e250 pathfinder 4x4 5.7 351m c6 trans. i am sick and damn tired of my engine idling all over the place. i want to remove anything that controls the engine. i just want an engine like my old mustang. engine, distributor, fuel. There is no emissions testing in my location. The engines idles a little high then the check engine light comes on and dives down to barely running and then the light go off and it sore back up. up down up down. sometimes when the light come on it stalls out and dies.(usually in an intersection ) up down up down. i have to shift into neutral at intersections to keep it from jumping into the intersection when it surges. sometimes the CE light stays on and it idles low and stay that way (usually after it warms up ) Other times it the CE light stays off for a long time (usually after it warms up ) no rhyme or reason to any of it. Radiator had a leak, i replace it, replaced the egr. replace the fuel pump on the frame rail.
can i ( and how do i ) pull the computer and smog BS and keep fuel injection or do i need to go with a carb.

 

Welcome to FTE.

Ever consider using the OBD I system to read codes and actually fix the problems you are having?

FORD 1983-1995 OBD1 Decoder

No way to keep EFI without a computer.

Also, you do not have a 351M. Those died (mercifully) in 1982.

If you have an '89 351, it's a W. You can strip the EFI off and use an aftermarket or stock Ford manifold, 2v or 4v. You will need to fiddle with a fuel pump and ignition as well.

 

Thanks for the reply. yes i have a reader and its been a while since i used it. last time i did it would not give me any codes. the light is so intermittent it does no good, if the light (code ) is not always on how do i know what it is? seems like it would be easier to just go with a carb. i do not know what all is connected to the computer or how to remove it. i do have the shop manual but i was hoping for insight or info on things to do or avoid.

 

That link shows how to make the OBD I flash the CEL.

Up to a point it's easier to fix the EFI than to sort out a carb and ignition from scratch.

 

ok thanks i will give it try.

 

Good luck with it. Read through that link. There are other links and videos out there under "ford obd 1" or similar searches. Counting the flashes and getting the timing right can be frustrating. You probably have multiple codes as well. I will look for a list of codes and post if I find it.

 

This is another thread with OBD I links etc. You are not alone!!!

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...s-changed.html

 

No you cannot remove the computer and all that stuff and still have EFI, the E stands for Electronic after all. However your symptoms point to a possible damaged computer and that wouldn't be unusual given its age, the electrolytic capacitors on the board tend to leak once they get so old and the juice that leaks out of them corrodes things around it. Codes are stored in memory on these things though so you should be able to pull codes regardless if the light on or not, and if you can get codes that should help diagnose the source of your problem.

 

i accomplished this on an 87 chevy with computer/tbi/intank fuel pump....... a 90 chevy chassis,frame,tbi engine,intank fuel pump, transmission platform that i mounted my 1940 body & just finished my 81 ford van that had injection also but no computer.
what i did on the 87chevy was
#1 edlebrock manifold & carb
#2 after market lokar cable & brackets for your c-6 trans kickdown cable
#3 eliminate water temp & oil sender on engine& replace with sensors & triple set guage like a vdo 3 guage pod set
#4 do you have an intank fuel pump? youll need a fuel pressure regulator WITH a return line to the tank. cut fuel lines to install on regulator & use a nut & ferrule to reattach
#5 again if you have an intank fuel pump your computer runs it after you disconnect & bundle all that wiring & crap & if your pump does not run on your particuliar truck youll have to power the intank fuel pump by tapping into the "fuel pump" wire that comes out of the computer to a wire at the fuse box that has "key on power" so the pump will run only when u turn on the ignition.
i may have missed something here if your game for all this ill look up part numbers etc. NO GUARANTEE THIS WILL WORK ON YOUR FORD but an outline on what needs to be figured out

 

also youll have to change your distributor to an HEI & be sure youll have the correct distributor gear the tech guys at summit can help you out there

 

I have an 84, which is different in that I think 89 will have billet roller tappet camshaft? So, if you change distributors, you'd have to install a compatible distributor gear due to the billet of your stock cam. I forget what the gear drive on the distributor for a billet cam is, melonized or bronze or what.
What I did to resolve my issues? Skip White Ford 351W HEI distributor and plug wires (less than $100), edelbrock aluminum intake (maybe $250 can't recall), had a used Holley 600 4 barrel laying around already, new breather & choke cable ($40), shorty mustang stainless headers and true duals ($500).
I removed all vacuum hoses and sensors, etc. In doing so, you'll lose your cruise (which I'd never use in a huge old box driving no more than 60mph), you'll lose your vacuum control things for doors for the HVAC. I am in process of hooking up belden cables (which is about like a choke cable but has the little round end to slip over HVAC door levers), so my van will be like something 67 and prior, with cables you pull and push for outside air in cabin, and cable to push/pull for heater/defroster choice, and I'll also install a Ford truck heater control valve in the heater hose, which gives you a manual heater core diversion, so when it's cut off hot coolant isn't circulating through your core (and heating the cab by accident).
Beware, if you choose this primitive route, it is very hard to get to all the vacuum solenoids to remove the vacuum opening rod from the HVAC door levers. So, if you can be patient enough to do this and retain the HVAC vacuum sensors and so forth, it would make things easier.
I just wanted to take my stuff back to about 1967, so any moron (which is me), can keep it running. It cleans up so much CRAP, and so did removing the nonfunctional a/c compressor. but, it's a lot of work. and not cheap.

 

I even removed the hose from gas tank up to charcoal filter under pass door, and took all that junk out. I removed all I could remove to revert back to 1967, but I am thankful to have power steering and brakes. If the a/c had worked, I might have approached things differently. AND, my van was very hosed up by previous owner who'd tried running it with parts of stuff blocked off, melted the converter, thus breaking pass exhaust manifold due to backpressure. It was a true mess when I got it.

 

The 89 is a flat tappet cam in trucks and vans. The roller cams didn't show up in the trucks and vans until I think 94 or 95. My 89 E350 is a flat tappet cam and my 96 E250 is a roller cam.

 

351M's were not installed in Econolines.

 

You sure about that? I owned a 80 or 81 ( can't remember which ) E250 Club wagon that had a 351M. And it was bone stock when I bought it from the Ford dealer's used car lot. I'm pretty sure the 351M was available in the Econolines in 80-81 or 82 models.