H guys, I've read some of the forums but thought I'd start a thread to try and figure this out. I am just about done with the 460 motohomes as this is the second one I bought which has broken down and drained the account. My first one (1985 had a rear main seal blown which Im still trying to sell.

We planned a trip out tot he east coast in Newfoundland to see some family. Our other one could not be fixed in time (shop tends to put ours ont he side while fixing the bigger trucks). We found one for 5,000 1989 fuel injected (first year?) and it seemed to run okay with the occasional hesitation. The owner owned a shop here and had new pluggs, wires, checked compression (good), new coil. FUel gauge never worked from start.

We did fine until we got halfway around bnewfoundland and as we climed a hill we heard a loud band under the floor like abackfire. The shop we took it to tsaid the mufler was blown but again they delayed checking the motorhome until we were about to leave to go home and never did fix the problem. She ran okay but gradually started to lose power over the hills and felt like it was bogging at times. I thought maybe the fuel pump seeing the gauage wasnt working.

ANyhow, got to nova scotia and it just got even worse where i could just to 10 miles an hour up the hills. It seemed okay when cold but then as it warms up it gets worse, i can hear some backfiring as well in the intake. Got it to a shop off the trans canada where it sits now. had to pay 1200 for a rental car for us to get home so we can get back to work.

they replaced the fuel pump but it still does the same up the hills. They were thinking of trying another coil as maybe the new one we had was defective. The manager was saying the oil pressure gauage looked low but I find they always do that and theres no oil leaks and its level is fine.

anyone have any ideas of what it could be. COUld it still be the high pressure pump? could it be a cam /valve issue? could a blocked oil pump screen cause this issue?


I just want to get it home at his point and hopefully get some money back onit. Its a nice rv but 2 breakdowns in a row and stranded in the middle of nowhere I might look at a minivan. Im usually pretty good mechinically with my cars. now that its not the fuel pump and there is anew coil on it. ANything else?

I gotta get this thing back to Ontario only 1600 kms towing is rediculous

vehicle is a 1989 ford e350 460 7.5 litre fuel injected, with one 40 gallon tank int he back and two fuel pumps (lo/Hi) w replaced the low in tank.

 

I see you got no replies of advice. Did you ever get the issues figured out?
I recently found myself in one of life's extreme pinches and needed a roof NOW.
I found a 1989 Fleetwood Flair with the 460.
Runs smooth For $1200 I couldn't pass it up.
On its first trip, just 60 miles thru the hills of southern Indiana USA, it clammerd and backfired
But not until it got warm
It seemed to do fine on level ground but at the next incline it sputtered and backfired and bogged down. Seemed to not want to take gas. Also the oil pressure was high
​Finally got it where I needed to amd changed the oil and filter. That fixed the high oil pressure.
it runs fine. The injectors are good the fuel filter is new.
I take off for the next leg of my journey and not 7 miles down the road, it sputters and backfires, loses umph. So I pull off and shut it down. It was already at temp when I left. I let it cool down and off I go. When it reaches median temp again it boggs and backfires. No matter what I do, it acts like it's not taking the gas I'm giving it. I shut her down again and let it cool. The fuel filter is clear. The pressure is good. When it's sitting and I rev it it doesn't act up, even warm.
Whatever the problem is, it appears to be the same as yours.
So if, after 11 years, you can remember, please pass on any info you have.

 

Good Morning my name is dave I have the exact same problems you had and it happened in the same trip locations east coast. stranded in nova scotia ,Limp our way to new brunswick. Got total stranded edmunston for three days. Changed in tank fuel pump ,High presure fuel pump on the frame rail,The ICM or electronic ignition control on the distributor, punched out the catalytic converter and it ran fantastic for about 100 miles then ssame problem sluggish up hills even the smallest ones and then finnaly dead on the side of the road. it took four tow trucks three in quebec as CAA in that province is horrible the first guy wanted to hook up and go I had to remind him about the drivesshaft HE DROPPED AND LEFT charging me $400.00 the second one hooked up after I had to unhook the driveshaft he took me 160km and droppe dme off in the middle of nowhere $1552.00 later the mext did the same thing 160km $1855.00 I was **** off glad i sent my wife home days earlier. the last toww was from the onroute in bainsville to minden another almost $2000.00 . now it wont start ,Rolls over great new coil tested everything I could think of
ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED

 

What year, chassis and engine?

A lot of rightful attention to fuel and spark. Are you sure the throttle plates are opening?

Sixto
07 E350 5.4 198K miles

 

FWIW: Part of the reason many posters don't get replies is that they ramble on about information that doesn't really concern the problem they're having. Just keep it to the point as best you can and you will have a better chance at getting some answers. JMHO. Good luck.

 

First thing is to put a fuel pressure gauge on the Schrader valve on the fuel rail and verify that you are getting about 40 PSI on the rail while you are having the problem. It is not uncommon with these vehicles for the in-tank pump to die. The high pressure pump will suck fuel through the dead pump and everything will run fine until the engine, and thus the gasoline, gets hot. On a fuel injected vehicle the gasoline runs in a complete circuit from tank to engine and - whatever the engine does not drink - gets routed back to the fuel tank. If you shoot an infrared thermometer at your fuel tank after running a couple of hours in the summer you will see your fuel tank is probably 125F or so. Ethanol gasoline starts to boil around 175F. But, under vacuum, the boiling temperature of liquids is greatly reduced. So with the high pressure pump sucking a negative 40 PSI delta from the tank, it is quite possible for the fuel in the line to the tank to flash to vapor, which vapor-locks the high pressure pump. This will result in stumbling as if the engine was out of gas (because it is). Backfiring is also possible. I chased this problem for years after replacing the in-tank pump because I could not believe the in-tank pump had failed again (it had). If you have a pressure gauge on the rail while it is doing this, you will read low PSI (11 PSI or less).

After things cool down (30 min or so) the fuel in the line will return to liquid, and the vehicle will fire up and run fine until the gas gets hot and flashes to vapor again.

Naturally, replace the fuel filter.

If it's not fuel related, then there are only a few electronic components involved, and one is a bitch.

Coil, Ignition Control Module, Engine Temperature Sensor, Air Charge Temperature Sensor, Engine Control Barometric Pressure Sensor, Throttle Position Sensor, Idle Air Valve and PIP sensor. It's also possible the ECM itself is bad. As they get old, the capacitors can leak.

All of the above are pretty simple to replace, except the PIP sensor, which is part of the distributor shaft. It can be replaced without replacing the distributor, but it is generally easier to just replace the distributor. If you replace the distributor, you must make sure the gear on the distributor shaft is compatible with the camshaft material. There should be a paint marker on your distributor shaft that indicates the material. I forget the codes now. Bronze is compatible with everything but has a shorter life.

Most of the above components can be troubleshooted prior to replacement.

It's good to get a NOID light to see if your plugs are sparking. Use an automotive stethscope to listen to your injectors to make sure they are clicking. Also useful for listening to the fuel tank to see if you hear the in-tank pump working when you energize the key (but without cranking engine).

 

I do not travel long distances in my van without a fuel pump and the means to change it
Those of you with two pumps should carry two pumps
You can always find a mechanic, but procuring a new pump may take days
I travel with tools too, but not a pressure gauge
Depends on what you are driving as to what to take with you
Good luck