dies while driving.

[Redneckn]

'86 Bronco, 302 V-8, fuel injected.

Over the weekend we were driving on the interstate around 55mph (don't know if my guage is right or not. lifted 6" with 35" tires). Out of nowhere, the truck just dies. The engine that is. I still had electrical power, but no engine. I pull of side of I-20. Pop the hood and look for anything obvious. Nothing abnormal as far as just looking. No fluids dripping. Nothing smoking. We talk about who we're going to call to get my favorite towtruck (he's real cheap) phone number since we both have new cells.

I turn the key, it starts right up. I gun a little and let it back to idle. Everything fine. So we continue on. At this point we had been driving for about 30 mins. I went on for another 30mins to destination, no worries. Load up what I needed to load, truck cranked, we come on home. Drove for a solid hour home, no issues at all.

Sunday, we went out and got in some mud and stuff. This time, in & out of truck for about 3 hours. No worries.

Today. Drove 30 mins to school. All good. In class fo 2.5hrs, drove to meet better half for lunch, no worries. Drove back to school everything fine. In class for about 1.5hrs, truck cranked right up. 10 mins later, truck dies as I'm on coming up the on-ramp. I pull off. Wait about 5 mins, try it. Cranks, but no start. Wait another 5 mins, same thing. So I get my books out and do some reading (school crap) for about 10 more mins, try it and it cranks right up. drive 30 mins home, no worries.

Get home, I started and stopped it several times with no issues.

Any ideas? It acts like it's not getting fuel, but I cannot verify that for sure as of now.

My wife is getting a fuel filter on her way home and I'm going to change that. I wouldnt think I would have those symptoms from that, but you can never tell.

I would think fuel pump, but I've never had one come and go. They've always just went and that was it.

Anyway. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

[mbtech2003]

if i remember those old efi have a pick up inside the destributer that some times goes bad. can't remember the exact name but i'm sure someone else might know of it. anyone.....

 

[Yardape]

Someone had a problem like that on here not to long ago, turned out to be the coil. Fuel filter is a good option.

 

[Roadkill]

The pick up is called a "Hall effect sensor" and there is a history of problems with them. I believe this may be the post refered to by Yardape:

http://broncozone.com/forums/index.php?s=&...ost&p=48881

I would check all of the conections in the ignition system. Looking for loose or coroded contacts that could be affected by normal engine vibrations or maybe even heat. I doubt the fuel filter is the culprit from your symptoms, but they are cheap and easy to replace and should be replaced every so often anyhow. Nothing to lose there.

 

[KJEfting]

I agree with Yardape. Check the fuel filter first. It's a cheap fix and could very easily cause this problem. A while back, I was having a similar problem in which my bronco would die every now and then. Had a hunch that it was the fuel filter. I pulled the old one off and saw the "Motorcraft" stamp on the side. The guy I bought it from never had any work done on it at a Ford dealership, so I think it may have been the factory original (the truck had 220,000 on it when I replaced it). Never had a stalling problem after that.

 

[Stubby1971]

how much gas in the tank? does it happen when it's almost dry? I agree with the fuel filter- also might be sediment in the bottom of the tank

 

[broncobob58]

I agree with Yardape. Check the fuel filter first. It's a cheap fix and could very easily cause this problem. A while back, I was having a similar problem in which my bronco would die every now and then. Had a hunch that it was the fuel filter. I pulled the old one off and saw the "Motorcraft" stamp on the side. The guy I bought it from never had any work done on it at a Ford dealership, so I think it may have been the factory original (the truck had 220,000 on it when I replaced it). Never had a stalling problem after that.

Wow, thats what I call maximum value out of a fuel filter . lol

 

[Redneckn]

Well, I had to take the entire fuel filter housing off the truck to get it open to get the filter out. Odd thing, there was no filter in the housing. That blows. But I went ahead and put the new one in.

Still having the problem. I went to meet wife for lunch, came out full of kungpow chicken and no start. I had to sit there for about 20 mins and then it busted right off.

These little gremlins are going to drive me nuts I guess. Until I get 'em all worked out...

 

[Fmendakine]

I had the same problem with my 89 Bronco. After going thew the whole fuel system it turned out to be the fuel regulator . And of course that turned out to be the last part in the system I checked. I hope this info. helps you out.

 

[Yardape]

I had the same problem with my 89 Bronco. After going thew the whole fuel system it turned out to be the fuel regulator . And of course that turned out to be the last part in the system I checked. I hope this info. helps you out.

Well I sure hope you didnt plan on still looking after you found the problem :wacko:

 

[Redneckn]

*UPDATE*

Thursday after school I had to wait almost 40 mins for the truck to decide to start. It was one of those days where I was wishing I went to a vo-tech school instead of college.

Anyway, I called a friend to chat while I was waiting. He suggested just replacing the coil. I don't like throwing parts at a problem unless the parts I'm throwing are cheap. A new coil was $17 from Advance Auto. My wife suggested new spark plug wires. I scoffed at that idea. I got back home with the new coil. Unplugged the lead going to it and discovered my problem. The tip on the coil was corroded beyond anything I've ever seen before. So was the f'n distributer lead on the coil end. So I had to have my wife drive my back into town to get a set of plug wires. I figured I go ahead and change them all.

We romped in the mud today almost all day and no worries. Truck stayed running. Would start back when I shut it down. Everything did what it as supposed to do. I only chickened out of 2 places. Both because we were wheeling alone and and I don't have a winch yet. Ok, that and the fact that we were wheelng about 65 miles from my nearest "hey buddy, can you come pull me out" friend.

So, it was the coil and lead that were giving me my problem. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Had I checked my ignition system back when Roadkill suggested I check, I would have found it sooner and that would have been 3 less times I had to sit someone I didnt want to be sitting.