ford9522

Need help guys! I have researched forums and the internet to avoid asking for help on here but I am fed up with my truck and I am not taking it to a mechanic haha

For starters its an 86 f150 xlt lariat with 5.0 efi w/ aod trans

Now my problems began when driving the truck and it would feel like it would lack power goin up hills or under a load i.e. towing. Then one night (at operating temperature) it died on me with no warning, just died, no sputtering or kickin whatsoever, all i was doing was backing out of a parking space. It wouldn't start at first but let it sit for 2 hours and it fired right up. I thought maybe it was goof and it wouldn't do it again (it was raining) unless it was raining. So i thought i had time to get some cash together to put into the problem I was having. BUT a few days later, I drove it for the first time since that night, got gas and hit the freeway, as soon as i got on it did it again. I tried to restart it and it was a hard crank but no start. Engine didnt want to turn over and the starter was having a hard time with it. So called a friend and he brought my other truck to tow it home. Again, i let it sit and it fired, left me scratching my head.

I tested fuel pressure and it was not in spec, i Put in a new fpr and in line pump, replaced both the in line and that canister fuel filter. Got presure back to where it should be. Still the truck would not fire. I then looked into ignition and the icm was bad. So I got a new one and truck still didnt want to start. The distributor looked to be original to the truck and figured I would replace the stator, but opted out and just repaced the entire distributor W/ new cap rotor plugs and wires and coil. Also replaced driver side valve cover gasket.

Finally after all that the truck fired but ran crappy. I put it in reverse so i could park it closer to my work area ar home, then put it in drive and stalled on me. I started it again, and like before, did fine in park reverse and neutral but as soon as you put it in a forward gear it stalls. It dies but did restart, got it to operating temp and unplugged the spout so i could time it. But it died and would not fire up after I unplugged the spout.

It hasn't started since. All it has done is ALMOST fire up once. Other than that it just seems to be a dead turnover. I pulled the plugs and were wet with all the raw fuel from trying to start it. So i unplugged the fuel pump and turned the engine over with plugs out to blow out the cylinders. Put new plugs in again and plugged pumps back in and of course, no luck. I checked spark and I do have spark, but is yellow, not blue like i think it should be.

I also cleaned up all connections at battery and what not. I know it isnt a fuel issue, at least thats my opinion. I have air, exhaust is clear, previous owner put in a exhaust with no cats and cherrybombs. Still has egr though, and air pump but no belt on air pump, i got it this way.

So this is where I am currently. And I need to get this thing running, my other truck blew out trans. And i need this one running to be my daily for a while. And i dont want to just throw money at it, i am not wealthy haha.

Please help guys, I would appreciate it!!!

djfllmn

iTrader: (1)

icm?

ford9522

i replaced the icm already, and hsd the new tested at napa and is good

Johnboy429bbf

Have you check the coil,cap and button?
You said the arc on your plug was yellow. Always been My experience when everything is correct the arc is blue or white and shakes around.

ford9522

It is all new, but just because it is new doesn't mean it's good i guess. I will check that out tomorrow

Johnboy429bbf

If you bought an aftermarket or performance coil check and make sure you have it mounted right. I bought an msd blaster 3 coil for my pull truck mounted horizontal and would give me fits. Started looking into it and it was only ment to be mounted vertically.

JLTD

Google "Hall Effect Sensor". I had this go bad on my '86 5.0 Mercury and it acted like yours, got progressively worse over time then just died one day.

ford9522

Great feedback and ideas guys, keep them coming, surely helps me!

Will mount my coil vertical tomorrow and see what it does. And I am assuming you are referring to the pip or aka stator inside the distributor. tomorrow I am taking the icm, distributor and coil down to napa and see what they can tell me if i have failed new parts or not . If so then perhaps that would be the end of it lol.

Keep you posted and please keep up with the suggestions, thanks guys!

JLTD

Yup, it's on the distributor, have to remove it to get at the sensor.

Matthew Burr

it definitely sounds like a spark issue at this point, i would also go through and double check your O2 sensor is plugged in still and verify all the vacuum is either plugged or going somewhere usefull