Hi all, my first post here!

I recently picked up a 1987 f-250 4 speed 4.9L, dual tank but only one tank is in service currently. It ran decent, but definitely needed a tune up and some other things. I recently went out to start it after it sitting for about a week and the battery was dead. I was aware it might be going, so I threw it on charge until later that day and tried starting again. it cranked but wouldnt start. I used starting fluid and it will run for a bit and die once it is out of fluid.

i began trouble shooting. I didnt remember hearing the fuel pump run with the key turned before this happened, but cant be sure since I never really listened and it must have been if it was running fine. I couldnt hear it running when I turned the key this time so I began testing at the fuel pump relay. This engine had been rebuilt or replaced in the past so I had 2 green relay connectors instead of 1, looked like someone spliced it in since the connectors are the same shape, just different colors, I think I tested the wrong one as the one that seems spliced in passes the test (which I tested first) but the one that wasnt spliced doesnt pass. So originally I thought the relay portion was passing and my Fuel pump was shot. I even checked voltage at the pump and got 12V with the key in on position at the connector when grounded, i think it was pin 87 on fuel pump connector. I replaced the fuel pump and had the same issue. I then decided to start over and looked at the connectors at the relays some more. that is when I realized that maybe someone spliced in the other connector and I was testing the wrong one. I then tested the other one and I seem to get 12V always on from the yellow wire, and I believe the red wire should get 12v when key is in ON position, which I DO NOT get. The relay also DOES NOT click when key is turned, I swapped relays to confirm and found that one of my relays is bad, but the good one will click when key is turned on when plugged into the spliced relay connector. I put that one into the fuel pump relay plug and it does not click.

With these findings it seems that I am not getting power from the EEC relay. On my EEC relay connector there are 4 pins, 1 pin has 2 wires in it for a total of 4 pins and 5 wires in the EEC relay. The pin with the 2 wires is ALWAYS HOT but carries only about 8.8 Volts. There is a single wire that is also ALWAYS HOT and carries whatever voltage my battery is at, near 12v. Also the EEC Relay DOES NOT click when key is turned on.

Can anyone shed light on what I should do next? I am not sure how to test the EEC relay, but maybe my EEC went bad all the sudden? I also went through and did a visual inspection, didnt notice anything out of the ordinary, no loose wires, etc. s

I am really at a loss here, I am not great with electical issues and I dont want to keep throwing money at it not knowing what is going on. I just ordered $150 worth of tune up parts before this happened, plus I have installed the new $100 fuel pump.

Another thing to note is I took it to the car wash and sprayed out the engine bay, I thought I was careful, but It seemed wierd to me that this happened after that, although it started just fine after the spray down and drove 3 miles home, then it sat for a week until I tried starting it again so I would think it would have dried out just fine. But it may be related somehow, thought it was worth mentioning in case these vehicles are prone to something.

Any help is much appreciated, i need to get her running so I can start getting some firewood for the winter!

 

I will also mention I recently replaced the fuel pressure regulator, not sure if that would make a difference either. Also, I checked all fuses under steering wheel, they were all fine and I also checked fuel pressure at fuel rail and it has nothing. Inertia switch has been checked and I even bridged the wires to bypass it and didnt make a change.

 

I think I fixed it. I decided to just get all new relays since they were $15, swapped them out and i thought I could hear it priming and I felt the fuel pump relay click. Primed a few times and cranked and she fired up!

Wierd thing though is I didnt feel the EEC relay click when the key was turned to on. Maybe it shouldnt?

I am pretty sure the relays got screwed up from me spraying the engine bay, I guess I need to be a little more careful with this on, especially around those wires.

 

3 total posts, having a conversation with yourself, and fixing your problem. Nicely done!

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHH Man I lost it big time. OOOOHHHH !!!!

 

Haha, i guess sometimes all it takes is a little talking to yourself! Didnt want to leave this thread without a solution as I hate when i need help and that is all i find, so maybe someone else can benefit from this later on.