engine troubles?
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From: Nebraska
engine troubles?
Well my old Ford isn't running too healthy right now. I drove it home from school this morning (a 160 mile drive) and it ran great. Drove it to town later today, then she acted up about a mile away from home on the way back. It now has absolutely no power and will hardly idle. I noticed now when it's idling I lose my power brakes, so it must not be pulling much vacuum at idle. I'm also getting a backfire through the exhaust on decelleration. Nothing too dramatic, kind of as if I had glasspacks. Under the hood I noticed that the PCV valve had come out of the oil fill cap.
I don't know a whole lot about engines, but it doesn't sound like it's too good of a situation to me. Any ideas of what I can check to determine what happened?
I don't know a whole lot about engines, but it doesn't sound like it's too good of a situation to me. Any ideas of what I can check to determine what happened?
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Maybe it Sucks!. . . . . .air
I'd look for a vacuum leak, might even be a bad brake booster.
Vacuum leak messes up with Idle, and cold air it allows in can be just enough oxy-rich to let exhaust gases "re-fire" in the manifold or system causing the back fire you mention.
FBp
Vacuum leak messes up with Idle, and cold air it allows in can be just enough oxy-rich to let exhaust gases "re-fire" in the manifold or system causing the back fire you mention.
FBp
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I did a little more checking this morning. My cap, rotor, and wires look fine. I tried a different coil, no change. I'm hearing a clicking noise from the driver's side head, and am guessing something happened here.
Last edited by brown 4x4; Nov 15, 2003 at 10:19 AM.
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I've seen bent pushrods, I've never seen a bent rocker arm before. It could also be an exhaust leak causing the popping, possibly a gasket or a cracked exhaust manifold.
Whick truck are you talking about? What engine?
Jimmy
Whick truck are you talking about? What engine?
Jimmy
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Thanks for the responses. It's my '79 with a 351m.
I do have an exhaust leak, and maybe that's all I'm hearing. I highly doubt it's a vacuum leak. I checked all my lines and they look fine. I've never seen a vacuum leak cause this much loss of power either. It struggles to get moving even in first or reverse.
I do have an exhaust leak, and maybe that's all I'm hearing. I highly doubt it's a vacuum leak. I checked all my lines and they look fine. I've never seen a vacuum leak cause this much loss of power either. It struggles to get moving even in first or reverse.
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Check the spark plugs, look for anything unusual. Then remove the valve cover on the side that is noisey, especially if one plug one that side looks different. You may have to run it with the cover off, look for a valve that is hung open.
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Originally posted by brown 4x4
Thanks for the responses. It's my '79 with a 351m.
I do have an exhaust leak, and maybe that's all I'm hearing. I highly doubt it's a vacuum leak. I checked all my lines and they look fine. I've never seen a vacuum leak cause this much loss of power either. It struggles to get moving even in first or reverse.
Thanks for the responses. It's my '79 with a 351m.
I do have an exhaust leak, and maybe that's all I'm hearing. I highly doubt it's a vacuum leak. I checked all my lines and they look fine. I've never seen a vacuum leak cause this much loss of power either. It struggles to get moving even in first or reverse.
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Thanks for the responses guys. I won't be home till Wednesday, but will check into it then. I will double check for vacuum leaks around the EGR spacer.
BTW, is there a trick to getting the vacuum tree on the back of the intake manifold off? I tried to tighten it up a couple months ago (the truck ran fine though) and it looks like the whole tree has to turn with the nut. I know this isn't my problem area though.
BTW, is there a trick to getting the vacuum tree on the back of the intake manifold off? I tried to tighten it up a couple months ago (the truck ran fine though) and it looks like the whole tree has to turn with the nut. I know this isn't my problem area though.
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I know what the problem is. My truck did the same thing. Pull the dist. cap off and check the vaccum advance rod that hooks to the pickup coil plate. I almost guaruntee it has become disconnected and the pickup coil has rotated around, screwing up the timing...
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I finally got around to look at my truck. Nasty77f150, you were right on! 
It would have taken me a lot longer to find the problem. Is there supposed to be a clip or anything on there to keep that from happening? It sure is nice to have what you think is a major problem be something simple like that. Doesn't happen too often, for me anyway. Thanks a lot! 
It would have taken me a lot longer to find the problem. Is there supposed to be a clip or anything on there to keep that from happening? It sure is nice to have what you think is a major problem be something simple like that. Doesn't happen too often, for me anyway. Thanks a lot!
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yeah i know. the first time it happened to me, i thought it was the head gasket or head was cracked, so i fool with it for a day or so before i checked the timing. needless to say it was way off, so i started investigating the causes. apparently, the only way that rod is fastened to the plate is by gravity. mine bounced off because the advance canister was loose.