[willjones4]

Last night after getting gas my truck started running like crap. Dont know if its related to the gas or not. I tried to pull codes but just got a solidly lit CEL with the diagnostic plugs wired up, stayed on even with the key off. The idle lopes a little while sitting and it will stumble like a hard miss and the CEL comes on with the miss while at highway speed. Then it bogs when you give it gas and starts slowing down. It will go if you VERY lightly touch the gas, but eventually even that doesnt work and it continues losing power until it wont go but the engine is still running. It did this on the freeway today but when I pulled over and turned it off it cranked right back up, CEL went out and the problem was gone all the way home. Any ideas? I was told it may be the ignition coil.

 

[Sixlitre]

Last night after getting gas my truck started running like crap. Dont know if its related to the gas or not. I tried to pull codes but just got a solidly lit CEL with the diagnostic plugs wired up, stayed on even with the key off. The idle lopes a little while sitting and it will stumble like a hard miss and the CEL comes on with the miss while at highway speed. Then it bogs when you give it gas and starts slowing down. It will go if you VERY lightly touch the gas, but eventually even that doesnt work and it continues losing power until it wont go but the engine is still running. It did this on the freeway today but when I pulled over and turned it off it cranked right back up, CEL went out and the problem was gone all the way home. Any ideas? I was told it may be the ignition coil.

Coil, water in the gas or the orange fusible link just off the relay on the fender

Sixlitre

 

[The Yak]

Are you sure that you pulled codes correctly? Even though the CEL went out, the codes that were tripped will still be stored in the continous memory.

 

[willjones4]

Are you sure that you pulled codes correctly? Even though the CEL went out, the codes that were tripped will still be stored in the continous memory.

I couldnt pull codes. When I hooked it all up the light just stayed on instead of blinking out the codes. I talked to the guy I got the truck from and he said it was a bad plug wire. He said it had been a problem before but was intermittent and he forgot about it. Im gonna throw a wireset on there. Might as well do the plugs, dist cap and all, too. He said he changed the plugs and cap about a year ago but as I told you his memory aint that great so I'll just do it all so I know where I stand. Thanks for the replies. :thumbup

BTW Six, Im gonna go ahead and throw that new coil on there, too, since it was only $20 and the one that's on there now looks like the original Ford part...Im about to turn 200K miles, couldnt hurt...

 

[Sixlitre]

I couldnt pull codes. When I hooked it all up the light just stayed on instead of blinking out the codes. I talked to the guy I got the truck from and he said it was a bad plug wire. He said it had been a problem before but was intermittent and he forgot about it. Im gonna throw a wireset on there. Might as well do the plugs, dist cap and all, too. He said he changed the plugs and cap about a year ago but as I told you his memory aint that great so I'll just do it all so I know where I stand. Thanks for the replies. :thumbup

BTW Six, Im gonna go ahead and throw that new coil on there, too, since it was only $20 and the one that's on there now looks like the original Ford part...Im about to turn 200K miles, couldnt hurt...

Will

Hold on the coil until you get new plug wires. If you do buy a new coil and that ain't it, put the old coil directly into the side pocket in your cargo area for a spare.

Phone the local stealership and ask for a quote on a Ford Motorsports 9mm wire set. I found them actually cheaper than the supposed premium wire sets at the local parts store:shocked

The last thing I'm begging you to do is get the cheapest copper Autolites for you application at the parts store. Even if you don't over-gap them now (until you find your problem), I'd still recommend them highly over any other plug.

Best of luck

Sixlitre

 

[willjones4]

Don't buy or replace ANYTHING until you've gone thru the Haynes ignition diagnostic procedure. :deal

Im looking for my Haynes now. I may have to go buy another one. I threw some plug wires on, no dice. Same problem continues. I figure I will go ahead and do the plugs, fuel filter and ignition coil since I already have the parts on hand. I guess I will do a fuel pressure reading as soon as I can borrow my neighbor's gauge and see what's up with the fuel pump, etc. I tried again, successfully this time, to pull codes. I got 111, system pass. :banghead Whats weird is how you can turn it off and wait a minute and then recrank and it runs fine.

 

[Sixlitre]

Im looking for my Haynes now. I may have to go buy another one. I threw some plug wires on, no dice. Same problem continues. I figure I will go ahead and do the plugs, fuel filter and ignition coil since I already have the parts on hand. I guess I will do a fuel pressure reading as soon as I can borrow my neighbor's gauge and see what's up with the fuel pump, etc. I tried again, successfully this time, to pull codes. I got 111, system pass. :banghead Whats weird is how you can turn it off and wait a minute and then recrank and it runs fine.

It's that orange fusible link, just off the relay on the fender

Had me chasing my tail for 6 months !:banghead Wires were nearly gone inside the link !

Sixlitre

 

[willjones4]

Turns out it was the fuel filter. I put all those other parts on (couldnt hurt) but had to go buy another fuel line wrench to do the filter. Truck was doing the same old dance on the way there and back. I got back and changed out the fuel filter and everything's fine (knock on wood). I tapped the old one on the ground and it was full of crud filled black gas.

 

[rightofway]

Turns out it was the fuel filter. I put all those other parts on (couldnt hurt) but had to go buy another fuel line wrench to do the filter. Truck was doing the same old dance on the way there and back. I got back and changed out the fuel filter and everything's fine (knock on wood). I tapped the old one on the ground and it was full of crud filled black gas.

i was thinking that was it from what you described, my brother's c1500 did the same thing

where in louisiana are you?

 

[willjones4]

Shreveport :beer

 

[rightofway]

Shreveport :beer

cool, i think the forum has all the major la cities covered

 

[willjones4]

well, the issue is back. Sixlitre, Im doin' the fusible link next...:doh0715:

 

[Sixlitre]

well, the issue is back. Sixlitre, Im doin' the fusible link next...:doh0715:

Drove me INSANE !

for 6 months me and my mechanic buddy chased our tails, tested, read codes and it was like a phantom !

Hit a bump, the thing would die, coast to the side of the road. I'd lift the hood, turn around twice, face East, get my prayer mat out (NOT !) and slam the hood and the dang thing would start again !

One day it died right in front of the stealership (spooky:shocked). The Ford mechanic accidentally hit the auto start while walking out to it, he said. He popped the hood and saw the sparks arcing while it was still cranking.

He said that saved me a pile on diagnosis. Inside the orange rubber tab maybe three strands out of 50 (10 gauge wire) were still intact, but who would know with the orange rubber outside it ?:shrug

Hope you find it.

Sixlitre

BTW
hows the plug with the three wires that goes into the coil ?

 

[willjones4]

Fusible link wasnt it either. Now Im thinking it may be a clogged cat. Getting back pressure test done tomorrow...Im smelling raw fuel and have for some time but lately more like rotten eggs. I thought it was just an exhaust leak since it had no other symptoms. Also, after I turn it off it runs great-for a little while. Gotta be the cat, we'll see...

 

[Sixlitre]

Fusible link wasnt it either. Now Im thinking it may be a clogged cat. Getting back pressure test done tomorrow...Im smelling raw fuel and have for some time but lately more like rotten eggs. I thought it was just an exhaust leak since it had no other symptoms. Also, after I turn it off it runs great-for a little while. Gotta be the cat, we'll see...

You gonna go custom exhaust

if it's the cat ? Best of luck

Sixlitre

 

[willjones4]

You gonna go custom exhaust

if it's the cat ? Best of luck

Sixlitre

Nah, I'll buy another cat and stick it on there. Im wondering if a plugged cat would make the truck hard to start, too. Only other thing I can think of is fuel pump? I dont know how fuel pump could cause unburned fuel smell, though...however, the short whirring sound from the pump sometimes keeps going instead of cycling the normal couple of seconds. Turn it off and back on and it works right. :scratchhe

 

[bugzappers]

you better check the o rings and injectors. unburned fuel is not converter related, you have fuel problems. check the lines as well. start looking at replacing fuel pump and regulator.

 

[sackman9975]

My thoughts.....fuel filter. Had it happen to me.

 

[GHOSTRIDER]

put in another fuel pump relay, should be the green one, on the gang of 4 on the drivers side fender well, sometimes it shorts out.......