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I've been gifted a 1988 f150 4x4 5.8 that my dad had purchased new. I got home been working on it, it had been sitting ford 20 years. Had got it running but really rough, here's the run down of what I had done. First of fuel tanks and all 3 fuel pumps replaced along with fuel filter and lines bled with fresh gas. Fuel regulator replaced. Truck started and run rough ok fine it had a long nap. Tested fuel pressure 32 psi. Preceded on with tune up cap rotor plugs and wires. Small improvement but little change. Changed out for new IAC valve. Helped but little change. Decided that possibly the ignition module and pip sensor had deteriorated over time so I replaced the distributor with new aftermarket one. I had pulled the base timing plug set timing to 10 btdc. Idled well still has stumbling misfired not dedicated or isolated to any one cylinder and still a pop through the intake. Ohmed the coil .5 on primary 8.5k on secondary seemed fine but problem still persistent so I thought ok coil is warming up possibly shorting out. So I had replaced that. Helped it some to the pop out of intake. I know it was sitting an injectors are possibly plugged yet but as you drive it it will start missing and re strong gas smell is apparent no engine lights. What do I test next. The truck is in good condition for its age and has around 90k on it. And is very original un molested condition. Thanks for help
edit...really clean no rodent damage
Last edited by Nicknaatz; Feb 25, 2025 at 03:12 PM.
I would suspect the injectors need to be cleaned or replaced. I don't have experience with that, but there are places you can send them to be cleaned
I would pull engine codes.
Check out the posts in this thread concerning the Dual Function Reservoir (fuel tank selector valve). After 20 years, it's likely gummed up. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ter-1-min.html
Check out posts 5 through 8 at this thread https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...iac-valve.html
Keep the parts you've removed and try not to disturb the factory parts that are still on the truck, other than to test them, because replacement parts are not up to quality standards.
I've been gifted a 1988 f150 4x4 5.8 that my dad had purchased new. I got home been working on it, it had been sitting ford 20 years. Had got it running but really rough, here's the run down of what I had done. First of fuel tanks and all 3 fuel pumps replaced along with fuel filter and lines bled with fresh gas. Fuel regulator replaced. Truck started and run rough ok fine it had a long nap. Tested fuel pressure 32 psi. Preceded on with tune up cap rotor plugs and wires. Small improvement but little change. Changed out for new IAC valve. Helped but little change. Decided that possibly the ignition module and pip sensor had deteriorated over time so I replaced the distributor with new aftermarket one. I had pulled the base timing plug set timing to 10 btdc. Idled well still has stumbling misfired not dedicated or isolated to any one cylinder and still a pop through the intake. Ohmed the coil .5 on primary 8.5k on secondary seemed fine but problem still persistent so I thought ok coil is warming up possibly shorting out. So I had replaced that. Helped it some to the pop out of intake. I know it was sitting an injectors are possibly plugged yet but as you drive it it will start missing and re strong gas smell is apparent no engine lights. What do I test next. The truck is in good condition for its age and has around 90k on it. And is very original un molested condition. Thanks for help
edit...really clean no rodent damage
I have had good luck with TecRon in my Benz. I added 1 bottle to the tank 1/4 full. Then run that down then did that again. Then fill up with BP Ultimate, or non ethanol gas. If it's still fouling up you might try pulling the PCM's and check the usually 3 capicators. They have a tendancy to leak and fail. I you have to replace them use aluminum polymer capicators. Hope this helps
I've not discarded no original parts yet. What prompted new distributor was a chipped a tooth on the drive gear trying to remove it..I may have another. But distributor was in stock. It just seems to ignition based yet. But I still go tunnel vision yet. I'm aware of poor quality replacement parts. Koeo codes are 10 11 33 41. I did find a broken white wire to o2 sensor looks like it was pinched to cross member possibly cought when loading it. Now is patched together. I don't know how to check codes running. Thanks for info turning in that direction about cleaning injectors..see if I can do it in the garage
I'm going to try some snake oil injector cleaner yet but I run it down the road seems to get better. Used about 4 gallons of gas on a 4 mile section so I'm changing the oil in short order. But as running it seems good then it's it's like you hit a switch and you can hear it from exhaust too...like it's running out of time and completelack of power. I checked base timing again and spot on...so ecm?
Clean the injectors through the rail
Use an OTC or other actual injector cleaner and use the Ford sauce
Ford had several ways for us dealer techs to do injector cleaning over the years
In the beginning we all made our own out of old freon tanks
I used to be able to clean my BMW ('83 633 CSI) injectors for an hour and that took care of some valve deposits as well
Now days I just use an OTC I got online for cheap (not 300 bucks)
I've been gifted a 1988 f150 4x4 5.8 that my dad had purchased new. I got home been working on it, it had been sitting ford 20 years. Had got it running but really rough, here's the run down of what I had done. First of fuel tanks and all 3 fuel pumps replaced along with fuel filter and lines bled with fresh gas. Fuel regulator replaced. Truck started and run rough ok fine it had a long nap. Tested fuel pressure 32 psi. Preceded on with tune up cap rotor plugs and wires. Small improvement but little change. Changed out for new IAC valve. Helped but little change. Decided that possibly the ignition module and pip sensor had deteriorated over time so I replaced the distributor with new aftermarket one. I had pulled the base timing plug set timing to 10 btdc. Idled well still has stumbling misfired not dedicated or isolated to any one cylinder and still a pop through the intake. Ohmed the coil .5 on primary 8.5k on secondary seemed fine but problem still persistent so I thought ok coil is warming up possibly shorting out. So I had replaced that. Helped it some to the pop out of intake. I know it was sitting an injectors are possibly plugged yet but as you drive it it will start missing and re strong gas smell is apparent no engine lights. What do I test next. The truck is in good condition for its age and has around 90k on it. And is very original un molested condition. Thanks for help
edit...really clean no rodent damage
Nothing better than being gifted a truck from your dad
Better plan on some fuel system diagnostics too
That 3 pump system has trouble at times, starting with the crossover valve
These is for your reference later, and i also have a 1988 EVTM
I had taken a break from this to read some post as for mentioned. Get the engine run codes. Aproach it fresh to put tunnel vision aside. Will update in a week or so
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