Truck died.....!!!????

[militarydave]

hey everybody,

so last night i'm driving my 1989 XLT (2.9L 5spd) home from about a 20 mile trip - i was in 5th gear doing about 75mph, when the truck slowly started lose power.

The steering wheel got stiff (which I thought that one of the belts had snapped and the battery had finally drained) and I couldn't give the truck gas no matter what I did. I shifted to neutral, back to fifth, and it would struggle as I accelerated.

At this time I put on my hazards, coasted off slowly to the right, was able to get off on an exit, and end up in a little 1 way street at 1:09AM.

I was able to get a buddy to tow-rope me back to the house, which was a few miles away,

but now, the truck wont start. It has gas. I didn't overheat. the belts are fine. I get spark/crank - but the engine wont turn over.

bad fuel pump? how can I test it? should I test the relay first?

this is the 2nd time (3rd if it is the fuel pump) that i've switched out the pump. are rangers notorious for sippin' through fuel pumps?

any thoughts?

-thanks

 

[GoodOld85BlueBalls]

I think in the 24 years that I have had my 1985 with a 2.8, that I have put about 5 fuel pumps in it. So I would say yea they are notorious for eating fuel pumps. Wish I do I always buy ones that came from China for it. Next one is comming from NAPA and I am paying the extra double price for it.

I had to rebuild the carb for it about a year ago and put a chepo kit from Auto Bone in it. It only lasted about 5 months and the rubber just turned to mush on the power valve. Well I guess you get what you pay for as it was only about $19 bucks. The one I bought to replace it from NAPA was about $65 bucks. You could see the difference in the quality of the rubber parts right away. So possibly it is different in the pumps also.


Did you check you fuel filter?

 

[militarydave]

Yes I did... the fuel filter is fine. Looks like i'm off to NAPA then...

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

mine did the same when the fuel pump died.

it went at 114,xx miles on mine.

 

[heptofite]

it's the ethanol in the gas that's chewing up the fuel pumps more than likely, put a little lucas fuel treatment in each tank and you should get a bit more life out of the pump.

little more mpg too if you're lucky.

 

[adsm08]

Yup, sounds exactly like when mine runs out of fuel. But since you have fuel, I'd say pump.

 

[militarydave]

now, i checked the 30A Fuse (fuel relay fuse) and it blew 3 of them. I disconnected the battery before i swapped them, put in the new one, wired up the battery, fired up, idled fine... as soon as i hit the gas... it struggled to idle....

I let go of the gas.....

and it blew the fuse! (3 times)

any thoughts? bad ground somewhere?

 

[strvger]

grounds are the first things i'd check for sure. then make sure none of the hot wires are broken and shorting out somewhere. good luck.

 

[r1hatman]

A clogged fuel filter? Trying to push fuel through a clogged filter would pop fuses? How did you check the filter?

 

[militarydave]

Yep, fuel filter is fine, all connections seem to be ok. would it be wise to test for compression (fuell pressure?)

 

[naford]

Disconnect the altenator wires make sure you tape them and that they are not touching anything. Then see if it will rev up and blow the fuse. If it doesn't blow and fuse and runs fine have the altenator tested. Let us know what you find in any case please.

 

[ragajungle]

I dont know where you live (Rustbelt??), but my bronco II had a "bad" fuel pump when I bought it and it turned out to be the harness connector to the sending unit (the oblong shaped connector that plugs into the top o the gas tank)

Rust had eatten away at the connector pins causing them to arc and short - popping fuses etc...

Before you sink a new pump in there maybe check that harness/connector out.

Hope this help

x2 on Chinese crap - 7K miles on Autozone wheel bearings, 5K on break pads, 10 minutes on an alternator remaned by Yang Ming

 

[feellnfroggy]

now, i checked the 30A Fuse (fuel relay fuse) and it blew 3 of them. I disconnected the battery before i swapped them, put in the new one, wired up the battery, fired up, idled fine... as soon as i hit the gas... it struggled to idle....

I let go of the gas.....

and it blew the fuse! (3 times)

any thoughts? bad ground somewhere?

For what its worht, my 92 fuel pump went bad and when I checked it the insulation in the gas tank had been eaten away some how, the exposed wires were shorting in the fuel, but because of being submerged tehy werent sparking and I wasnt blown into the florida humidity. I would take a look around inside your tank.

 

[militarydave]

alright, so i removed the bed so i can see the thing in broad day light, and sure enough - the fuel pump wire harness assembly has 3 of the 4 wires that connect to the fuel pump, fried, burnt, and eaten through.

so, now i'm off to find the quest for the 4-wire harness that connects on one end to the fuel pump, and the other...?? fuse box?

anyone know where i can get one? autozone has one for 12.99, but its a short little wire one. from the pic its not the one i need. its about maybe 4-6 feet long?

any thoughts?

 

[Hopman]

Junkyard?

LMC?

And as a last resort, the local Ford dealer?