Don't mean to bore you all, but a re-cap:

1. "Check Engine" light came on, truck was stalling, hard to start.
2. Replaced all filters, plugs, and pcv... failed air care badly
3. Replaced plug I cracked in #2... still stalls and hard to start
4. Poured Bardahl "stops leaks" in crank 'cause gf doesn't like drip
5. Still stalls and occasionally hard to start
6. Replaced plug wires and fouled plugs
7. Still stalls occassionally (when decelerating) and rough start (occassionally)

So any ideas on this? 1990 302, when the "check engine" light came on, there was nothing strange happening. I was due for air-care and changed the plugs and filters. It ran really rough and I found I had cracked one of the plugs so I replaced it. It ran smooher, but continued to stall when (not all the time) I slowed to a stop. Kind of like it was a standard (it isn't) and I forgot to depress the clutch. Occassionally it wouldn't start right away...sputtered and stalled, then started. I changed the ignition wires and double checked the location (firing order) and it seemed fine. Then it stalled again. And the rough starts (occassionally) continue. WTF???

It ran fine even when the "check engine" light came on. I know I didn't put the fuel filter on backwards, because you can't. I used NGK plugs gapped as recomended (45 thou). But when I check the plugs again, they are black, like sooted really bad.

So is the sooted plugs the problem? It runs great above 1500 RPM. If so, why are the new plugs fouled (sooted)? They look like they were dipped in barbeque ash, yet the exhaust is clean. I have tried using high (92) octane gas but it doesn't seem to help the stalling etc.

New plugs
New air and fuel filters
New Ignition wires
New Engine????????

help?

 

Have you checked for codes? If not thats where you should have started, check out www.fordfuelinjection.com for details. Good Luck

 

Have you tested fuel pressure? Could not be getting enough fuel. Causing stalling. But the large amounts of carbon indicates your intake is maybe carboned up. You may try a hot soak on the engine. Have you ever used seafoam? You run your engine and let it suck into a vacuum line, use about a third of a can. Once it's in the engine let it soak with the engine off for 15-20mins. Once it has sat start it back up, it will smoke a lot, but thtas just how it works. If it is carbon build up it will get every bit of it out. I work with a guy who sold his chevy for an f-150 and he was complaining about it sputeering and such. He seafoamed it and he came in the next day smile because his truck was working so much better. So try sea foam. It really works on dirty engines.