I have an 86 Ford F150 long bed, 4x4, 302 FI, with an automatic trans.
I should also add that the truck ran fine until a couple of days ago. It has 131000 miles on it. Any rate driving down the road the other day and the engine just quit. Got plenty of gas. Here's the wierd thing. If you shake the truck from side to side for about 30 seconds, the truck starts and runs for about 5-10 seconds. I towed it home today (about 8 miles of dirt road, a little rough), got it in the driveway and started the truck. It ran for maybe 2 minutes, then quit. Any idea guys what ails this old Ford?

 

You probably have some loose objects in your tank. Mine turned out to be silicone rubber that some prankster had stuffed in the pump nozzle.

 

I have an '86 F150 4x4 302 EFI. About 12 years ago I had a problem that was very similar - mine turned out to be the ignition control module on the distributor.

I was convinced I had something floating around in the gas tank. Shut it off and rock the truck, get back in and it would start and run for a short time. The time it took to do all that was giving the icm enough time to cool down so it would work until it warmed up again.

For what its worth.....I'm on my 3rd or 4th module and I've seen them do some really weird stuff. Never acts the same way twice, but the trouble disappears when the module is changed.

 

The 460 in my '86 F350 did the same thing, I'd be cruising along & it would "flame out" on all 8 instantly. Sometimes I would end up coasting to the side of the road & other times it would light off all 8 after rolling for a 100 yards or so.

Never did figure out the damn problem as the engine blew up when the timing chain snapped......
The original (points) Ford dizzy fell part & was replaced by the dual point MSD (at least I think that is what I bought at the time). Problem didn't go away when the Dizzy was swapped...

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 09-Nov-02 AT 08:54 PM (EST)]Test to see if you have fuel and spark. Take a sparkplug wire off and stick a screwdriver up in the end of the wire. Hold the metal part of the screwdriver near the engine block and see if it sparks when you crank it. Then follow the fuel line system along the engine till you find what looks like a tire valve. Stand back while you push on the center of the valve. Fuel should squirt out.

 

I had similar problems in the past with my '86. Here's a list of what I went through.

The truck would act like it was out of gas stuttering and stumbling, wouldn't accelerate or get up to freeway speed. Took it to Ford as it was pretty new and they said I was running cheap gas and the filter was clogged. I wasn't using cheap gas (Shell at the time) and finally found out that the filters had a tendancy to hold moisture it sucked up out of the gas. I started replacing the fuel filter every other oil change (5000mi) and that problem went away.

A couple years later the engine began just shutting down completely while driving and, even though it was still turning, the tach dropped to zero. It would come back to life after a few seconds and be fine. Codes showed "loss of Tach signal. I replaced the module but it made no difference. Took the truck back to Ford but all they could find was a way to charge me money to tell me there was nothing wrong with it. Later I found out that the distributor was the problem, the reluctor goodie in it anyway, so replaced it ($50.00 at Pep Boys)and all was well again. The original module, by the way, is presently on the V6 in my sons '87 Ranger and doing just fine.

Next time a problem showed up it was the "stalling out" thing again but it was a little different this time. Long story short, it was the small wire on the negative battery cable that had corroded through inside the battery connector itself. That is the ground for the computer and must be connected good or the computer will not work. That one cost me almost $300.00 for the "wizards" at the local Ford dealer to come up with, they worked all day figuring it out.

I only go to the dealer as a last resort. Usually with input from this group I can track down the problem without having to pay for some guys new jacuzzi. I don't mind paying for good service but I gotten so little of it I'm a bit jaded. How do non-mechanical people afford to get their cars fixed anyway.

EOR (end of rant)

JohnF

 

on my '86 460 cid I had a similar thing happen. On the 460 truck, there is an oil pressure cut off switch, and mine was shorting out. With the key in the "start" mode, the switch is bypassed, allowing the fuel pumps to pump fuel. It would pump just enough to start, then run for a few seconds and then run out. I don't know if your truck has this, but it's worth checking.

 

I think a lot of these guys are right about the, ignition control module on the distributor. I read where there was a law suit against Ford for that very same issue on the mid 80's vehicles. After you let it cool off it would work again for a little while then quit again. I don't know how it turned out.

Thats my story, and I'm stickin to it.

86 F-150 4x4 4spd
302 EFI with 351w heads, Roller Rockers, Hedman Headers, K&N Air Filter, 7" lift with 35"s

 

>I have an 86 Ford F150 long bed, 4x4, 302 FI, with an
>automatic trans.
>I should also add that the truck ran fine until a couple of
>days ago. It has 131000 miles on it. Any rate driving down
>the road the other day and the engine just quit. Got plenty
>of gas. Here's the wierd thing. If you shake the truck from
>side to side for about 30 seconds, the truck starts and runs
>for about 5-10 seconds. I towed it home today (about 8 miles
>of dirt road, a little rough), got it in the driveway and
>started the truck. It ran for maybe 2 minutes, then quit.
>Any idea guys what ails this old Ford?


Ok just had the exact same problem. First check to make sure that the fuel pump is working properly. I have an 85 F250 and it has 2 fuel pumps on on the rail under the truck the other is inside the rear tank. Anyway. i checked the fuel pump and it was fine then i checked the fuel relay and it turned out to be bad. 24.95 and it works great now.

hope that helps