I have a 96 Bronco with a 351W. It surges and hesitates when slowley accelerating.Then last night I lost all aceleration, I thought the engine died, but it was still running. I coasted to the side of the road. It idels just fine but when I try to drive off it sputters and pops...no power. Its just not getting enough fuel. The fuel pump is loud and grinding. I pulled the codes...HOLY CRAP!!! PO 1405, PO1131, PO1151, PO171, and PO174. All these codes are lean codes. I think the fuel pump is weak...What do you guys think? Thanks in advance!!!

 

That many codes is probably not the fuel pump. When I had a bad fuel pump several years ago, it ran just fine until the last second, and then it wouldn't start. I could hear the original fuel pump, but the replacement (NAPA) is much quieter. BTW, there is a way to measure the fuel line pressure, but I don't remember how.

 

Check the fuel pressure regulator. When was the last time the fuel filter was replaced? How much gas is in the tank?

 

Did this just start? Could it be water in your fuel?

 

The P1405 is caused by a loose or cracked vacuum hose going to the DPFE (EGR) sensor. Check the hoses going to it, I'll bet you'll find one has come off or has split.

The others are indeed lean codes, on both banks. The loud and grinding noise from the fuel pump isn't normal, so it's a good suspect. If the fuel rail pressure is OK, then I'd check the MAF sensor. It's probably very dirty or bad, or possibly a poor connector.....

 

Condensation has been heavy for the last two days and I have a 1/4 tank of gas. Should I get a tank of premium and some additive first?

 

A fresh tank of fuel and some additive wouldn't hurt BUT if it is a fuel pump problem it will make it awfully hard to handle the tank when you have to drop it. Also, if there is a considerable amount of moisture in the tank, it may need to be drained. But like ag30265 and loneranger pointed out, there could be any number of possibilities as to what may be causing the problem (fuel filter, pressure regulator, injector leak, etc.) Good luck!

 

It sounds like with a 1/4 tank, I should just pull the fuel filter, turn the key, and drain the tank into containers. Then replace the filter and gas. That to me would be easy to do first. I will check for that bad hose also. The only thing I did was change out all the oxygen sensors with new Bosch brand ones.

 

I wouldn't fill it up cause of what phantom said- about 8lbs a gallon. I only asked cause the pump is cooled by the fuel. Change the fuel filter and see if that helps.

 

When did you do that? Before or after your troubles?

 

Before my troubles...there was about 45 miles on them. There are 3 on a 96 Bronco with a 5.8. Two before the cats and one after. Drivers side was white, passengers side was black, and the after cat was half black half clean.

 

Well, I couldnt get the fricken fuel filter off...then retaining finger clips on the insides of both fuel lines are toast. Dose anyone know if they are replaceable? Besides that, the fuel that drained out of the filter looked like mud and when I tapped it on the cement big chuncks of goo come out.

 

Long overdue for a filter!!! Anyway, did you use the right tool to remove the filter? The last one I installed didn't come with replacement clips it's still runnin without 'em. The one I replaced before that one came with new clips it's still runnin with 'em. Some people i've talked to say they need to be there, I think as long as the filter is installed right and both sides click into the lines the plastic aint gonna help it or hurt it. let some others comment on that and get more opinions first.

 

Mine are the steel finger inserts on a 96 Bronco. Tool didnt help to remove, had to rip them up.

 

OK, this is a follow up post. Found my problem. It was a weak fuel pump. I didnt think a fuel pump could get weak, but it can from what I see. It still runs but only enough to run at very low rpms. I replaced the fuel pump with the assembly style one vrs the motor only replacement. They cost the same, but the assembled was much less hassel.

As far as the little finger clips...yes there are replacements because of guys like me that dont have the proper tool get fustrated and rip them out of the sockets they are in. The two on the filter line are the same, (the smaller ones), and the two on the tank sending unit are (one small and one big), so the lines dont get mixed up.

Last...I bought the proper tool from the NAPA store help section which was on hand and right there all the time I could have used it. $20 for that and the finger clips were $5 a pair. Its NOT the same tool as the older gas line and AC plastic tool. The older tool is designed for the spring style clips, not the steel finger clips.

Now what I learned about this whole fuel pump intank replacement. It was very dangerous to do with fumes and everything. The week I did it, a couple was doing a tank repair in the basement of their home when the hot water heater ignited the fumes...he survived, but his wife died. Very sad for the children of the family. Now since I did the replacement on a Sunday, (store not open), I did not have the tool yet for removing the gas lines so I did the procedure under the Bronco with it jacked real high in the air. NOT recommended!!! even after pumping the gas out of the tank with only 5 gallons left, it was a bitch. Anyway I removed the tank and left the sender with lines and electric harness hooked up. DONT FORGET TO UNDO THE BATTERY!!! I did the work with the pump and reassembled. Holding the tank up with my lap and legs while putting the sending unit and pump back in was a terrible strain. I could not get the rusty bent lock ring to seat properly in the tank lock channel. I missed one tab going into the lock retainer. I thought as tight as it is with the new rubber o ring, that it was going to be alright. WRONG!!! It has a leak around it. Now I have to start all over and redo what it took me 6 whole hours to do. I got a new lock ring and gas line tool, now Im driving the heck out of my Bronco to burn the fuel level before attempt number 2.

Conclusion...I had use of alot of shop tools and a shop to work in. It was a bitch of a job to do even though Im a hands on kind of guy. I only did it myself to save hundreds of dollars it would have costed me to take it to the Ford dealer who gets $65 an hour. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the worst, I give the job a strong 8 due to the fact the gas is dangerous, I didnt have the line tool, and I had to remove the trailer hitch brackets with rusted bolts on one side to be able to drop the tank down. That was a torch job before any exposure to gas fumes.

Thanks for all the help guys!!!