Sputtering indigestion bad chinese???

[enjoytheride]

1990 4.0 manual 194k new plugs & wires

My truck has been experiencing some indigestion.

Sometimes directly after starting it dies or comes real close to dying if I don't give it a little gas. It seems to run fine once it's warmed up.

Check engine light comes on sometimes when I'm running it at a low rpm or coming downhill using tranny to brake.

That being said it has died on 3 occasions now.

1st incident was in 4high low rpm situation. Fired right up and had no issues. (2 weeks ago)

2nd and 3rd were within 15 min of each other going up a hill at 65 mph. Just stopped running. (2 days ago)

I waited a few minutes and tried to start it twice with no luck. Waited about 15 more and right before I called for a tow I tried it and it fired up. Got back on the highway and 5 min later it died. It started up again and I drove it around the exit on flattish ground for about 5 min. turned it off and let it sit for another 5. It started up and I hit the road I made it home 40 miles and 2 mountain passes with no issues.

It continues to have a rough idle and sputtering from tailpipe runs strong no gas mileage or power issues.

I would like to take an active roll in solving this cuz living in a rural area and breaking down really sucks.

Any thoughts feedback or troubleshooting tactics would be greatly appreciated

 

[Andy D]

generic non Ranger specific advice. what do the plugs look like ? if the truck has fuel injection it could be a relay, either the fuel relay or the main relay could be sick or the Brain . May also be a dying fuel pump or just a clogged filter. Or just a loose connection. Or it could be a timing trouble due to a slipped timing chain. or a burnt exhaust valve. All of this stuff can be tested for little or no money. Do some searching and Googling and you will find out how to test stuff. I'm trying to save you from just throwing parts at it.

 

[straycat]

When was the fuel filter last changed? Eating Chinese, sum young guy?

 

[shane96ranger]

Check for vacuum leaks first off. Check your fuel pressure, and see if the pump and/or filter need changed. Could also be a bad fuel pressure regulator.

May also be a dirty MAF sensor.

 

[Brownie Mobile]

Make sure any beef you put in the gas tank is thoroughly cooked, also check for hairs and stay away from the pork

 

[Explorin94]

If it were a relay it would either run or not. A "slipped timing chain" wouldn't run at all, it won't go a little.......it would go all the way out. A burnt exhaust valve would have a miss in the engine, to which he has not mentioned. If it was a vacuum line it would idle high. My bet is a bad fuel pump and or a plugged fuel filter.

 

[Andy D]

A timing chain that has only slipped a tooth or 2 will make the engine run poorly. Relays with pitted contacts will often drop out. I interpreted indigestion as miss

 

[Explorin94]

A timing chain that has only slipped a tooth or 2 will make the engine run poorly. Relays with pitted contacts will often drop out. I interpreted indigestion as miss

A timing chain will not just move 2 teeth. The way these motors are they will go all the way out and do absolutely nothing at all. They have tensioners and unless that tensioner has totally failed you will hear the chain slap. Even if the relay is pitted it will still make contact.

For what he described he has a plugged fuel filter or a bad pump.

 

[enjoytheride]

Thank you all for the feedback I will start by replacing the fuel filter.

How do you diagnose a miss???

 

[Explorin94]

Thank you all for the feedback I will start by replacing the fuel filter.

How do you diagnose a miss???

First you have to determine if it is fuel or spark. 91 4.0 has the coil pack and the EDIS module, so I would start with the plugs and wires.