Hi All my F150 is having a major problem. The backstory is everything was running fine until I pulled up to a gas station turned off the truck and it didnt start. Figured out it was the starter and replaced it and the starter solenoid. The truck started up and idled fine. But when I started driving home (1 mile away) the whole time it felt like the truck was not getting enough gas and when i pushed down on the gas pedel it would sluggishly respond and stuble until it picked up. Could this be a vacumm related problem, and engine misfire, or a fuel problem? It was running fine before the new starter was put in and I am wondering if I just need to reset the ECM because I put a new battery in and unpluged the O2 sensor to install the starter. Any thoughts would help. -Npower24

 

Did you pull the codes? I don't think the ECM ever need to be reset. Does the truck have dual tanks and if so do it act differently if you switch tanks? I don't think the O2 sensor would cause any serious issues like that if you somehow damaged it, so I'm guessing that it's a coincidence that it started right after changing the starter.

Check codes, check fuel pressure, try both tanks if you have dual tanks, try a full tuneup including fuel filter.

 

The OBD1 tester only came up with a 332 code and no other ones. The code 332 is for the EGR valve which from what I am reading the sensor on top could be bad since I cleaned the EGR port and the EGR pluger still comes up when I apply vacumn. (check engine light still on after that). REGARDLESS, I dont think the EGR valve code would cause any of these issues, same for the starter I put in. EGR and starter would not make it stumble like this. THAT BEING SAID- I replaced the fuel filter with a new one and put half the bottle of sea foam in half a tank of gas that was in the truck. I can run it but it sounds like its still not getting the right amount of fuel, the engine still stumbled and will idle for a minute or two and then shut off, i can start it again with trouble and then it fires up and the cycle repeats. When I push on the gas pedal it seems like it does not accelerate very fast. When I push the throttle on the intake manifold I can hold it at certain points and maintain then without stumbling. What is going on?

 

that truck does have dual tanks but right now it is switch onto tank 1 towards the front, this tank is the main one. And it is on tank one now but still giving these issues.

 

Don't throw anymore money at your phantom problem just yet.

This might not be what is giving you your grief, but it's worth checking.
Click this link and do some reading: A9x ECM's (and same years ECM's) Failures Due to Age

If you computer is going south on you, IT MAY NOT SHOW ANY CODES.

Just a little free something you really should check.....BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF YOUR COMPUTER.

Hope this helps,

Bob

 

here is some more information. I think it is the fuel pump that is making it stumble not the ECM. I connected a fuel pressure gauge to the fuel rail. When I put the key in: key in, engine off, the fuel pressure only shoots up to 10psi or so. From what I am reading it should instantly jump up to 35-45 psi and stay there. Now I have replaced the fuel regulator and fuel filter and it is still doing this. So what do you all think?

 

The information you are reading is wrong but you may also be right.
If the fuel lines do not have any pressure in them and you turn on the key one time you may only get the 10psi.
You need to turn the key on and off at least four times if the fuel lines are empty to get 40psi.
That said you have a problem keeping the fuel in the fuel lines and I take it you are talking about overnight.
That means you may have a bad shuttle valve, check valve or fuel pressure regulator.
Injectors would also bleed it down setting but it does not seem to be the case in your situation.
Do you have fuel going from one tank to the other while driving?
A bad shuttle valve or check valve can cause the sluggishly respond also.

 

hey all i replaced the fuel pump in my truck and its getting the correct pressure now at the engine. the starter is whirling but the truck is not turning over. once i replaced the fuel pump last night. And it read 35 psi on the fuel gauge connected to the fuel rail. it started up fine and i was able to take it up to the gas station and back. but now it wont turn on? all the fuses in the engine bay are good. I am not sure what to do at this point.

the starter is whriling, the fuel pressure is constant 35 psi at the fuel rails. ????? did a search and found this posting, seems another guy was having the same problem:

1992 Ford F150 won't start? - Yahoo! Answers

I am going to
1. Test for Spark
2. Do a noid light test of the injectors according to this write up:

Part 1 -Fuel Injector Noid Light Tests (Ford 4.6L, 5.4L).

What do you guys think? I hate how all this is happing one thing after another its like I am being cursed

 

so we are now at new fuel filter, fuel pressure regulator, new front tank fuel pump, new starter solenoid, new battery terminals, new battery, new starter. Also within the last three weeks replaced both window motors on the passenger and drivers side.

why is $^#^#$ burning out like this?? are 95 ford 150s garbage designed trucks??? i just dont get it

 

Not sure if everything you replaced was bad, more than likely not.
If the engine is cranking OK but will not start and you have fuel pressure then more than likely you are not getting spark and maybe your injectors are not firing either.

If you find you have no spark then unplug the computer with a 10mm socket.
Did spark return as you crank the engine?
If so I would say you are fighting a bad computer and the clock is not running in your computer. I bet the fuel pumps also run all the time the key is on when the engine will not start. If so this will also point to a bad computer clock.

 

how do you test the computer to tell if it is bad

 

In your case I would take it out, open it up and see if you see anything burnt, leaking electrolytic capacitors or a loose crystal on the board.
If everything looks new and have good solder joints to the board then it is more than likely a good computer.
On the other hand if you find something then you need to replace the part on the board or the computer.

You can also just plug in a test computer and if it then runs OK you had a bad computer.
You can get a test computer from a salvage yard out of a truck that has the same engine, transmission and about the same year. You do not have to remove your computer to plug in the test computer.

 

To add to what subford said, If you do get a test computer from a salvage yard, you need to open THAT one up and as subford said," and open it up and see if you see anything burnt, leaking electrolytic capacitors or a loose crystal on the board" too.

You'll get absolutely nowhere if your "test computer" is bad.


Bob

P.S. Thanks Bill, this post was a very subttle affirmation of discussions past.

 

thank you all for helping me out with this. after some further diagnostics I took the number 1 spark plug out and grounded it to the chassis while a helper cranked over the engine. NO spark. so I took the distributor cap off and had the helper crank the engine over agian. NO rotor movement. So according to this post :

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...stributor.html

and this post

What would cause distributor rotor not to spin?? - Honda-Tech

It could be one of two things:

1.Bad distributor
2. Broken Timing Chain

So I am going to take the distributor out and see if it rotates freely, if it does not I need a new distributor correct?

How do I check if the timing chain is broken? Do I take off the value cover, spin the harmonic banlancer bolt and see if the rocker arms move up and down?

Which should I check first? Am I going about this the right way?

Why is all this stuff happing one after another? Stater dies, Fuel pump dies, then distributor/timing chain? I mean WTF I am so angry all this is happing at the same time. UGHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..........................

ok ventings done....

One other note there was a griding sound coming from what sounded like the engine bay, It sounded like aluminum cans being hit together. I thought the 4x4 might be engaged. So I push the button and turned the 4x4 on, then off, and reverse, and the clanging metalic sound got less noisy. So is this the transmission or symptoms of a timing chain going bad

 

I am going to remove the ECM on my truck and look at it. I have a 95 f150 5.8liter, I think its under the glovecompartment on the passengers side. I removed the panel and took the bottom bolt off but the heater unit is blocking me access to the top. WTF the location of the fuel filter and the ecm here is a really garbage design, dam ford for doing this design.