Serious Truck Problem!!
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Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 27
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From: Fall City, Wa
Serious Truck Problem!!
Hi I have a 2wd 1972 F-100 4spd. I just picked it up on the 23rd. She runs great but one problem... Today I drove into town and as I accelerated out of 2nd to make a turn my accelerator pedal didnt respond. Absolutely nothing. The engine was still running but it I eventually stalled it since I couldnt accelerate. I pushed it to the side and started up again like nothing even happened. At first I rubbed it off as a personal mistake until I was driving up a hill in 4th. I got over the top but the accelerator went out again. Did the same thing and she started back up again. This is not acceptable. If I cant fix this problem I might get in a serious accident. Someone please help me find the problem! I will try my best with any other needed information.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,678
Likes: 82
From: NorCal
Hi I have a 2wd 1972 F-100 4spd. I just picked it up on the 23rd. She runs great but one problem... Today I drove into town and as I accelerated out of 2nd to make a turn my accelerator pedal didnt respond. Absolutely nothing. The engine was still running but it eventually stalled since I couldnt accelerate. I pushed it to the side and started up again like nothing even happened. At first I rubbed it off as a personal mistake until I was driving up a hill in 4th. I got over the top but the accelerator went out again. Did the same thing and she started back up again. This is not acceptable. If I cant fix this problem I might get in a serious accident. Someone please help me find the problem! I will try my best with any other needed information.
After the issues, what did your visual inspection indicate with regards to linkage integrity, actuation, and fuel delivery?
Junior User
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 63
Likes: 0
Fuel filter could be clogged and steady building up back pressure until it restricts the line down to nothing. Would account for the lack of accelerator response and it starting up easily, only for the to happen again.
Seen this with older farm tractors.
Seen this with older farm tractors.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 8,679
Likes: 191
From: On the Edge of the Desert
but wouldnt that cause the engine to die with the throttle being wide open? wouldnt it lean out and not run? the way i understood it was that the engine was still running when he was pedaling it...
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 27
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From: Fall City, Wa
Yeah the Engine was still idling when it happened but Since I couldnt accelerate, I just had to keep down shifting and I eventually stalled it to get out and push it off the road. Sorry I worded that wrong. I didnt get a chance to check out the linkage but like I said it wouldnt accelerate when I put the pedal down. Is it also possible that maybe I didnt get the shifter into the actual gear (kinda between the gear and neutral) causing it not to accelerate? Someone said that might be the reason. If it is a linkage problem though, what should I look for?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,678
Likes: 82
From: NorCal
Whether it is binding...or does it work as it should.
C'mon now dude . It sounds like posting your malady was your first step instead of being your own detective. Help us by helping you by having some skin in getting your rig figured out. Don't take this as being an azz but being self sufficient and learning how basic systems work pays back in a hurry. Dom't be afraid to tinker cuz you'll go broke in short order if you're a slave to a mechanic with a shop rate of $75 per hour.
R/.
C'mon now dude . It sounds like posting your malady was your first step instead of being your own detective. Help us by helping you by having some skin in getting your rig figured out. Don't take this as being an azz but being self sufficient and learning how basic systems work pays back in a hurry. Dom't be afraid to tinker cuz you'll go broke in short order if you're a slave to a mechanic with a shop rate of $75 per hour.
R/.
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Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2014
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From: Fall City, Wa
Yeah I totally understand. Usually I do check this stuff out fast but I was also in a hurry today so I just parked it, put the post on hear and left again. Im gonna take a look tomorrow
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Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2014
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Yeah, I know how something like that could fluster and frustrate someone. Especially when one is just getting their feet wet in working on these trucks. I am in the same boat. Big issues can have small causes.
I have a friend and fellow Harley rider. He was riding his Shovelhead and the thing just died. Put it on its jiffy stand and started checking wiring, thinking it was a coil. Reseated the wires and the bike started right up. He drove a few more miles and it did it again. He pulled over, dropped it on its jiffy stand and proceeded to check some more things. It started right up. This same thing happened one more time before he got home.
Ends up he was running of out of fuel. When he would lean his bike onto the jiffy stand, it would fill up the left side tank high enough to go into the regular/run position on his gasoline valve. He put the valve on reserve and all was good.
A simple thing that someone with his experience (and you get a lot of experience keeping old shovelheads running) should have picked up. Just something so simple, he did not consider it.
I have a friend and fellow Harley rider. He was riding his Shovelhead and the thing just died. Put it on its jiffy stand and started checking wiring, thinking it was a coil. Reseated the wires and the bike started right up. He drove a few more miles and it did it again. He pulled over, dropped it on its jiffy stand and proceeded to check some more things. It started right up. This same thing happened one more time before he got home.
Ends up he was running of out of fuel. When he would lean his bike onto the jiffy stand, it would fill up the left side tank high enough to go into the regular/run position on his gasoline valve. He put the valve on reserve and all was good.
A simple thing that someone with his experience (and you get a lot of experience keeping old shovelheads running) should have picked up. Just something so simple, he did not consider it.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 318
Likes: 1
From: Cantonment, Fl
sounds like a fuel problem to me. Could be a clogged fuel filter but don't overlook that short piece of rubber hose under the cab that connects the hard line from the tank to the hard line to the fuel pump. They deteriorate over time and will collapse. will give these exact symptoms. Another remote possibility is trash floating in the gas tank. Flakes can get caught on the bottom of the pickup tube due to the vacuum caused by the pump. when it stopped it will float away until vacuum returns.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,592
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From: **** hole San Jose ca.
All lot of these trucks get posted 4 sale when something goes wrong, and the owner can't figure it out or don't want to put money into the old family vacation truck that now just sits along side the house.
I'd start by replace all rubber fuel lines fuel filter inside the lower fuel pump canister.
Orich
I'd start by replace all rubber fuel lines fuel filter inside the lower fuel pump canister.
Orich
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 27
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From: Fall City, Wa
I looked at the linkage this morning. Everything seemed to be fine there. After work Ill take a look at the hoses underneath. If I still cant find the problem, Im gonna take it to the mechanics shop where the entire engine, carb, tanks, fuel lines were all replaced/rebuilt about 4000 miles ago.
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,255
Likes: 199
From: Phoenix, Az.
I agree on the fuel starvation theory. How long had the truck sat before you bought it? Got OLD gas in it still? 1st I'd replace the fuel filter. Check out the old one to see if there's any mud,rust,scale,or old bits from the inside of the rubber hoses. 2X on changing all the rubber hoses anyways. When was the last time it got a COMPLETE tune-up? All fluids changed? I like to do all this so I got a fresh baseline. My .02.
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 3
From: Lincoln USA
Sounds like you've got something in your gas tank that is clogging the fuel pickup. When the fuel pump is putting suction on it, it clogs the inlet. When the pressure is removed the junk falls off and the engine responds normally, until the junk gets sucked onto the inlet again.
I had this happen while driving a diesel powered straight truck at a previous job. They cleaned out the tank, problem solved.
I had this happen while driving a diesel powered straight truck at a previous job. They cleaned out the tank, problem solved.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 89
Likes: 1
Step one for me would be to verify the entire linkage is 100% free and clear and has no loose or binding parts. Second part would be to have a clear fuel filter and start the truck.... prop open the throttle a bit and watch. If the filter stays full and flowing, you know the issue is likely in the carb somehow.
If the filter starts thinning out and showing a lack of fuel flow, then either it is clogged, or the rubber line is cavitating, or the tank is shedding the rust scale. I had the last one happen to me and had to source a replacement tank. Rust clogged the filter on my transfer pump on my way home from Michigan. I hate being stuck in Ohio
If the filter starts thinning out and showing a lack of fuel flow, then either it is clogged, or the rubber line is cavitating, or the tank is shedding the rust scale. I had the last one happen to me and had to source a replacement tank. Rust clogged the filter on my transfer pump on my way home from Michigan. I hate being stuck in Ohio