ive recently picked up my 1986 f150 it has a 300 straight 6 and a 4 speed manual transmission, now the issue im having with it is any time i drive it esspecially if its been sitting for a couple hours it tends to try and stall out when i put it in gear and drive anywere but after it warms up it runs great and no more stalling. so my question is can any one tell me whats going on and what i can do to fix this

 

We need to know more about the engine. It is probably fuel injected, but it could have been changed to a carb at some point. If EFI then we go down one path to solve the problem, and if carb'd we go down another path. Please either explain what the fuel delivery system is or take a picture with the air cleaner off and post so we can tell.

Having said that, these symptoms aren't unusual with a carb that has a mal-adjusted choke. If the choke doesn't come on or doesn't come on enough the engine will be hard to start and easily stalled when the engine isn't warmed up.

Lastly, PLEASE post using reasonable punctuation, spelling, etc. I make it a habit to disregard posts that I can't easily read since it takes too much of my time to get my head around a poorly-typed post like yours. Don't know why I responded to yours since it is so hard to read without capitalization at the first of a sentence, complete sentences, proper spelling (ive instead of I've, im instead of I'm, etc). Maybe I'm feeling generous this morn, but doubt I will later in the day.

Edit: The 300 wasn't injected in '86, and even though it had a feedback carb it isn't likely that the electronic part of the system is the problem. It is much more likely that the choke is the problem or, as Dave suggested, there is a significant vacuum leak. Check the choke for closing fully when the engine is cold by depressing the throttle once. And, check that the carb is securely bolted to the intake manifold as those bolts have a habit of working lose.

 

Also, don't forget to check for a vacuum leak.

 

Welcome to the forum, wookie770!

1986 with 4.9L engine should have a feedback Carter YFA carburetor. As Gary said, could likely be as simple as needing a choke adjustment. First, lets determine if you still have the feedback system or if some previous owner has swapped parts [carburetor, distributor and ignition module] in order to work around problems associated with the original computer controlled system as its parts age.

Does the carburetor have wires connected to it, other than the one wire going to the choke housing [black circular plastic on back of carburetor]?

Look at the distributor and see if there are wires going to a rectangular plastic module located toward the bottom or does it have a vacuum line going to a cannister?

As you respond with your observations, we will continue.

 

Oops! I realized after I posted that the 300 didn't get EFI - at least not in '86. But, by then I was away from the computer and couldn't fix it. Sorry.