Weird problem. Need help/guidance
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Weird problem. Need help/guidance
I'm not a mechanic, and other forums are being childish. So I will ask here.
1993 Ford F-150
5.0l
auto
Replaced battery, battery terminals, starter, oil, and air filter three months ago. Today, the truck starts fine, perfect in 90° heat. Drives without issue. At night, it will not start. Turns over, but it won't catch. Weird yeah?
Burned two quarts of oil in the three months and runs a little hot, I'd say 220. Stutters a little at stop lights about 50% of the time. I know it's fuel or ignition but I can't throw money at it just troubleshooting when it's stranded at work and is my only transportation.
Where should I start?
1993 Ford F-150
5.0l
auto
Replaced battery, battery terminals, starter, oil, and air filter three months ago. Today, the truck starts fine, perfect in 90° heat. Drives without issue. At night, it will not start. Turns over, but it won't catch. Weird yeah?
Burned two quarts of oil in the three months and runs a little hot, I'd say 220. Stutters a little at stop lights about 50% of the time. I know it's fuel or ignition but I can't throw money at it just troubleshooting when it's stranded at work and is my only transportation.
Where should I start?
Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 11,256
Likes: 1,770
From: Memphis, TN, Earth, Milky Way
That's a start, but it's far from complete, and it needs to be in your signature so it appears with each post. Click this & read the caption:
(phone app link)
For each part: why, exactly (what diagnosis led you to it)? With what (brand, PN, source)? And did the replacement pass the same test that the original failed? Click this & read all the captions:
(phone app link)That's vague... What do you mean by "turns over" and "catch"? Are you saying it sputters but won't maintain the idle enough to run? Or that it spins, but doesn't try to fire? Or something else? Remember that we can't see or hear what it's doing, so YOU have to be very descriptive & thorough.What 3 months? Are you saying you've only owned it that long? Or it just began consuming oil 3 months ago?Why? Did you get that from an IR thermometer? Where exactly was it pointed? How long had the engine been running when you got that temperature?What do the spark plugs look like? Compare them to the inside back cover of a Haynes manual:
(phone app link)How? What diagnosis have you done, and what was the result of each test?Good. Throwing money at it ISN'T troubleshooting. Follow the guide in the front of the Haynes manual (just before Ch.1).With your signature, based on that first caption.
Reading codes (with just a jumper wire, even if you haven't seen the CEL) is another quick, easy step that might be helpful:
(phone app link)
(phone app link)
(phone app link)That's vague... What do you mean by "turns over" and "catch"? Are you saying it sputters but won't maintain the idle enough to run? Or that it spins, but doesn't try to fire? Or something else? Remember that we can't see or hear what it's doing, so YOU have to be very descriptive & thorough.What 3 months? Are you saying you've only owned it that long? Or it just began consuming oil 3 months ago?Why? Did you get that from an IR thermometer? Where exactly was it pointed? How long had the engine been running when you got that temperature?What do the spark plugs look like? Compare them to the inside back cover of a Haynes manual:
(phone app link)How? What diagnosis have you done, and what was the result of each test?Good. Throwing money at it ISN'T troubleshooting. Follow the guide in the front of the Haynes manual (just before Ch.1).With your signature, based on that first caption.
Reading codes (with just a jumper wire, even if you haven't seen the CEL) is another quick, easy step that might be helpful:
(phone app link)
Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 42
Likes: 6
From: Marion, IL
First question: is the check engine light on? If so, have you checked for codes?
Second question: do you drive it daily?
The running issue could be a multitude of things, but the oil loss? Is there a leak? How often do you drive it? When you were/are driving, do you smell oil burning? See smoke? Not to be a dick, but we need some more information to help out.
Second question: do you drive it daily?
The running issue could be a multitude of things, but the oil loss? Is there a leak? How often do you drive it? When you were/are driving, do you smell oil burning? See smoke? Not to be a dick, but we need some more information to help out.