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    Question I hate my ford truck.....

    Ok heres my issues....ill drive for about an hour and then my truck will start to jerk and sputter. It will loose power and pressing the gas pedal kills it in this desparate time...and i hate it but it my only means of transpertation.

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    Year, engine, mileage, CEL?

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    What troubleshooting has been done so far, were any changes made or parts replaced right before the issue began. What do you have to do to get it running again? Apparently it does eventually start, How?
    If you want me to close my eyes, spin in a circle and throw a dart at a wall, I would say replace the in-tank fuel pump if it even has one. Not sure, we need more info.
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    FEP Super Member 83GTRAG's Avatar
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    Crystal ball says. Alternator, or generator depending on age.i am going down the electrical path.
    Someone needs to go with the air path..
    We got fuel, spark, just need some o2
    Last edited by 83GTRAG; 03-10-2017 at 07:43 PM.
    Rob

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    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    You've said nothing about this mystery pickup. Certainly nothing detailed like precisely what it is.

    Depending upon the vehicle age, deterioration of fusible link wires is common. I suggest double checking the wiring that's used to operate the fuel pump from positive to negative - the entire pathway.

    Resistance increases with heat until the few wires remaining cannot carry the required load.

    Or or it could be that the fuel pump is just tired or ..... any one of 100's of possibilities.

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    It sounds like if you could limit your operating time to less than an hour at a time you could eliminate the problem completely.

    Quote Originally Posted by 83GTRAG View Post
    We got fuel, spark, just need some o2
    That or maybe when the engine warms up enough and you have a partially clogged air filter, it might expand and cut off air flow. Maybe you're not getting enough air to combust when hot
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    If it takes an hour to warm up, you got problems.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
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    Fuel pump relay......maybe......or maybe wrong push water in the tank.....hmmmm


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    FEP Super Member 83GTRAG's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 82GTforME View Post
    It sounds like if you could limit your operating time to less than an hour at a time you could eliminate the problem completely.



    That or maybe when the engine warms up enough and you have a partially clogged air filter, it might expand and cut off air flow. Maybe you're not getting enough air to combust when hot

    We now have air...lol
    Rob

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    FEP Super Member erratic50's Avatar
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    Take the potato out of your tailpipe. Or replace the clogged cat....


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    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pyropookie83 View Post
    Ok heres my issues....ill drive for about an hour and then my truck will start to jerk and sputter. It will loose power and pressing the gas pedal kills it in this desparate time...and i hate it but it my only means of transpertation.
    Guess what?

    I hate Fords in tank EFi pumps, and aged earth wire "grounds" and I'll bet you money its just another victim of Ethanol gasoline precipate.

    Drop the tank, clean the Shizen outa your tank, and check the condition of your pump pickup tube and pump. The price of great, cheap and envirmonetally friendly gasoline is algee sludge. Deal with that, and any possible fuel pump and perhaps a TFi ignition problem, and your Ford will run for eva.

    My first car drive was a 2.5 years old on my old mans in line six, fed by one AC Delcon fuel pump and one pressure limited maplassi regulator. Took it clean thru the local show rim window by touching something the old man said I shouldn't. Since Hunukka 1972, I've had five electric fuel pumps die on me, and two mechanical ones, but guess what still runs, scavenges and delivers fuel even when broken. Mechanical pump!

    Go check that basics. Even a 4.9 F100 will still run with the worst gas, and a failed feedback carb. A modern EFI Ford Truck, you have to maintain the fuel system to stop being FoundOff Road Dead.

    Signed...Sold out Ford Lover.

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    FEP Super Member gr79's Avatar
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    Check out ford-trucks.com
    There likely are related threads and posts to read.
    As this site is mainly for a specific era of Ford cars, that site provides info from ford truck owners.
    Much more than will ever be provided here.
    If posting, provide more details on what you drive, as each product has its unique issues.
    Otherwise, you will get guesses and general answers that cover most any vehicle.

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    FEP Super Member 84StangSVT's Avatar
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    I hate Ford trucks too!

    It coughs, sputters, complete lack of power and then dies, but this only happens at a 1/4 tank. WEIRD!!!!!!!!

    I'm pretty sure the gas gauge is off or the sending unit is on its way out.
    Brock
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    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Its a Ranger and Explorer thing. There are about 5 different types of fuel pump, but IIRC they all have the same non stillage pot "Fly tongue" pickup,




    and its dangerous to trust it to lift the fuel in low tank situations, especially on a tail up, nose down situation. Even a 12% gradient at 1/4 tank can result in an inablity to start.

    In old engine operated carb pumps, the net postive suction works at all times. On a modern fuel pump, it centrigues out the fuel as the electric motor has to do a uniform 3000 rpm to fill each stage.

    Don't get me wrong. Its all good when its works, but as the system ages, gets algee or precipte in it, or under even minor gradient changes, like when the Sensortrac kicks in, it can result in an engine stutter. It goets worse with age. Earthing gets worse.

    What I like about all of the trucks is genuinely good economy for what are 3000 to 5000 pound trucks..the economy and long service life prove that. But the stuttering is a syptom usually of a dirty fuel, ailing pump or ailing ground issue, and the supply and replacement are all white box goods from any sources.


    If its EGR sludge on the valves, IAC, or MAF sensor, or gummed up injectors, you can diagnose and fix, but fuel pumps are a major. Dropping a tank and finding the removal tools for some SUV's isn't as easy as the pickup trucks. My Explorer, well, tank and fuel pump removal was very difficult.

    I'm not knocking Ford, it made EECIV and EECV work, and a Ford is a heck of a lot easier to service than most foreign owned car makers. My Nissan Stagea AWD has the same problem as the Explorer and Ranger when parked in my 8% gradient drive way, 12%, and its castus. Additionally, it won't cope with a 5% side slope when the fuel tank first shows the 50 miles remaining warning light. Like when parked on a hard shoulder road inspecting. I look real funny with my light bar on and filling the gas tank with the gas can I have to cary to ensure that doesn't get me into trouble, but its a nasty problem. Totally unexceptable.

    And yes, the fuel pump has failed on me, and its a common Skyline GTR fuel pump that certainly has the goods. Its not just trucks, and its not just Ethanol gas.

    The Europeans used the Hi Lo tank system with a stillage pot just like Ford used in the first CFi and port EFi Fords. A better idea than an all in one fuel pump.

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    FEP Super Member 84StangSVT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xctasy View Post
    Its a Ranger and Explorer thing. There are about 5 different types of fuel pump, but IIRC they all have the same non stillage pot "Fly tongue" pickup, and its dangerous to trust it to lift the fuel in low tank situations, especially on a tail up, nose down situation. Even a 12% gradient at 1/4 tank can result in an inablity to start.
    HAHA! You nailed my problem square in the kisser. It is a 94 Ranger 4.0 4x4 and I was at a 1/4 tank, sitting at a stoplight on a hill in the tail up/nose down position though I'm not sure on the actual grade of the hill. As the light stayed red, it started running rougher and rougher. When the light turned green and I gave it gas, it sputtered, failed to want to move at all and as soon as I made it around the corner it died and would not restart for a little bit. Put some gas in it and now I don't let it go below 3/8 of a tank.

    Still going to change it out here soon when I drop the tank. The pump might be getting a bit noisy.....
    Brock
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    I'm surprised that this thread has received so many replies and nobody has mentioned muffler bearings or blinker fluid yet.

    You stated that you hate your truck. Perhaps the truck feels the same about you and quits running out of spite.

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    FEP Super Member 84StangSVT's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mrriggs View Post

    You stated that you hate your truck. Perhaps the truck feels the same about you and quits running out of spite.
    BEST ANSWER YET!!!!!!!
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    Or someone replaced the fuel pump with an expensive peice of crap parts store pump made by airtek.

    So far ive had 5 airteks. One brand new out of the box pushed 12psi, the failed on pushed 20psi... second one didn't even turn on. Ended up with a cheapie edelbrock for the same price and never had another problem.

    Second time i delt with them, my 318k mile origonal fuel pump died. I put in a parts store pump since it was a weekend and i needed the car. I made sure it wasn't an airtek only to notice later that delphi uses the same part number. When i opened the box, it had airtek information written on the bottom.

    Threw it in, made it 25 miles, topped off the tank (22 gallon tank btw) and immediately after leaving the gas station, the car started stuttering and dying. Checked pressure, 18psi. Ripped the pump out, traded it in for another one, and guess what? This one didnt even pump. Hooked directly to a fully charged battery with aligator clips, no hum, no grind, nothing. Just doa.

    Ended up getting a carter pump for $35 at a pepboys. Looked like it had been sitting on the shelf for 10 years. It pushed 80psi at the pump first turn of the key.

    Then my 88xr7... the fuel tank was hanging by wires and wired up to a switch directly to the battery. I brought it home, wired it up right and the fuel pump was just sitting there, not even mounted. Put it together right and randomly died on my. Every couple weeks it would die on me, then an hour later fire right up and run fine. I pulled the pump and swapped in the $35 carter pump from my last car, just to rule out the pump. It ended up being a bunch of wires twisted together 6" from where i added new wiring because the old stuff was so chewed up.

    I kept the old fuel pump, just incase i had another problem. On my 86 tbird, it did the same sort of thing as soon as we started hitting 90º temps. I though it was computer/sensor related because when i brought it home and checked pressure later, i couldn't duplicate it. One day, 60 miles from home, the car shuts off and won't restart. I can't hear the fuel pump, and get no pressure.

    Well i kept the crappy store parts pump mentioned above, so i ran home and got it then swapped it in. For about a week it ran good. The pump that died (no idea how old btw) was an airtek, and so was the new one.

    A week later, guess what happened? I ended up swapping out that cruddy airtek for the SAME $35 carter pump i swapped into my 88xr7. Bet ive put over 150k miles on it over 4 cars with no issues, while every airtek ive touches is a pile of crap and dies pretty much instantly after installing it.

    Id be willing to bet that these parts store pumps are the reason a bunch of people give up on old fords.
    2 1986 cougars (both 4 eyed and 5.0)
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    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    I love Ford truck engineering.


    They did the homework, they weren't negligent in any way.

    All Ford pumps are designed to use no full stillage tank, and as long as


    1. the pump is within the design spec limits, and

    2. the return line has been eaten by E85 the aeration issues shouldn't be a problem,

    and

    3. The Fly Tongue pickup isn't full of crap

    You should be good.

    That still leaves

    4. earthing issues and

    5. degradation of the pump performance over time.

    The OEM and replacements aren't the same, even from factory, although the spec is the same. Age influences the head lift, and how much the gasoline centrifuges out. Adding a lower or higher spec pump can riun the supply fuel due to return line areation, or other issues. Its a little more complicated with staged EFI pumps used after the Fox era.

    This happens on stock Fox Port EFI fuel pumps when you change the Gallons Per Hour or lift specs of the stock fuel pump, or the pressure setting at the EFI rail is your upping the fuel supply.

    Ealier Low High two stage CFi V8 pumps and some 2.3 EFi Turbos, its return line presure should be buffered and not an issue.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ium8jf4Jm04

    Early stuff, really needs a stillage pot to be 100% safe over the life of a vehicle. Ford used a combination of new pickup and tank shape to do the same job as a full stillage pot. As age degrades parts, it stops working. Before Ethonal gas, it might have had a 10 year design life. Past 10 years, any EFI pump is a total risk with modern gas and degradation.


    On the later U series 1986-2011 Ranger and 1990-2003 Explorer/Sport trac/FX4, its a pump qaulity issue and rubber inetnal fuel line issue, and a grounding issue. That's why all three need to be cehacked by a mandatory tank drop STAT!


    The LCD (Lowest Common Denominator) lowest price, lowest quality fuel pump isn't just the the issue. My X and WC34 Stagea had the stock factory pumps.

    GM in Germany dealt with this issue in 1973 when the T car was devised with an electric gas tank pump.

    The bigger V cars by Vauxhall, Opel, Holden and Volvo with the 245, 265, 740/760...Saab99/900. W123/126 Benzes. BMW 3.0's and 5's and 3's.

    A stillage pot became the mandatory method of ensuring a worn lower pumping head pump would keep pumping gas to a Bosch K, J or D Jetronic engine.

    On the Fox Mustang and Capri, the tank is the stillage pot, Ford shaped it to clear and avoid return line aeration.

    Some aftermarket race tanks do just the same, like Glenns Performance 22 US GAL (83 liter) drop tank

    If you mess with it, you get this.


    When the post Fox era fuel pumps get worn out, that's what happens with some (not all) white box goods, because the pumps aren't all the same. Ford and Nissan outsource to what should be from production the same quality pump.

    Its clearly not, and thats a supplier issue, and you can bet its a problem if there are five part numbers for a 1998 XLT 4.0 Explorer world wide. The suppliers have done the dirty on FoMoCo.

    Its only the European, and Australian and early US CFi/EFi Fords that had the right kind of cotoured stillage pot to ensure gas always hit the low point, then got lifted by a low head, high flow pump.






    Inside a German V car fuel tank with a Bosch fuel pump...scavanges to almost zero thou of stage, just like a gasoline engine fuel pump.



    Anything else is tempting the fate of all electric pumps that are worn...an inablity to foot the breakover angles and minium head requirments to be safe in modern SUV/Truck or Motorway conditions in a panic situations.





    The replacment 5/16 lines are from Gates US, but outsourced to Turkey....luv to see how that would cope with a diet of US ethanol based gas.






    This is how heroic service and maintenance is on some gas tanks....an 18 US gallon 68 liter 1978 to 1987 Holden Commodore fuel tank converted to the German Opel Commodore/Senator/Monaza/Omega stillage pot for and EFi conversions.


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    FEP Power Member Mikestang's Avatar
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    Nice little write up there ^
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    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Pyropookie83 View Post
    Ok heres my issues....ill drive for about an hour and then my truck will start to jerk and sputter. It will loose power and pressing the gas pedal kills it in this desparate time...and i hate it but it my only means of transpertation.



    Hope this helped Pyropookie83


    All previous posters, and vistors Haystack+, KevinK, quickshift, slow84lx,

    thannx....

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    BEST first post/thread by a new user ever
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    You stated that you hate your truck. Perhaps the truck feels the same about you and quits running out of spite.[/QUOTE]

    That is a really good statement and might be true.
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