Mechanical issue(s)????

[86FordF150]

Well, I am sure most or all of you buy now have read up on my story of how I got the truck, so I am going to skip the story and get down to the nitty-gritty, here. I am working part time, and will be heading in to my senior year of high school, so time and money are both an issue, but this truck is daily transport, even with a cracked frame.(which is priority on my "to-fix" list) When I first got the truck, it would start pretty easily, but now all of a sudden, it's getting harder to start(the engines gotta crank over at least 12 or 13 times I bet, keep in mind:this is when the truck has not even been setting for an hour!!!), which it shouldn't be hard to start, as it's got the electronic fuel injection(keep in mind, if you don't remember or don't read my sig, '86 f150 with the 302), and the battery is still good. Also, I don't know wether this is linked to it or not, but at wide open throttle, the truck stumbles badly and acts like it don't want to shift and also hesitates until you let off the throttle in the higher RPM range. Not sure if they are linked or are both seperate mechanical failures waiting to happen. The truck may end up becoming a project instead of a daily driver, although I guess with 142 thousand miles(maybe even 242?-highly unlikely but possible) on it, and mostly rough miles i'd be willing to bet, I am surprised nothing has gone wrong beforehand, but just goes to show how tough a lot of these old Fords are. I am not giving up on the truck though, and I did intend on dumping money in to it, even though I know i'll never recover the amount I even bought the truck for, lol! Any help or suggestions or anything at all is well appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Brian_B]

have you checked the little things like fuel filter, plugs, wires? Just general tune up items like that?

 

[Gunner]

Also look for vacume leaks in the vacume systems, perhaps a damaged MAF, stuck PCV valve, etc. Is it burning oil?

Gunner

 

[86FordF150]

I'll definetly look in to the easy stuff first for sure. Thanks guys.

 

[Brian_B]

You might check the timing once you do the tune up things as well. Who knows what has been done to it over the years. It will take a little time and investigating to get it smoothed out.

 

[john112deere]

I don't know nothin' about how the EFI works from that era, but if it's got a TPS, check that...

 

[mrfixit]

Sheesh... the coils of that era are crappy at best. Pull a wire, put a fresh properly gapped plug in that boot and ground it against the manifold. You should see a healthy blue spark. if not, replace that wimp. The TFI module is another issue, but when they go, they generally just quit. And if it's mounted too close to the cowl, move it. And as mentioned before, check the map sensor, a little black box on the firewall with a vac hose going to it; make sure it's getting vacuum, as quite often the other end of that hose slips off the vacuum manifold and makes them run REAL bad, and the mileage will SUCK big-time. Last thing comes to mind is the O2 sensor... odds are it needs replacing, and even when you DO replace it, give it a couple day's worth of driving to see improvements, as the computer makes its idle adjustments from an overall average input data.

 

[BKW]

Replacing the coil?

Make SURE you get the correct one.

1986 302 with EFI = E3FZ-12029-A (Motorcraft DG-325)

 

[andym]

I think the first thing you need to do is pull the codes. Even if there's no CEL, it's worth doing. It may point you in the right direction. The computer has some diagnostic ability, so you might as well take advantage of it.

http://broncodata.com/tech/codes.htm

 

[Brian_B]

If you cana't pull the codes yourself...go to auto zone, they will pull the codes for free. DO NOT let them sell you parts. Write the codes down and post them here (if there are any).

The code(s) will tell you what area to check. Not necessarily what small part is bad.

I had a code on my ranger once. AutoZone wanted to sell me some expensive parts. All it turned out to be was the O2 sensor was unplugged when we installed the transimission. No parts needed. Just plug the wires back on.

The code told me it was in the O2 circuit though.

 

[86FordF150]

Well, I think I may have found out the guilty culprit finally, which I am hoping that it is the only thing causing all this rucuss. 2 nights ago I had some friends meet up with me at the local hang-out spot, and I noticed day before that there was a strong gas smell coming from the truck, and I knew that was not normal. I figured gas leak, and sure enough, in the parking lot, I saw drip drip drip, steady drips of gas coming down to the ground from underneath. I didn't crawl clear under to inspect it, but the truck has been getting harder and harder to start and I just went home early. Today, I crank it over a few times(3 or 4) and look underneath, and gas drips fast and steady, so I crawl under, and notice it's not coming from the lines, unless it's the leaking where the lines are connected at on this round, black thing under the cab, not sure what it is. Someone told me it was a switch thingy for the dual gas tanks. I have been using the rear tank, but I noticed sometimes I couldn't pump the gas very fast in it, because it would click the pump off, and gas would spew out of the gas cap area sometimes. I knew that wasn't normal and I am not sure if the 2 problems are linked but just a thought. So now I have to figure out what that round black thing is. It has a gas line(s) running in front and back of it. I am going to try and put gas in the front tank tomorrow and flip the switch to use the front tank to see if it doesn't leak then. Not sure if it'll work but worth a try. If the switch is truly at fault then it probably doesn't matter what tank I use but since I am only going by word of mouth, I will only put about 2 or 3 bucks in a gas can, then put some in the front gas tank and see what happens.

 

[Fellro]

If it leaks fuel before the pump, it certainly can make it hard to start. If it has at least two lines in, and one out the motor side, it is the switch. You can bypass it if you want to be a temp fix, but for the gas trucks, it is easier and cheaper to find the switching valve. I wish it was for the diesels...

 

[O'Rattlecan]

cody, take a picture for is if you can. Someone here will be able to recognize it, if not most. Like Fellro said, if it has 2 lines in and 1 out, it's your switch. If it's one in and one out, its possible that it's only a fuel filter. I'm having a hard time trying to picture where it's leaking. With gas prices where they are, this is an expensive problem!

Ryan

 

[Brian_B]

I was thinking fuel filter until he said dual tanks. I have no clue what he switch looks like.

A pic would help for sure.

 

[86FordF150]

I'll have to purchase a camera soon so I can take a pic. This truck is turning into a project truck, the ignition switch just went out too. So I have a list of things to do now but oh well, i'll keep ya all updated.

 

[mrfixit]

Even without the pics, I'm 99% positive it's the switch. The switch is cylindrical, mounts vertical, usually,and are KNOWN to go bad. One ill side-effect is that they re-route your fuel return. when they go bad, your fuel often returns to only one tank, usually the front for some reason, and it will leak if overfilled.

Is this what you're looking at?

 

[86FordF150]

Well, took it to a friend who is a mechanic and has been in the automotive industry for quite a few years, turns out it was some sort of an accumulator, and the seal/gasket was bad on it. Also the ignitions switch went out in the making so I had him go ahead and replace that as well. He said the truck should be good to go tomorrow...after I get it back, I found someone whom I can trust to weld it for much less than 200 dollars, and I am going to have him check it out to see what he thinks and when he thinks he can get it in! After I get that done, it's time for some new treads(tires) and then it'll be pretty much completely road worthy!

 

[86FordF150]

Even without the pics, I'm 99% positive it's the switch. The switch is cylindrical, mounts vertical, usually,and are KNOWN to go bad. One ill side-effect is that they re-route your fuel return. when they go bad, your fuel often returns to only one tank, usually the front for some reason, and it will leak if overfilled.

Is this what you're looking at?

No it's definetly not that...this object is round, black, probably 3-4 inches tall and about 2 or 3 inches wide.

 

[bowtiehatr]

it is the tank switch with a filter built in. the older trucks have them before they went to the stand alone switch.

 

[blacksnapon]

it is the tank switch with a filter built in. the older trucks have them before they went to the stand alone switch.

Yeah, I was thinking it was the one with that round vent like filter. Isn't it like a precursor to the evap system?