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Help! I have a 1989 f250, runs great, but when it’s started on a cold start it runs really rough and shakes really bad, the rpm jumps up and down a little but, sounds like it’s struggling to keep running but after about 5 mins it sounds fine and rpm are normal, should I be worried? Just did an oil change thinking that would help because it started just recently but it didn’t. Shouldn’t need new belt, plugs or filters or anything so I’m at A loss. It didn’t used to do it, had the truck about 2 years.
[QUOTE=R&RFord;20636849]Check or replace the coolant temperature sensor and air intake temperature sensor. Pull codes.
More information on what you are working on is always helpful.
I don’t have a way to pull codes, I don’t have the plug in for it since it’s so old, it’s an 89 f250, it was engine swapped with a v8 5.0 and I was told it was swapped from a mustang but not sure and because of the engine swap and not knowing really from what, it makes figuring this out hard, I don’t know really what I should look for.
Check or replace the coolant temperature sensor and air intake temperature sensor. Pull codes.
More information on what you are working on is always helpful.
I don’t have a way to pull codes, I don’t have the plug in for it since it’s so old, it’s an 89 f250, it was engine swapped with a v8 5.0 and I was told it was swapped from a mustang but not sure and because of the engine swap and not knowing really from what, it makes figuring this out hard, I don’t know really what I should look for.
You only need a paperclip but your issue very well could be an improper swap. Show us some pictures of your engine bay and any things that seem suspicious to you like wire nuts that twist on or old duct tape etc.
Then, tell us what you have done to it
Then we can probably give some advice. But in this very case, clean your Throttle body, your IAC, and improve and clean the grounds on your engine-body-battery-frame interface.
You also should get the EEC-IV codes read which you can google how to check them, its easy
You only need a paperclip but your issue very well could be an improper swap. Show us some pictures of your engine bay and any things that seem suspicious to you like wire nuts that twist on or old duct tape etc.
Then, tell us what you have done to it
Then we can probably give some advice. But in this very case, clean your Throttle body, your IAC, and improve and clean the grounds on your engine-body-battery-frame interface.
You also should get the EEC-IV codes read which you can google how to check them, its easy
This is the only spot of wires that is concerning to me, some are from the leftover stuff he pulled out of it
I don’t think it’s an improper swap, it ran totally fine for so long, just did an oil change, other then that the only thing’s I’ve done to it have nothing to do with the engine, redid the entire front end (tie rods, rotors, break pads, sway bar link etc) and my ignition switch went out so I put a new ignition switch in it and new tires and I think that’s about it
You only need a paperclip but your issue very well could be an improper swap. Show us some pictures of your engine bay and any things that seem suspicious to you like wire nuts that twist on or old duct tape etc.
Then, tell us what you have done to it
Then we can probably give some advice. But in this very case, clean your Throttle body, your IAC, and improve and clean the grounds on your engine-body-battery-frame interface.
You also should get the EEC-IV codes read which you can google how to check them, its easy
update: I believe it may be just the air filter, it’s quite dirty, and some of the thing’s I’ve noticed are wrong seem to line up. Struggling to find the one I need at the parts stores near me but I’m gonna Try to replace my air filter and see if that helps
Your carburetors choke needs adjustment or possibly replacement.
Carb is brand new, and it’s adjusted properly, put a new filter in (this is a pic with the old filter it was pretty bad so hoping that was the problem) and seems to be running better, will see tomorrow when she’s cold I’ll start her up and see if it still does it
Carb is brand new, and it’s adjusted properly, put a new filter in (this is a pic with the old filter it was pretty bad so hoping that was the problem) and seems to be running better, will see tomorrow when she’s cold I’ll start her up and see if it still does it
Inside my carburetor
your carb is brand new, huh? What is the carburetor rated for and what was the original application. because im calling "sus" on that.
Your wording before implied that your truck had a computer controlled system, that was a SIGNIFICANT detail to leave out
Also, your truck is using what is obviously a GM HEI distributor. While I dont care if you do or dont, other people may bully you for it (in my opinion, gm hei better than duraspark ii and simpler)
But that means your distributor is sourced from: (who?) and it was likely made with a very very basic advance curve and it probably has the incorrect gear for being driven on your truck(is the cam a roller cam?)
Who makes the cap and rotor? Did you use thermal paste on the module? Pull the rotor and cap off, show a pic of hte top of your components. whats the vacuum advance doing, hows the vacuum line? which port on the carburetor?
Whats your timing set to? What kind of spark plug did you put in? Whats your altitude? can you get an air filter housing that has a snorkel to run to the core support, you have a hot air intake. Do you have any kind of hot-air-induction system to improve warm up and start up driveability?
Whats the ciondition of the rotor and cap spark contacts?
Your truck was not originally carburetor. There has been a lot of modification to your engine bay mechanical and wiring.
Your idle problem as described still sounds like a problem with the carburetor. The choke or general tune. Do you know what carburetor is installed?
By your HVAC blower (passenger side of the engine bay on the firewall) you have a broken white vacuum line that you should fix.
There are a few companies that make the HEI distributors for Ford small block applications. I used one from Proform with good results.
You would be wise to get a Ford work shop manual for your year model and use it as a guide to sort out all of the electrical modifications and record it all for future reference. You would also be wise to redo a lot of it. It looks pretty sloppy to me.
Also, your driver side valve cover, oil filler port has a port on it that is capped. There should be a breather there. The other valve cover should have a PCV valve in it.
You want a PCV system... without it crankcase pressure will find other ways out.
Also, your driver side valve cover, oil filler port has a port on it that is capped. There should be a breather there. The other valve cover should have a PCV valve in it.
You want a PCV system... without it crankcase pressure will find other ways out.
that white wire is for the a/c which isn’t even connected so that wasn’t too high on my list but definitely wanted to fix that, it is disintegrating and just fell apart on its own.
I am fairly certain I’ve found my problem, this started about the same time it began to get cold outside and I’m pretty sure it’s my choke, my choke never used to kick on but then started to and then I started having this problem as it began to get colder outside, I would work on this with my father who recently passed away with most of the knowledge about this truck hence why I’m at A loss with most questions. The weather sucks here at the moment so I will do some research on how to adjust my choke and go out and do it when the weather gets a bit better and hopefully that does it although I’m sure It will, thank you for all the advice it helped a lot!
that white wire is for the a/c which isn’t even connected so that wasn’t too high on my list but definitely wanted to fix that, it is disintegrating and just fell apart on its own.
I am fairly certain I’ve found my problem, this started about the same time it began to get cold outside and I’m pretty sure it’s my choke, my choke never used to kick on but then started to and then I started having this problem as it began to get colder outside, I would work on this with my father who recently passed away with most of the knowledge about this truck hence why I’m at A loss with most questions. The weather sucks here at the moment so I will do some research on how to adjust my choke and go out and do it when the weather gets a bit better and hopefully that does it although I’m sure It will, thank you for all the advice it helped a lot!
Its still a vacuum leak
again, WHAT CARB is it. Autolite, edelbrock? Etc? To adjust the choke is prorbably easy and a proper intake with a THERMAC(ford calls it different) will Help a LOT too
Looks like an Edelbrock carb by the front mixture adjustments. The OP seems like he's over his head but doesn't wanna take advice by fixing the basic stuff first. Repair the vacuum lines, set up your PCV system correctly.
Looks like an Edelbrock carb by the front mixture adjustments. The OP seems like he's over his head but doesn't wanna take advice by fixing the basic stuff first. Repair the vacuum lines, set up your PCV system correctly.
I do not have a vacuum leak at all, and yes it’s edlebrock, my issue is the choke, it was adjusted for our hot summer here but our winter has been horrible so it’s just needing some adjustment
