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hybrid engine!??!?

2K views 30 replies 11 participants last post by  Gacknar 
#1 ·
ok so I have an 89 5.8 bronco. It starts right up everytime, never has died on me or anything, shifts pretty decently(just flushed it and replaced filter added lucas oil), but I am having trouble diagnosing what feels like a loss of power.the wires and plugs were just changed not long ago. I have driven plenty of broncos and blazers and suburbans, and they all seem to have pretty good get up power, but this one seems to lack it. anyway, this bronco was previously a firestation vehicle, so it was maintained perfectly and hasnt seen hardly any use. When opening the hood it appears to be a carbeurated engine, but then looking down i see a fuel rail??!!?! there is a throttle butterfly valve above the valley and everything which has two cables running to it. There is also a bunch of crazy radiator looking hoses for the air intake going to the throttle body. the exhaust is only one pipe too.

So my questions are:
is this fi or carb?
and would this be a possible cause of lacked power with such restriction on both ends?I heard that my exhuast might also have a buterfly valve.

I have never seen one like this so I dont know but i was thinking maybe the firestation did something to it to make it safe for driving near fires in dangerous off road situations/prevent starting new ones.

Anyways input is appreciated, ill post pics soon.

balla
 
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#6 ·
"5.8EFI" Means Fuel Injected - not a carb-

Your brake fluid is low- I don't know why it is underperforming.

Those are your normal air intake tubes-

Your engine looks stock, the timing could have been messed up when they chagned the plugs- :shrug
 
#8 ·
i dont think the brake fluid is low, thats where its suppose to be on my 88. however you should remount your radiator overflow tank. its 1 nut and a tab that slide into the bracket.
EFI means electronic fuel injection so yeah its fuel injected.
that box is the airfilter which probably needs changing. and both those big hoses are air intake hoses coming from the air filter.
its possible that the plugs may have not been gapped correctly? or has it been like this since before changing them?
could also being the timing is messed up abit.
you could run some seafoam through the engine, use scan the computer for codes, check compression
 
#10 ·
What's been mentoined above is good info the air cleaner is inside the black box the two big hoses go to check it out. as for the exhaust having the butterfly valve I have never saw one on a fuel injected 5.0 or 5.8 you could have a plugged catalytic converter but that would be the last thing to check after having the or more simple stuff checked out first.
 
#16 ·
X2 on the maintained but not babied theory. We have a 1979 K-20 brush fire truck that has ~25K miles on it. Three engines and two turbo 400 transmissions. We just replaced it last month with a new Weis body equipped 2010 F-450 chassis. I hope it works better than the old Chevy.
 
#12 ·
Check your timing. I advanced mine a smidge (DO NOT DO THIS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING THOUGH!). Also, check your mass air flow sensor. Clean that sucker out with some mass air cleaner.. I use 2+2. Sprayed a can through mine. Thing went from running like total doo doo to brand new.

by the way EFI on the intake manifold means Electronic Fuel Injection.

PM me if you need info on where the mass air flow sensor is and how to clean it.
 
#14 ·
(DO NOT DO THIS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING THOUGH!)
Not to point out the obvious, but the OP couldn't tell that his truck was EFI, you think he's gonna know how to advance the timing?





Just saying!
 
#18 ·
My fault should have looked it up. I apologize, I'll take the time to next time. I just had a similar problem last week so I figured that I'd give my input. Could you offer him some advice on how to get his car running right then?

and BTW. my 95 is awesome leave it out of this. .


Not to point out the obvious, but the OP couldn't tell that his truck was EFI, you think he's gonna know how to advance the timing?





Just saying!
I'm sorry that I don't know everything that paintballer knows. Maybe he had an idea how to advance his timing, but wasn't sure completely how to do it. Just didn't want to be the reason he screwed his car up.




Why don't you take it to a mechanic that you know and tell them what's up? Once again sorry for any confusion just trying to help.
 
#19 ·
all the posts are appreciated. and to be honest I dont know a lot, but im kinda embarassed i didnt even notice that it said EFI on the manifold until i was looking at the pics. haha, those crazy ass intake tubes threw me off. I literally looked over this thing for about 10 minutes and did the few things I did. And in my own defense I had just gotten off work all nightshift at the warehouse. :). Believe it or not I have a decent amount of experience rebuilding transmissions and engines and such, only to the point of doing my own vehicles now though, been out of it to long.


Anyways, I do know how to adjust the timing if it is anything like on my mustang where I just hook up the light and point it down by the harmonic balancer and see where the line and light match up. should be the same correct? I do see the alignment arrow watchamacallit piece.

And thanks for the idea on changing the fuel filter.
So did we determine i Dont have a MAF? because I know nothing about the speed density thing.
 
#21 ·
Determined no MAF thanks to zeh0085. Honestly I'd just go ahead and do a full tune up on it. Basic stuff. Fuel filter, spark plugs, plug wires, cap and rotor, air filter, clean the throttle body, check timing. Google up some stuff on speed density and see how to mess with it. Or just take it to someone.
 
#22 ·
Yea thanks man, that is going to be the next course of action. I am kinda OCD at times so im not sure if I am even trying to diagnose a problem lol, havent driven a vehicle bigger than my mustang in a few months maybe i am just not used to the feel. I will keep yall updated though with any new developments
 
#23 ·
#24 · (Edited)
Exactly what about that engine appears carbeurated?

Same as all other 85-96 EFI trucks

How many where you expecting?

Check for codes.
http://fordfuelinjection.com/?p=13
those hoses are Fkin weird you know it too. and I have never seen this engine before. and if you read the rest of my post then you would understand that part of my question was about restriction.

and if you want to be a douchebag, all engines are carbeurated technically. <3

*edit* before anyone tries to correct my statement, all "fuel burning" engines are.

oh and i was jk about being a douche.
 
#25 ·
You could invest in a manual if you want to get more in tune with where stuff is and how it works and how to check it that is if you want to work on this thing yourself . Your stock Bronco will not throw you back in the seat like your Stang but it being a 5.8 should not fall on it's face either I've had both and the 5.0 version is a pig on the road compared to the 5.8. There are many folks on here that keep their trucks running well just take the suggestions as things we all have ran into. Make one repair and check the results of it. A new to you truck may/should have some bugs to work out unless you bought a totally rebuilt truck to begin with. Check vacuum hoses some of your most important sensors for fuel management and performance depend on good vacuum signals. Look at the simple things first then dig deeper from there and know your limitations.
 
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