I have looked over many posts here and haven't found anything quite similar.

I love my van, and it used to love me.

I was driving down the highway and the timing gear went. The check engine light came on and off sporadically before that. Also was running hot, but I believe I have a bad ground in the instrument, so all the gauges we're sorta wonky, and it never boiled over or anything. It also has been running with no oil pressure since I have it, without a problem.

To the point. I stored the van for a month after that, to cry.. , and the guy said he could fix it; that he knew his stuff.

Three months later...the van is ready, he tells me. I get there and it runs like s**t. It sorta knocks, but more of a clonking. He offers to time it! Holy smokes, I not politely told his to put a sock in it. Also missing stuff from inside the van..anyways.

I bring it to another garage and they TRY to time it. Guy says it is un-timable. He does get it to run smoother. Changed distributor cap, wires, plugs. But I live in corruption-city, where if you don't ask, they don't check.

Now I am thinking EGR valve. Please tell me it's the EGR valve! I ordered one and it's coming in next Monday. I don't think it the injectors as I haven't smelled any gas, exept for when the gear went, and very briefly.

So here are the sympoms:

Starts up great when cold, but seems to idle fast, and never rev down.
Sporadic clonking, when I put it in gear.
When it's hot, it really has a hard time turning over, but will eventually start, so far.
Sporadically runs rough
Cannot tune it
Harder on gas then it used to be
Check engine light always on
Van just goes, always. It shifts to 2nd without hitting the throttle, unless it's in "clonking mode"

Seems to run hot, but does not overheat
It ran smooth before I got the timing gear changed, no vacuum leaks, nothing, and the rods do not knock. No knocking.

I am really at a loss. I will change the EGR valve next week, but wanted your input. I have been been mucked around by 3 different mechanics. Two of them saying my truck was outdated and they didn't know much about them..

Sorry for the blabbering, but I love this truck. I live in a big city now and I don't have a yard to fiddle around with it. I do the work in hardware store parking lots.

The van is a 1991 e-150, inline 6, 4.9l plain jane cargo.

Thanks

 

Should be an OBD I truck maybe?

See if you can get codes. Throwing parts at it may cost you some time and money without results.

How-To: retrieve trouble codes- OBDI - Ford F150 Forum - Community of Ford Truck Fans


How-To: - Pull Diagnostic Codes OBD-1 Pre-1996 Fords | FordForumsOnline.com

 

Hey thanks man! Yes it's a OBD1. These links will be very helpful. I will check out the codes this week-end and post my findings.

 

Sounds to me like you have some vacuum leaks.

I will tell you in all honesty that the EGR valve is a waste of money on these unless the diaphram is causing a vacuum leak. The EGR systems on that era 4.9 are known to flow WAY too much exhaust gas into the intake, essentially causing a lean condition (artificial vacuum leak of large proportion). I literally JUST installed a restrictor plate on a 1995 4.9. Just get two new EGR gaskets and make yourself a flat plate out of steel or aluminum. I drilled two 1/8" holes to slow the flow, some guys only drill 1. see the pic below... I just traced the new gasket and cut/drilled the plate. MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.







gasket on left, plate on right

 

It's not timed right. The problem being did the timing gear get put in right. The timing should be 10 degrees BTDC with the spout connector out if it is a 1987 or newer. These are known for the outer ring of the harmonic balancer slipping making it hard to find TDC. I use a stiff piece of wire with the plugs out rotate using the wire in number one cyl and watching as it moves up and down when it is as high as it can be that is TDC. See what the harmonic balancer shows if it is off then remark and time it.

 

Thank you very much for the info. I will look for leaks this week-end and post my results here. Unfortunately I have already bought the EGR valve. I was thinking that if it would be vacuum related I'd have the problem all the time. I will definitely check them out in any case. Thanks for the gasket trick; very good to know.

 

The mechanic told me he set the first at TDC, and worked from there. I do not have a spot to work on it myself, so I am sorta in a pickle. Thank you for the info. If I find a good mechanic I will at least look like I know what I am talking about! Have a good one.

 

No problem with the new valve but you should still install the restrictor plate with the new valve as the valve itself isn't the cause of the excess EGR gasses. It's just a bad design from ford, they were trying to meet emissions requirements but in order to do that they put so much EGR flow into the intake that they lean out terribly and run like garbage as they age. Super easy to install the restrictor and you'll have peace of mind with the new EGR valve.

 

Yes I think I will follow your advice. I just went to the autoparts place and they didn't get it yet. Monday I will work on that. Thanks for the tips! I really appreciate it. I'll let you know how it turns..

 

Hi. So I checked the codes but I'm having a hard time figuring out what they are I thought it would be simple, but I'm not sure when they start. Here is a video I made. Could you please help me figure out what they are? Sorry about the belt. I changed it last week and am choosing to ignore it . I got the EGR valve, but ran out of day to install it. Thanks again for your help.

 

Go over this again:

Code Reader..... - 80-96 Ford Bronco - Ford Bronco Zone Early Bronco Classic FullSize Broncos

Some codes:

FORD 1983-1995 OBD1 Decoder

 

OK, will do. Thank you very much. I admit I did not ground it...

John

 

Be aware that there are 2 modes in which codes are released. You've seen the first with "Key On-Engine Off". The 2nd set are released in "Key On-Engine On".

 

Thank you very much. Yes I will keep that in mind. I just don't know when to start counting..it did many "ones" I have trouble figuring it out. I changed the EGR and it doesn't run hot anymore, and runs smoother. Now it's revving like a ****..I'm guessing the other code pas the throttle sposition sensor. At least it runs better. Thanks again.

 

you can always advance the timing until it gets hard to crank when warm and then back it down a tad (as long as you're not hearing detonation when you're going up inclines). Sounds like a lot of issues. lean will make idle speed high. vacuum leaks cause lean. you might even have blown head gasket, you checking your oil for milkshake looks?