broken f*rd please help (i fixed it)

[big dan]

i know its a f*rd but its my sisters and its her only transportation and needs help. it keeps dying like it is running out of gas. it will run and drive down the road for about twenty minutes and then acts like its out of gas. after it sits for 5-10 minutes it will start back and run fine. i thought it might be the fuel pump but it will start and run after it sits for a little bit. any help would be greatly appreciated as i am the only one in the family with any mechanical experience and am expected to fix it.

 

[monster man]

is it carbed or injected? Sounds like it could be a stuck float, or malfunctioning gas cap/pressure relief in the fuel delivery system. It slowly just starves it self.
Is there a fuel return line to the tank, or is it just in and out of the pump?

 

[supernaut]

replace the fuel filter and check the fuel pump output/line pressure depending on whether it's carbureted or injected

 

[Geargrinder]

Check the ignition modual (silver box with wires to dist.) look @ the back side and se if there are any bubbles or discoloration to epoxy. (if so it's bad) I don't know how many times I have thought I was chasing a fule problem on a ford and it turned out to be the spark box And with what U say it's doing, it sounds like one to me.

 

[big dan]

its fuel injected but i will check these things this weekend and give yall the results

thanks again guys

 

[supernaut]

i had an ignition module that had the bubbles in the silicone on the bottom of the unit. it was caused by a an open wire intermittently grounding out on the intake manifold. be sure and poke around before you start throwing new parts at it. However, the fuel filter is an inexpensive no-brainer.

 

[3rdshiftdesign]

fords are known for the ignition control module to go bad and cause the same problems.

 

[diesel4me]

yup...

He could be lucky and just have a plugged gas filter..I've seen the modules bolted to the distributor on fords do the same think quite often,as well as the older style that bolt to the fender (You have to look and see what color "Grommet" the wires have where they enter the box,on the old style that bolt to the fender..--the parts store will need to know to get the right one if you have that style module..most 87 and up fords have it on the distributor--and you need a special wrench to get the screws off ).

It could be a bad pick up coil in the distributor too..usually find out thats the problem when a new module only solved the symptoms for a few minites or hours..As suggested,look at ALL the wiring carefully!--We found lots of Ford trucks with melted wires or chafed thru that grounded out,or were all gangerne at the plugs..Fords have a zillion wires everywhere under the hood.

One truck drove us nuts ,we replaced everything,a rebuilt distributor,new coil,gas filter,etc-.gave it back to the guy--next day its towed in again!
Then we started wiggling wires when we got it to run a few minites..one wire would shut it off as soon as we touched it--the hot wire to the coil was down to 1 or two green strands,and it would lose power after it heated up intermittantly.. bought and put in a lot of new parts for nothing! -0- --might check for spark right after it stalls,if none it could be the module or pick up coil--and also see if it gets 12V to the coil with the key "on"--could be the ignition switch if no power is getting there after it stalls..if it has spark,its probably a fuel problem...

 

[Thunder]

Ignition module.

 

[gravdigr]

Our 85 fprd dumptruck had this problem. Then smoke started coming from under the dash Turns out the PO did a serious hack job on the wiring harness behind the dash and it shorted out

 

[big dan]

thanks for all your help. i didn't think this would cause it but for all of you that may wonder it turned out to be a 16 year old fuel filter. after changing the filter and taking a bath in gas (why did they put the filter under the truck instead of by under the hood like a chevy?) it runs better than it did the day my parents bought it. thanks again guys

 

[diesel4me]

So Soon??

Only got 16 years out of it???...I thought they were good for 20 at least! ...

Glad you got off easy --THIS TIME!..

We got cars at my friends shop that have the original gas filter with well over 100,000 miles,and are from the 80's! ..I guess as long as they dont leak from rusting away by salt,the owners never think to change them! ..many are a nightmare to change at that point--
The metal gas lines look like rods dipped in cocoa crispies,and turn to dust when you try unscrewing them..GM and Fords are the worst..they use special flare fittings,"O" rings,and metric threads (or nylon fuel lines )--none of which you can find at most parts stores,and never on sunday!