TFI ignition module on it today though and atleast looking at it, it looked newer and cleaner than most of the engine.

Just becuase it, the TFI, "looks new" doesn't mean it is working...I had one that didn't make 50 miles and took a dump...yes it was brand new.
best to remove and test.

the relays are relatively cheap...if you got to give'm love taps to work.... then they're not working right. or at best, the connectins to them are iffy.

the inertia switch is abit more pricy and ford only item....but you could scan the salvage yards for another..but you're taking your chances with them.
you can jumper wire around it, for temporary, it is there to help prevent fuel spillage & subsuqient possible fire in the unforunate event of a accident.

 

[Bryan22]

i wouldn't use a jumper as a temporary fix so much as a test to see if the inertia switch is actually the problem or not. if you jump it and the truck dosen't die just spend the money and replace it. Like Imen said, it is there for a reason.

 

[dirty dave]

I have a 86 2.9 ranger also and it was doing pretty much the same thing after replacing some different stuff i change out the computer with one out of a bronco 2 i had for parts and its only been a couple days but so far its been starting up again might be worth a try if its not the tfi

 

[dirty dave]

It happened again but started easier and faster check your spark im starting to think now its somthing in the ignition or distributer

 

[ko4lo]

I've determined on mine its the ignition module... how in the world do you manage to get it off? Are the screws flat head or phillips head? Seems like it should be simple, but it doesn't seem to be. Thanks guys...

 

[djurs]

There is a little $5 or so tool you can get from any major parts store that has a socket on one side and a torx on the other and a little grip in the middle. Someone posted a link to it here recently, look through the threads to find it.