I have a 1992 F-150 Flareside 4x4. It has been sitting for 4 years. Before my son was born in 2010 I used it to clean the yard and haul off stuff from getting the nursery set up. I backed it under the carport and parked it. The Inspection ran out that month and I needed to replace a wiper motor to pass. My son was born in May and I drove the Expedition since the wife was out of work for 12 weeks and really didn't have time to put the new wiper motor on the truck with work and a new born. In October I had surgery and didn't get back to the truck like I had planned. It was around a year later maybe a little longer, I pull out the jumper cables, the battery was dead, and fired her up. It started and ran real rough and knocked off. I started it back up and it would start but wouldn't idle at all, and only run if you held some gas to her and would knock off if you let off the pedal at all. It only did this a few times and then it wouldn't start. The motor turns over and it acts like it wants to catch but not really start. This is the 5.0 engine and she has 175000 miles. With the new addition to the family spending the money on the truck took a back seat, but I hate that she is just sitting under the carport. I am having withdrawals.... Any suggestions on where to start looking would be great....

 

Fuel pump energizing?

 

I will have to go back and recheck it, Haven't messed with it in a few months, but I think I heard it when I turn the switch over, but now I can't be sure. Would the fuel pump going out cause it to run crappy like that before it crapped out? I know on the Caprice I have when the fuel pump on that one went, it started and knocked off, started back up, I pulled out of the parking space when 50 to 75 feet and died.

I talked to one guy that swears its the ethanol gas that is the problem.... I am sure the gas will be an issue after 4 years but the problem started with it sitting right at a year.... Not being a daily driver, it had been parked before for extended periods of time with not problems... Maybe my luck ran out on it...

 

Ethanol fuel is hygroscopic...it attracts moisture and is very likely a huge contributor you your issue. Modern fuel is also very unforgiving when it comes to breaking down during long term storage. You need to dump the stuff in the tank before spending any money on parts IMHO.

 

bad gas.

Id syphon and run high octane through it.

 

I agree with the fuel issue. Get some clean new gasoline in it.

 

Sound like a plan... I wanted to hear that from someone else before I started siphoning out 15 gallons of gas... Once I get it out and a few gallons of good old non ethanol gas back in I will see what she does.... Any thing like seafoam or the like recommended to run through with the new gas to help clean any gunk?

Been pricing new fuel tanks at LMC Truck and NPD just in case....

Thanks again for the help...

Brian

 

Just another thought on the above consensus. Try spraying some carb cleaner or misting some fuel in the throttle body with a spray bottle and see if it's fires up then. That can narrow down your list of possible problems just to the fuel system.

Agreed. The fuel is most likely ruined and its gonna have to be drained. If you get as much as possible out, you maybe able to put several gallons of fresh fuel in the tank. Then, do the furl pump test with key on and the DLC connector. That will energize the fuel pump and cycle the old gas back thru and hopefully within just a minute or so, it will have purged the old gas out of the firing circuit, with some fresh gas in the fuel rail.