I have a Ford Ranger XLT 250 pick up. When I brake the truck stalls. The truck only stalls out when put in gear ( it idles fine in neutral and park), so, I have had to put it in neutral when coming to a stop for the last day. I am waiting on a manual to be mailed to me and have only owned the truck for two weeks. I have been told it could be a dirty fuel system. does anyone know where the fuel filter is on this truck and/or have any leads on what may be causing this?

 

There are several potential causes. If its a stock 390 or 360 V-8 2bbl, then the fuel filter is screwed into the carburetor right at the gas inlet. This is a good first place to start.

However, you should also have either a dashpot or idle solenoid that comes with option combinations that include air conditioning, or manual trans, emissions, or other options that tend to lower the idle when turned on. The dashpot was originally used to ease the idle down between shifts in vehicles with manual transmissions to prevent stalling. The solenoids were used in models with AC and EGR's. I have a 1970 engine, and it calls for the solenoid. I recommend that you check your carburetor to see if you have one of these secondary devices attached near or behind where the linkages connect (on the carb toward the front of the engine). If you don't have one, you might need one.

Any other suggestions I could give you would depend on the engine size and carburetor, which you haven't included yet.

 

Get a tachometer and watch the rpm's. Idle in neutral should be 750-800rpm, idle in gear should be 650-700. If it is correct in neutral, but too low in gear, there may be other problems. I don't think the fuel filter is causing this, but it should be replaced as part of a tune-up, which I do recommend.

 

Well, I hate to sound like a little ol' gal, but, I just got the truck and am on a major learning curve regarding mechanics. Yesterday, my boyfriend and I replaced the fuel filter, oil filter and air filter to see if any of that would help with the stalling. In the process, I found out that the Holly carb in the truck is not original. The fuel filter that was compatible matched a post 1984 Ford truck, or, possibly an older Chevy. The solenoid you mentioned is not needed on this particular carb. Upon further inspection of the carb it looked like the thing is kind of rigged together (i.e. coat hanger wire holding a part of the throttle together?!!!), and the top flap on the carb that regulates air intake sticks. This may be a stupid question, but, do you think we need to replace the carb? I am waiting to receive the manual for the truck, so, excuse my lack of technical terminology and knowledge. The sticking seems like it could be easily remedied and the coat hanger is probably being substituted for a bolt that could easily replaced. By the way, the 390 engine is the original.

 

I meant no disrespect. I think everyone is on a learning curve regarding mechanics (this includes me), and anything I can offer is meant to be helpful. Let me get this straight...you have a 1970 390 Ford engine, with an after-market Holley carb, and a post-1984 fuel filter?

Do you know the model number of the Holley carburetor, and is it a 2 or 4 bbl? I definitely don't like the "coat hanger" cure for throttle linkage mismatch, but I have seen that kind of thing enough to know its a common practice. This would suggest to me that there might be several "lets get it running" shortcuts that might be causing you problems.

By the "top flap", I'm guessing you mean a choke plate? If it is sticking, then that is not a good thing either, especially after the vehicle gets warmed up. You will need to inspect that and its linkage to check if something is binding, or whether it just needs to be lubricated.

Right now, I am leaning toward saying you may have a vacuum leak. That's not saying the carb isn't bad. You might also have some carb adjustments that are off. See if you can figure out the size and/or model number of the carb that's on there now.

Also, look to see how your PCV is routed (if it hasn't been "modified"). This would be the biggest vacuum line that comes from the carburetor or a plate below the carburetor and runs to the valve cover where it attaches to a cylindrical valve (the PCV) which should be plugged into a rubber grommet. Also look for another similar size vacuum line going back to the air cleaner. Let us know how this is hooked up.

Also, get the numbers off of the carburetor and let us know if its a 2 or 4 barrel.

 

The carb is a Holly Part4412 Model 2300. We checked the hoses. One of the hoses coming from the back of the carb was frayed big time. We replaced that, but, that was not it. We sprayed WD 40 around the choke plate. It looks like the person we bought it from bypassed the choke plate althogether. It is stuck in full open position all the time. The lever that operates the choke plate on the left side of the carb is not attached to any type of linkage. Shouldn't there be something (linkage) there? By the way, it is a two barrel (I think all the 2300's are two barrel). Thanks for your help.

 

Ok, 500cfm 2BBL. That's a pretty big 2BBL, and your problems may be starting there. The previous owner may have had to do some rigging to get the thing to idle down. You will probably be better off with a Motorcraft/Autolite carb for the truck. These can be found in junkyards for fairly cheap, just make sure the throttle linkage moves freely. A rebuild kit for most of those carbs runs in the $13-$25 range. A rebuild kit for the Holley is $25+.

 

I also agree. Get the carburetor, choke, PCV and any other misc vacuum lines configured in its original stock form (your Chilton's manual should give you the skinny on that). If I am not mistaken, your carburetor should be the Autolite 2100 2bbl, which is also the stock carburetor for my 351-C 2bbl. I bought a remanufactured one from Advance for $125 plus tax. It was well worth the investment since I had a situation similar to what you're describing (monkey-rigged carb), but I also desperately needed the truck to haul (time and job priorities), so I didn't have time to go to the boneyard, pull one off, and rebuild it. You should also be able to find the complete and correct throttle linkage at the junkyard.

Since your truck is running already, you might be fine with a junkyard carb. But you will need a kit to rebuild it like F6 said. It might also not hurt to pick up a manual or book on carbureted fuel systems for Fords of that year. That way your "learning curve" and hands-on experience can be enhanced by the manual and it will help with those odds and ends such as linkages and chokes.

Since the engine is stock, you should be able to find the specific components that go along with the engine.

 

Well, I thought I should respond to let you know, it was the points on the truck that needed adjusting! The mechanic was pretty perplexed as to why I didn't think of it initially, but, anyway, thanks for the tips. She is running fine for now. They said the carb is a.o.k.