My 1991 F150, with 125,000 miles, has been trouble free to this point!

Last week, while traveling down the interstate, the engine suddenly quit. It was if I was out of gas, or the ignition was cut off. I could not get it started, called the tow truck and brought it home.

After I got it off the tow truck, I decided to try to start it. It started with no problems, would run up to 5,000rpms, and idle. At this point, I kinda thought it might be BAD GASOLINE as both tanks were below 1/4 tank.I could cut it off and it would restart. But, after getting it up to the normal operating temp, I cut it off. It would not start. I could hear the fuel pumps starting up (tried it on both pumps), but it still would not start.

The next morning it started and I ran it around the block a couple of times. I cut it off and it restarted. I let it run a while and it would not start. The next morning I did the same thing. This time it started while hot, so I drove it a few miles with no problem.

This afternoon, I decided to drive it to the post office. It started and ran fine for about three miles and then suddenly turned it off. It was raining, so I sat in the truck for approx 10 minutes and tried it again. It started and I pulled into a service station and refilled both tanks. Started it again and went on to the PO, then drove home (approx 5 miles). It ran great all the way home and when I got here I had no problem starting it.

Anyone have an answer?? Similar problem?? What to check?? Or, does it sound like BAD GASOLINE??

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Chuck

 

C'mon ya'll!! Surely someone else has had this problem!!

 

I would make sure you're getting spark when the problem occurs. Sounds like an intermittent poor connection somewhere. My past experiences with bad gas usually starts with some driveability problems (rough idle, stumble, hard start), but it usually doesn't cause an egine to suddenly die.

I had similar problems with my '87 last year and I went crazy trying to find the cause. I changed the ignition switch and the problem hasn't happened again.

Scott

'87 F250 4x4, 521EFI, ZF, lots of other stuff.

 

Fuel filters, fuel relays???

 

Scott,

Thanks, I will try to check for spark. I thing they had a recall on my ignition switch, but I didn't take mine in. Kinda wish I had now.

 

Depending on what engine you have, check your ignition module. I believe yours is probably right on the side of the distributor, very prone to failing due to the buildup of heat. Get youself one of those and replace it. Hopefully that will take care of your problem.
Rich

 

Thanks Rich, I will do that tomorrow for sure.

 

My truck was shutting off, not starting up, then once it sat and cooled off it would fire back up. I found my front fuel tank lift pump had shorted out my wiring from the tank selector switch to the fuel inertia box. Check the wires under the dash first and if it's ok, move on to checking fuel pressure and scanning for codes. I'd also look in to doing a full tune up and then rebuilding the distributor.

 

I think MrMan is on to something here. Had a very similar experience with an F150 some years back. Truck ran great, but would periodically stall at highway speeds. Usually, after a few minutes, it would start right back up and run great again. I put up with it until once it stalled on me in a dangerous spot.

Finally concluded it was ignition related and started looking for shorts. But, then an old timer down the block suggested it might be the ICM. Said there was a history of Ford's ICMs being prone to failure due to heat (particularly when the ICMs were mounted on the dizzy neck). Ford eventually moved the ICMs to the firewall and included a heat sink for better heat dissipation, but I know several instances where these failed too.

Check your spark.