Help! Bronco stalling
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
From: Florida
What's wrong with my Bronco?
Hey All,
Yesterday my bronco started losing oil pressure and power. It also seemed to be running hot. Limped home and first thing I checked was the radiator. It was about 2/3 empty so I figured it just needed to be filled so today i did just that. It started and ran fine. Drove it about 2 miles and when I stepped on the gas to leave a stoplight it just died and wouldn't start. Got pushed into a parking lot and screwed with the fuel filter hoping that was it. Finally got it started after about 20 minutes but if I take my foot off the gas it stalls. Got it home and pulled the fuel filter and had some nasty brown crap come out and I can blow through it fine so put it back on and it will start but same thing...it dies if I take my foot off the gas. It also started putting out some white smoke from the tailpipe. The fuel pump is working good, fuel filter should flow okay now. I checked the oil and it doesn't have water or anything in it. the radiator fluid was awfully nasty though. No oil or anything, just nasty. Kind of burnt smelling. My oil pressure is where it should be also. It's an 89 with a 5.0L. Any ideas are greatly appreciated as now I don't know how I'm going to get to work tomorrow! Thanks! --Eric
Yesterday my bronco started losing oil pressure and power. It also seemed to be running hot. Limped home and first thing I checked was the radiator. It was about 2/3 empty so I figured it just needed to be filled so today i did just that. It started and ran fine. Drove it about 2 miles and when I stepped on the gas to leave a stoplight it just died and wouldn't start. Got pushed into a parking lot and screwed with the fuel filter hoping that was it. Finally got it started after about 20 minutes but if I take my foot off the gas it stalls. Got it home and pulled the fuel filter and had some nasty brown crap come out and I can blow through it fine so put it back on and it will start but same thing...it dies if I take my foot off the gas. It also started putting out some white smoke from the tailpipe. The fuel pump is working good, fuel filter should flow okay now. I checked the oil and it doesn't have water or anything in it. the radiator fluid was awfully nasty though. No oil or anything, just nasty. Kind of burnt smelling. My oil pressure is where it should be also. It's an 89 with a 5.0L. Any ideas are greatly appreciated as now I don't know how I'm going to get to work tomorrow! Thanks! --Eric
Last edited by ecsmith0624; Oct 26, 2003 at 04:23 PM.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Also forgot to mention, I replaced the TPS sensor a few months ago and I checked in the distributer cap and nothing looked out of the ordinary. I'm going to go try to pull the codes and see if that tells me anything. Thanks again! --Eric
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
From: Florida
okay, tried to pulled the codes. I think I got a code 33 for the EGR. Not sure if that could cause the problem or not, but gotta say that i could have done it wrong. Doing it by myself with a digital multimeter. that was key on engine off. by myself I couldn't do the engine running test. Once again, thanks for any and all help. BTW, this time it would idle without my help but it was low and erratic. about 800rpm down to about 400 and almost a stall, then back up to 700 or 800 again.
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 22,436
Likes: 17
From: Louisville,Ky.
I would do a cylinder leakdown test. It sounds like you may have blown a headgasket.
You will not always have water in the oil with a blown head gasket. I have one that blew and just put compression into the cooling system. It would run hot when running low rpm's.
Jimmy
You will not always have water in the oil with a blown head gasket. I have one that blew and just put compression into the cooling system. It would run hot when running low rpm's.
Jimmy
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 169
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Originally posted by lxman1
I would do a cylinder leakdown test. It sounds like you may have blown a headgasket.
You will not always have water in the oil with a blown head gasket. I have one that blew and just put compression into the cooling system. It would run hot when running low rpm's.
Jimmy
I would do a cylinder leakdown test. It sounds like you may have blown a headgasket.
You will not always have water in the oil with a blown head gasket. I have one that blew and just put compression into the cooling system. It would run hot when running low rpm's.
Jimmy
Last edited by alanscott; Oct 26, 2003 at 08:42 PM.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 146
Likes: 0
From: Kelso,WA
If you discover that it has good compression in all cylinders check the Ignition control module. The module is located on the side of the distributor. You can take the whole distributor to your local auto parts store and they will check it for free. If the motor gets hot so does the ignition control module, Unfortunately. So check that out they are known to fail prematurely from high heat exposure.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
Likes: 38
From: Bonita Springs FL
So let me get this straight - you had nasty brown crap come out of your fuel filter and didn't replace it?
Stumbling, hesitation, rough idle and stalling are all symptoms of low fuel pressure. If you actually have brown stuff pour out of your filter, spend $8 and replace it.
Then get a fuel pressure gauge and check your fuel pressure. You most likely have either a failing fuel pump, a leaky injector (worst case), a bad regulator, or a clogged return line. That's my guess.
Do this *before* you assume it's something really expensive to fix, like a head gasket.
Stumbling, hesitation, rough idle and stalling are all symptoms of low fuel pressure. If you actually have brown stuff pour out of your filter, spend $8 and replace it.
Then get a fuel pressure gauge and check your fuel pressure. You most likely have either a failing fuel pump, a leaky injector (worst case), a bad regulator, or a clogged return line. That's my guess.
Do this *before* you assume it's something really expensive to fix, like a head gasket.
