Do not laugh, but I have either an 85 or 89 f150 4x4. It has only failed me once during the last 10 years, being a starter selinoid. Its not pretty but it lives up to the saying, its for sure ford tough. It has the EFI 302, I had a small leak in the gas tank so I installed a new one along with a new pump, 5 months ago. I was filling up last week and it just died, that quick, no sputter, no warning, just died.

Up until this point it has ran like it always has no problems or issues.
It would not refire so I pushed it to the side. I returned the next morning and it started right up and I let it run for about 20 seconds or so, and shut it off. I went and got a friend to follow me home in it, it started right up and 5 seconds later it died and would not refire. I am assuming it is the fuel filters, any thought from the experts would be greatly appreciated.

 

Possibly the fuel filters, once you get it started up try revving it up if i dies down when you rev it up then its likely something with the fuel system possibly bad filters or pump. Does it have a carb? My guess is that its electrical possibly the distributor is getting to hot, maybe wrong temp plugs or wires. Do you have dual tanks? Have you been switching between tanks? If so it might be bad gas that has either clogged the injectors or filters.

 

Sorry about the carb question you said it was EFI. mY guess is that its an 89 85 i think were all carbed unless you have swapped your carb for efi

 

An error code scan. Check for spark when it occurs. And do me a favor and remove the spout plug & try starting it w/ it out. Post the results. Start or no start. My TFI has never failed. If yours has failed, I'm interested to see if removal of the Spout will bypass the TFI. Won't hurt anything, at worst, it still won't start. You can take the TFI in and have it checked. I'm looking for a workaround for trucks than experience TFI failure on the road so they could at least get home. When the Spout plug is removed, timing follows RPM increase rather than being under ECU control. No acceleration, no MPG, but also no towing required. The coil could also be suspect as well as a few other things, so a Error code scan should be helpful. My coils have always suddenly flatlined, TFI''s tend to drag there feet towards the end & seem to become temperature & impact sensitive. I've read tapping a failing TFI will cause it to cut out. But it could be something else like a Fuel pump relay, so back to the importance of an error code scan!

 

Sorry I do not know what a spout plug is. Also it is an 89 after looking further into it. I would remember the year except I have never had to do anything except oil changes to it in several years.

As for The distributor getting hot, It was 10 below zero when it died and was only running 5 minutes before it died.

Wrong plugs, they have been it it for 7 years now with no problem,

Just a single tank also.

Thanks for your input and please let me know about the spout plug location if you could.