87 bronco 2 not firing

[mauser1111]

I have a 1987 bronco 2 that ran fine when I got it but started to miss every once and a while and then one night started missing very heavily like a cylinder wasn

 

[4X4RedNeck]

I have a 1987 bronco 2 that ran fine when I got it but started to miss every once and a while and then one night started missing very heavily like a cylinder wasn

 

[Broncobill78]

I have a 1987 bronco 2 that ran fine when I got it but started to miss every once and a while and then one night started missing very heavily like a cylinder wasn

 

[mauser1111]

I would be driving along at a certain speed and it would just start shuddering horribly like the clutch wasnt engaging but im assuming it was from the mis fire now. The last time I had it running it just died as soon as I went to throttle it up. It hasn't run since.

 

[Seabronc]

Yup, like Bill said the factory manual will be the best thing to get. Of the shop manuals, I'd start with this one first (EVTM) it is the single best book you can have for your car, followed by the chassis an engine manuals. they are often on eBay, here is a link to someone selling an EVTM http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1987-Ford-F...sspagenameZWD1V

Just a stab in the dark on this, but among other things it may be a timing chain problem. You can eliminate the computer by removing the SPOUT connector which makes the engine run at a default timing.

Good luck,

>-

 

[mauser1111]

Well i had running again but it died again, it would run very smooth and then just die. I tested the coil and the ignition switch both are fine and there is power running to the ignition module which has been replaced three times and the distributer and its pickup coil are all brand new and also the computer is brand new. The question is now, aside from the actual wiring being bad, (which i followed all the way up to the firewall and it was good what i could see), could be bad wth it. i am going to try and replace the ignition module aagin to see if it works but is there anything in line from the ignition switch to the module that could be bad. A man I work with told me to unhook the EVP valve sensor and try starting it that they can ground out the computer but it wasnt the problem.

 

[yusuebronko2_86]

you know, your problem might not be the spark, but the ground to the computer that's connected to the battery terminal. check that, it has a slip connection that can become loose or disconnected and cause this problem.

 

[mauser1111]

you know, your problem might not be the spark, but the ground to the computer that's connected to the battery terminal. check that, it has a slip connection that can become loose or disconnected and cause this problem.

well I did away with that slip connection at the battery ground, im assuming that was the one for the computer. There is also another ground wire that comes out from the computer area at the fire wall, and i just put an end on that and screwed it into the engine compartment sidewall, but ill try grounding it to the battery too. It seems like a ground problem to me too, but its intermitten. Sometimes it will start, run and then die when it gets warmed up, most of the time it won't run at all. I replaced the entire distributer at one time, Im just assuming the pick up coil isnt bad in it although part of it still has the ford part number on it so im somewhat suspicious. I work at a Lincoln Mercury dealership in the parts room, and one of the shop technicians seems to know a lot about them rangers and broncs so Im about ready to take it out there. Ill probably have to drop several hundred dollars on it but with almost 3000 grand invested theres not much else I can do.

Also how fast can an ignition coil go bad, I replaced at one time, but i need to test it again, because the other night I tried replacing the rotor button, and it ran just fine but then it stalled out agin and has been giving me the same problem, like it losing fire at the distributer.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

I can't believe that no one suggested pulling codes.

I like BroncoBill slid on over from the full size broncs to take a look over here.

It looks like you are changing a lot of parts, which can be expensive. Talk with one of the techs at work to find out how to pull codes. Get a manual as suggested by SeaBronc, and go from there.

joe

 

[mauser1111]

I can't believe that no one suggested pulling codes.
I like BroncoBill slid on over from the full size broncs to take a look over here.

It looks like you are changing a lot of parts, which can be expensive. Talk with one of the techs at work to find out how to pull codes. Get a manual as suggested by SeaBronc, and go from there.

joe

I pulled the codes from it with a code reader. The only code I got after I ran it the last time was an EVP sensor bad, but ive changed the egr valve and the EVP sensor both since then. Alls I know is when it does run the thing will get damn good gas mileage. See when it first staring missing at idle I started replcing things one at a time and the first thing I replaced was the ignition coil. I'm thinking the problem the whole time was the EVP sensor because it was very corroded after I ripped off the sensor just a couple weeks ago, and the egr valve was heavily carboned up. The second thing I replaced was the ignition module after the coil. I'm wondering if i got a bad coil or some component and I made myself another problem I didn't originally have.

If I can get one of my friends to help me I'll take a test light down to the computer and check for current on the wires coming from the ignition module to the computer, while the engine is cranking. And by the way if anyone would know of a website that might have a diagram of the computer connection in reference to the pins and what numbers they are.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Please let me suggest this...

you have been beating yourself up replacing sensors and other electronics.

The one code you did get, you may have fixed.

It seems like you already replaced most of the controlling electronics.

When your truck was running... it had a miss.

What could that be?... bad cap and rotor?

Bad wire to one cylinder, or wire not fully seated to the plug

bad plug

bad injector

The missing got worse, and quit running.

More wires and plugs suddenly went bad? Not likely, unless...

the wires were bad, but functional and then got wet, OR

the plug wires had been removed, and more than one was not fully seated (with use and vibration they may have worked themselves out enough to not make contact)

IF it was starving for fuel, it might lose power and sputter before stalling.

Bad fuel pump

clogged fuel filter

tripped inertia switch

Could a bad tank of gas affect multiple injectors?

Could water have gotten into the tank?

If the timeing chain jumped a tooth I'm not sure of the symptoms... loss of power, spiting and sputtering, maybe back fireing. It may not restart. Check compression.

An error I made more than once was in replacing plug wires or cap, and getting the wires crossed. Check the fireing order, and make sure they are properly put back in order.

Now it is recommeneded that one uses dielectric grease when installing plug wires at both ends of the wire.

This is just my line of thinking, I am a novice, and am sure that some of the more seasoned gentlemen here would be able to flush this out a lot more.

joe

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Please let me suggest this...you have been beating yourself up replacing sensors and other electronics.

The one code you did get, you may have fixed.

It seems like you already replaced most of the controlling electronics.

When your truck was running... it had a miss.

What could that be?... bad cap and rotor?

Bad wire to one cylinder, or wire not fully seated to the plug

bad plug

bad injector

The missing got worse, and quit running.

More wires and plugs suddenly went bad? Not likely, unless...

the wires were bad, but functional and then got wet, OR

the plug wires had been removed, and more than one was not fully seated (with use and vibration they may have worked themselves out enough to not make contact)

IF it was starving for fuel, it might lose power and sputter before stalling.

Bad fuel pump

clogged fuel filter

tripped inertia switch

Could a bad tank of gas affect multiple injectors?

Could water have gotten into the tank?

If the timeing chain jumped a tooth I'm not sure of the symptoms... loss of power, spiting and sputtering, maybe back fireing. It may not restart. Check compression.

An error I made more than once was in replacing plug wires or cap, and getting the wires crossed. Check the fireing order, and make sure they are properly put back in order.

Now it is recommeneded that one uses dielectric grease when installing plug wires at both ends of the wire.

This is just my line of thinking, I am a novice, and am sure that some of the more seasoned gentlemen here would be able to flush this out a lot more.

joe

Oh one more thing...

I noted in an earlier post that you replaced the rotor. Then you replaced it again, she ran for a while, and hasn't run since.

From my line of thinking... a new rotor will not go bad for 50,000 miles, it therefore could not have been what allowed your truck to start again. However whatever you moved or touched in the process of changing the rotor may have made a difference. So I am thinking that maybe your plug wires are not fully seated either at the distributor, or the coil.

Please see the following words of wisdom that SeaBronc gave to me...

Don't know why I didn't think of this before but I hope you did wires, rotor and, cap with that . A high voltage leak can cause similar problems. Old age I guess . That is just another stab in the dark, and like Dave said, do a little trouble shooting. One way to look for high voltage arching is to do it after dark, open up the hood and take a spray bottle and make a mist around the engine. It is especially a possibility if this problem is happening when there is a lot of moisture from rain, melting snow, etc.

By the way, if you did or do change them, [plug wires and/or cap] get some dielectric grease and put a little around the inside of the spark plug boot. You don't need to glob it on, just wipe a light coat around the insulator on each plug and the inside of each plug boot. Make sure you get the boot on all the way and that it stays, (slip it on and tug slightly on it to make sure it is actually on), sometimes they seem to be on but are not on all the way and slip back while the engine is running. Also do the distributor end, (this end is a little more tricky since the seal traps air and attempts to hydraulically push it back off), I use a small right angle pick to hold the edge of the distributor end boot off while inserting it.

Just another thing to think about, you reconnected that brain cell when you mentioned the plug condition .

 

[mauser1111]

Im going to check those plug wires tonghit, but last nigh I had it running again aft removing all of the wires from the coil and testing it then placing all the wires back on and it fired right up. When its running its runnin gperfectly, but after it warms up then it will just shut right off and then not want to start again intill it feels like it. Maybe the pickup coil in the distributer us bad again, seeing how i replaced the distr. with a reman they should have replaced the pickup coil but it still has the original ford part number on it. Im going to find out how to test it then see how it looks.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

BY any chance did you check your air filter?

Does it still have a miss?

Does it sputter and surge at idle before it dies, or does it just turn off like someone reached over your shoulder and turned the key off.

 

[mauser1111]

BY any chance did you check your air filter?Does it still have a miss?

Does it sputter and surge at idle before it dies, or does it just turn off like someone reached over your shoulder and turned the key off.

It just shuts off like someone turned off the key. I just had it running again tonight, for about 3 minutes or so. First I did away with the inline connector from the PIP to the computer I believe, to see if it was holding it back. That's when it ran but I think it was just coincidental, and then it shutoff a soon as I reached in for the key, a soon as I touched it. It then wouldn't restart. I just did away with the ignition switch and made up a starter button to turn it over, and a toggle switc for the ignition, just so I can eliminate a bad switch.

I also checked the fire at the coil wire coming from the coil with an extra spark plug. I held it away from a ground source,cranked it and the fire was intermitten, like it would fire a couple of times and then wouldn't fire at all. Does that sound like a bad pickup coil in the distributer, can they work good every once in a while and then other times not work at all?

Thanks for all the help every ones benn giving me, Id be pretty lost without the internet right now.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

It just shuts off like someone turned off the key. I just had it running again tonight, for about 3 minutes or so. First I did away with the inline connector from the PIP to the computer I believe, to see if it was holding it back. That's when it ran but I think it was just coincidental, and then it shutoff a soon as I reached in for the key, a soon as I touched it. It then wouldn't restart. I just did away with the ignition switch and made up a starter button to turn it over, and a toggle switc for the ignition, just so I can eliminate a bad switch.

OK... great! AT least that eliminates one possible cause.

I also checked the fire at the coil wire coming from the coil with an extra spark plug. I held it away from a ground source,cranked it and the fire was intermitten, like it would fire a couple of times and then wouldn't fire at all. Does that sound like a bad pickup coil in the distributer, can they work good every once in a while and then other times not work at all?
Thanks for all the help every ones benn giving me, Id be pretty lost without the internet right now.

Something is wrong here. If you held the plug away from a ground, it should not have sparked at all.

You should have held the plug to a ground to see if there is a spark. You see the engergy from the coil travels through the plug to the center electrode and jumps the gap of the plug to get to a ground. When the plug is screwed into the cylinder head, it is grounded. If you were holding it in the air, away from a ground, I don't know how or why the spark would jump the gap.

I am trying to envision how this could happen, and the only thing I can think of is that the outside of the plug is covered in oil or grease, and so are the wires, and that somehow it is reaching a ground that way.

See if others agree... you may have a bad coil wire.

I personally do not know what controls the rate of fireing of the coil in your truck.

Sorry.

joe

 

[mauser1111]

OK... great! AT least that eliminates one possible cause.
Something is wrong here. If you held the plug away from a ground, it should not have sparked at all.

You should have held the plug to a ground to see if there is a spark. You see the engergy from the coil travels through the plug to the center electrode and jumps the gap of the plug to get to a ground. When the plug is screwed into the cylinder head, it is grounded. If you were holding it in the air, away from a ground, I don't know how or why the spark would jump the gap.

I am trying to envision how this could happen, and the only thing I can think of is that the outside of the plug is covered in oil or grease, and so are the wires, and that somehow it is reaching a ground that way.

See if others agree... you may have a bad coil wire.

I personally do not know what controls the rate of fireing of the coil in your truck.

Sorry.

joe

Sorry I ment I held at a ground. I assumed the Pickup coil controls when the coil needs to send fire to the distributer, so that spark doesn't arc between two plug electrodes under the distributer cap. Which I think could be a problem if it was allowed to spark whebnever it was close to one of the electrodes.

 

[BroncoJoe19]

Sorry I ment I held at a ground. I assumed the Pickup coil controls when the coil needs to send fire to the distributer, so that spark doesn't arc between two plug electrodes under the distributer cap. Which I think could be a problem if it was allowed to spark whebnever it was close to one of the electrodes.

I think that a bad coil wire could give you an erratic spark.

Consider checking that, as it seems that you already changed the coil, the distributer twice, and the computer a couple of times.

SeaBronc either in this thread or another stated that a classic sign of a faulty pick up coil inside the distributor is that the engine shuts off (like someone reached over your shoulder and turned the key off) when it warms up.

 

[andre]

Q ?

HOW MANY MILLE U GOT ON TRUCK

WHENT U HAVE NO START DO U STILL HAVE SPARK AND FUEL

BLOCK CAT MAY B