My '86 F150/ 302 EFI has been having some issues lately. The problem started about a week ago, and since then it has worsened. If it sits overnight, or if I don't drive it for a weekend, and then go to start it, it has to crank for about a total of 5 minutes until it will start. The whole time I crank it after it's been sitting, it's just turning the engine. It wont even try to start, until finally it will just fire up. Then, I have to hold the rpms up, because it wont idle. Once I drive it and warm it up, it will idle very rough at about 400-500 rpms. And when I'm driving it, it runs like ****. At low rpms going up a slight hill it will shake its *** off and then finally downshift. If I floor it, it's very sluggish. If I power brake it while stopped, it will die. If it's in drive, and I just coast at about 5 mph, and then tap the gas it will die. I got the truck in August. I think it has about 96K on it. When I got it, I changed the cap and rotor, spark plugs, and wires. I put a new fuel tank in it, changed the fuel filters, etc...

I wanted to get some advice from yall before I investigated it myself. Chances are some of you have already delt with similar problems. Thank you!

 

that sounds like one heck of a fuel problem.... did you check the pump? pull the fuel line off and crank it over with then end in a bucket and see how much comes out.

might check to see if you got a vacum leak of massive proportions. Get it going and spray every joint and cranny with brake clean or something and see if the idle jumps up.

check the timing. If its off its gonna run bad.......

Pull the codes often it will tell you what is wrong.

 

Pull the codes first.

 

I found 2 cracked vacuum hoses, and fixed both of them. But, it still runs the same... like ****.

 

How would I pull codes? I am not familiar with the set up. There is no check engine light on, so would there even be any codes? I am pretty sure it's getting ample fuel pressure. There would be no reason for the timing to suddenly be off. I am pretty sure there are no vacuum leaks now, but it still runs the same

 

Ok, I put in a new coolant temp sensor. I also pulled out the spark plugs and all of them were completely black, and they were new 6000 miles ago. I cleaned all the plugs and put them back in. The truck was running like crap and putting out black smoke and running really rich. Now, it runs a heck of a lot smoother; however the idle condition still remains, although it has improved. Sometimes it idles normal, but then the idle will suddenly die down and then rev up on its own, and sometimes it will stall.

 

I am going to pull the codes. Hopefully that will indicate what other problem remains. I suspect it may be an injector problem. I bet some fresh injectors would make a big difference. A bad injector could explain the running situation, and the ticking sound.