89 2.9 takes a while to start
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
BAD PLUGS OR WIRES.
Could be shot coil packs
I'd replace the spark wires first - since they are likely 20 years old - I bet they have all of the insulation that a 1950 road house did - ZERO!
Also run a bottle of liquid Berryman's B-12 through the fuel tank (you can get it at any parts store). It's the only liquid miracle crap I believe in.
It will clean out your entire fuel system, but never use it on a diesel.
It's gonna cost you about 3 bucks!
The wires will be much more pricey, depending on what you get...
(Nobody thinks about wires degrading from heat in the engine comp. I wonder why not?)
Could be shot coil packs
I'd replace the spark wires first - since they are likely 20 years old - I bet they have all of the insulation that a 1950 road house did - ZERO!
Also run a bottle of liquid Berryman's B-12 through the fuel tank (you can get it at any parts store). It's the only liquid miracle crap I believe in.
It will clean out your entire fuel system, but never use it on a diesel.
It's gonna cost you about 3 bucks!
The wires will be much more pricey, depending on what you get...
(Nobody thinks about wires degrading from heat in the engine comp. I wonder why not?)
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 761
Likes: 0
From: Southeast MI
Greywolf, he would have a cap & rotor & should definitely be junk if even 20k miles. So yeah, pull 'em if any doubt. Funny, it usually goes more abruptly though from passable to nothing. A royal pain to work on depending on corrosion & mileage, but worth it. Lie on top of the engine & a fender or core support if necessary. If the distributor cap screws get welded in badly enough, it may be easier to remove the whole thing & find a used one. I had to drill one out & run a bolt & nut to one side on 1 of my trucks.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
Likes: 46
From: Drummonds, TN USA
I've got a 2.3 - bee-atch of a job to get a complete set of plugs in it anyway, which is why I went platinum. I never looked back when I left the part store with silicone supressed wires.
If I had to do it - it was for good and all!!!
If I had to do it - it was for good and all!!!
New User
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
I had a similar issue with my 2.9....and after unhooking the battery cable for an extended period of time the engine starts great. I have no explanation other then computer must have reset itself and cleared something out. I also allow the fuel pump to prime the system before cranking the engine with colder starts especially in the winter.
