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Hi Team - I have a new to me 78 Ranger with the inline 6 4 speed. love cruising around town with it. Few days ago, it started to stumble in 4th gear. it will die out and come back, die out and come back. it will do that repeatedly until you slow down or stop, then will run normal again for a good while before it repeats the loss of power again. Obviously it's fuel related. I installed a new tank and lines last month. has a new fuel filter so I can rule out junk in the tank and lines. I ordered a fuel pressure gauge, and a new mechanical pump. just want to make sure I'm on the right path. if not that, it would have to be carb, but it feels like a fuel pump issue to me.
It may' be the coil, an old weak coil will often allow the engine to start and be driven for a while until it heats up and under load low revs in 4th gear as you are finding break down, voltage drop as load on engine increases, it may rev up ok in neutral but when more voltage is required ie loading it starves the distributor's ability to deliver enough spark, much like fuel starvation in effect.
Just try another coil and maybe check the HV coil lead to distributor.
Here's info on how the switch can fail.
You can monitor the coil positive voltage while driving, to see if anything changes when it dies. If nothing changes it's fuel related.
If you can get it to want to die , shut it off and cost over to the side of the road. pull the air cleaner lid and see if it squirts fuel out of the accelerator pump. this will tell you if it's fuel or spark.
most likely it's the carburetor I'd just go there now.
Thank you team. I have the pump and parts coming already. I'll order coil too, if those dont fix, I'll look into the switch. Appreciate the help. it's been a while since I've been carbonated. but at least everything is easy to get to.