Okay so I have a 1996 f150 with a 302 and 5 speed manual trans and I have been having starting problems, and also problems with the engine dying while I was driving. When it started the truck would stall and start back up immediately and I assumed it was bad fuel. Then later on it would stall and I would continually pop the clutch to get it back running again. The next day I was driving and it died and I pulled over and couldn't get it running again, so I had someone pick me up and I went back later and it fired right up and I drove home. Then a few days later I went out on my way to work and the engine just kept turning over and would not fire at all. I assumed I had fuel because when I turned the key I could hear the pump pressurize the lines, and the truck refused to fire even with starting fluid sprayed directly into the throttle body. So first thing I did was change the coil and it fired right up and seemed to run fine for a few days then it wouldn't start again. I checked and found I had electricity going to the coil, but by connecting a wire to the output end of the coil and touching it to a ground while my dad turned the key i found no spark, so i figured I bought a bad part. I put another new coil on and it seemed to be running fine until yesterday when it stalled and it took me a few minutes to get it back running again to drive home. Since I haven't driving it because I don't want to be stranded and have to pay a tow truck. Anyone have any ideas what could be going on?

 

Mine did this for over a year, nearly drove me crazy. Instead of not getting fire, the fuel pumps wouldn't come on. Turned out to be a bad/loose ground from the relays on the drivers fender well was the whole problem. I had the exact same symptoms you describe, it probably wouldn't hurt to chase some wires down. My problem was on an '88, I'm not sure if it is wired the same as a '96, but the grounds came out of a loom on the radiator support and went directly to the neg battery terminal. That is where the issue was.

 

My intermittent problem was fuel pressure regulator. 1992
SAME symptoms you describe.
I pulled the vac line and saw no fuel so assumed it was good.
Leaks gas with key on, however.
Fuel pump relays can get moisture inside them and / or freeze in winter. or decide when to work in summer.
Ignition module can also work intermittently as can the
pip sensor in the distributor.
My fuel pumps ran funny and THAT was 50 cents worth of capacitors in the main computer.
Finally got it running correctly one of those times and it refused to start.
(someone had siphoned my gas) but the fuel pumps run in response to the computer timer, NOT fuel pressure, so that threw me off too.
Why I trust my truck across the back yard is a mystery to me.