88 Bronco 2 V6 2.9 fuel injected stalls

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

OP
OP
B

BobJamisonIII

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Denver, CO
Starts up and idles just fine, drive down the highway for about 20 mins and when you go to exit, coming to a stop its starts idleing weird and sputtering until it stalls. Will always start back up if you mash the gas pedal, and when it does it sounds like it's running on 3 cylinders, could usually put it in gear and mash the pedal and and it would level itself back out and run fine. Today like normal it did all this but never leveled back out, continued to just get worse until I was driving down the road unable to go any faster than 15mph while it sounded like it was just barely running. Let it sit for a few hours, started back up but running rough and then leveled out on its own, but 10 mins later still idling started to spit and sputter so I put it in drive and it stalled like I thought it would. I've replaced distributor cap, rotor button, plugs, wires, ignition coil, fuel pump relay, guy I bought it from said he replaced the fuel pump, I dropped the tank today and pulled it out it looks brand new. I've heard that I could possibly have a second pump? Autozone said no way but I keep seeing it in other forums. Any help would be gravely appreciated on this. I do have a new pump to put in because I've heard of brand new ones going bad sooner rather than later. I also know tomorrow I'll check the vacum line on the regulator to see if it's bad. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

miesk5

96 Bronco 5.0
Staff member
Moderator
Joined
Oct 18, 2005
Messages
9,071
Reaction score
1,018
Location
Floating in the Pacific
yo Bob,

WELCOME!

Try a Self Test for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC)s

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/OBD_I.shtml

A helper is good to assist in reading Codes; best is to take a cell fone vid and replay it.

Some basics;

Visual Check

Battery is fully charged & connectors and grounds are clean

Inspect the air cleaner and inlet ducting.

Check all engine AND HVAC (under hood & in /under dash) Vacuum hoses for damage, leaks, cracks, blockage, proper routing, etc.

Check headlights

Check EEC system wiring harness for proper connections, bent or broken pins, corrosion, loose wires, proper routing, etc.

===

89 Bronco 2 V6 2.9 Spesc @ http://www.broncoii.org/techpages/2.9specpage/index.html

Fuel Pressure Key On Engine Off 35 - 45 psi

Fuel Pressure Key On Engine Running 30 - 40 psi

Pump Test;

"...Here is the step by step test you can go with a 12 volt test light or a DVOM (volt meter)

Access the Tan/Light Green (T/LG) wire at the self-test connector. Jumper this circuit to ground with a jumper wire, when the ignition switch is in the Run position, and listen for the fuel pump relay to "click".

At the fuel pump relay, check for the Red (RD) wire to illuminate a standard 12-volt test light with the ignition switch in the Run position. This circuit is a battery voltage feed from the Electronic Engine Control (EEC) power relay and is the same circuit that provides power to the fuel injectors and the Powertrain Control Module (PCM).

Check for the Yellow (Y) wire to illuminate the test light as well. This circuit is supplied power from a 20 gauge fusible link at the start solenoid and should be hot at all times.

The Orange/Light Blue (O/LB) wire is the circuit that provides power to the fuel pump when the relay is activated by the PCM's grounding of the T/LG wire. Installing a jumper wire between the Y wire and the O/LB wire should result in the fuel pumps running and fuel pressure at the injector rail if the circuits and fuel pump are in good working order.

If grounding the T/LG wire at the diagnostic connector results in the fuel pump running and the truck starting, it indicates a failure of the PCM driver that controls the pump relay or a circuit issue between the PCM and the diagnostic connector on the T/LG wire.

Read more: http://www.justanswer.com/ford/18bi8-trouble-shoot-no-fuel-flow-89-bronco-ii.html#ixzz3W4p8XtbF

..."

===

See more

=============

TFI Module:

Your Ranger/Bronco II is stalling/dieing or sputtering when hot but runs when it cools off. This can be caused by a faulty TFI and the biggest culprits are heat. Another culprit can be a wire grounding out. Problematic TFI's can give off codes 14 (PIP) and 18 (SPOUT).

To learn more about the problem and how to deal with it,

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/TFI_Diagnostic.shtml

READ ir all

 
Last edited by a moderator:
OP
OP
B

BobJamisonIII

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Denver, CO
Well after dropping the tank to find that it already had a brand new fuel pump in it, I started putting the tank back in. Upon doing so I wanted to make sure I had everything back together right so I tried to start the bronco. Started rough but then the idle leveled out like normal, then after idling for 3 mins started to shake and sputter and then stalled. Trying to start again wouldn't start unless I was mashing the gas pedal, but this I noticed smoke coming out the exhaust, went back to the exhaust and saw a black liquid type stuff that had sprayed out of the exhaust, it smelled like gas, so this had led me to a fuel pressure regulator, part comes in today so fingers crossed.

 

Rons beast

Active member
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
1,537
Reaction score
13
Location
Florida..in my mind , sitting on the beach
Hey Bob,

Unburned fuel in the exhaust would indicate an ignition problem.  Your symptoms are common with Ignition modules that are starting to fail and manifest themselves with poor running when hot. 

Have you replaced the Ign. Module?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
OP
OP
B

BobJamisonIII

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Denver, CO
I literally just purchased the ignition module and fuel pressure regulator, heading home now to try my luck. Thank you for the input and I'll let you know what, if either of these 2 parts, fixes it.

 
OP
OP
B

BobJamisonIII

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Denver, CO
Well got home and it's snowing and freezing rain, gotta love the CO weather. Try and hit tomorrow hopefully, will let you know what I come up with

 
OP
OP
B

BobJamisonIII

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Denver, CO
Replaced ignition module, started it took it around the block, by the time I got back home it was barely running again. So I replaced the fuel pressure regulator, and that did absolutely nothing so I am completely stumped at this point. I've replaced plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor button, ignition coil, in tank fuel pump, fuel pump relay, idle air control valve, ignition module, and fuel pressure regulator. Only things left are fuel pump under the door and the pick up coil? Any thoughts my bronco friends

 

Rons beast

Active member
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
1,537
Reaction score
13
Location
Florida..in my mind , sitting on the beach
Hey Bob,

Dist. pick up coils have been known to have these symptoms when failing too, but less likely than ign. modules.  Can you check fuel pressure when the truck is running well, and then when it's not and confirm that there is a fuel problem? 

 
OP
OP
B

BobJamisonIII

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Denver, CO
yo Bob,

WELCOME!

Try a Self Test for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC)s

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/OBD_I.shtml

A helper is good to assist in reading Codes; best is to take a cell fone vid and replay it.

Some basics;

Visual Check

Battery is fully charged & connectors and grounds are clean

Inspect the air cleaner and inlet ducting.

Check all engine AND HVAC (under hood & in /under dash) Vacuum hoses for damage, leaks, cracks, blockage, proper routing, etc.

Check headlights

Check EEC system wiring harness for proper connections, bent or broken pins, corrosion, loose wires, proper routing, etc.

===

89 Bronco 2 V6 2.9 Spesc @ http://www.broncoii.org/techpages/2.9specpage/index.html

Fuel Pressure Key On Engine Off 35 - 45 psi

Fuel Pressure Key On Engine Running 30 - 40 psi

Pump Test;

"...Here is the step by step test you can go with a 12 volt test light or a DVOM (volt meter)

Access the Tan/Light Green (T/LG) wire at the self-test connector. Jumper this circuit to ground with a jumper wire, when the ignition switch is in the Run position, and listen for the fuel pump relay to "click".

At the fuel pump relay, check for the Red (RD) wire to illuminate a standard 12-volt test light with the ignition switch in the Run position. This circuit is a battery voltage feed from the Electronic Engine Control (EEC) power relay and is the same circuit that provides power to the fuel injectors and the Powertrain Control Module (PCM).

Check for the Yellow (Y) wire to illuminate the test light as well. This circuit is supplied power from a 20 gauge fusible link at the start solenoid and should be hot at all times.

The Orange/Light Blue (O/LB) wire is the circuit that provides power to the fuel pump when the relay is activated by the PCM's grounding of the T/LG wire. Installing a jumper wire between the Y wire and the O/LB wire should result in the fuel pumps running and fuel pressure at the injector rail if the circuits and fuel pump are in good working order.

If grounding the T/LG wire at the diagnostic connector results in the fuel pump running and the truck starting, it indicates a failure of the PCM driver that controls the pump relay or a circuit issue between the PCM and the diagnostic connector on the T/LG wire.

Read more: http://www.justanswer.com/ford/18bi8-trouble-shoot-no-fuel-flow-89-bronco-ii.html#ixzz3W4p8XtbF

..."

===

See more

=============

TFI Module:

Your Ranger/Bronco II is stalling/dieing or sputtering when hot but runs when it cools off. This can be caused by a faulty TFI and the biggest culprits are heat. Another culprit can be a wire grounding out. Problematic TFI's can give off codes 14 (PIP) and 18 (SPOUT).

To learn more about the problem and how to deal with it,

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/TFI_Diagnostic.shtml

READ ir all
 
OP
OP
B

BobJamisonIII

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Denver, CO
I've tried the self test with the jumper wire trying to flash the code on the check engine light but it doesn't seem to want to work. Can't get it tonflash any codes but the check engine light is on now and n bet was before

 
OP
OP
B

BobJamisonIII

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Denver, CO
And I'm sure if buying the fuel pressure test gauge is worth it just because it will still start pedal smashed of course but now it starts bad and stays bad. The whole it gets bad after running for a bit is gone now.

 

Rons beast

Active member
Joined
Dec 13, 2007
Messages
1,537
Reaction score
13
Location
Florida..in my mind , sitting on the beach
WOW....sorry you are having such a bad time with this.

Since the CE light is on, why don't you go ahead and disconnect the battery and reset that.

Then start the engine and see if:

1- the check engine light is still on.   (if it is that is an indication of a hard trouble code...definitely something giving the comp. a reading outside the parameters)

2-How is the truck running.  (still bad....yeah there is a problem)

Since you indicated the problem had been occurring when the truck got warmed up, I have to still believe it's electrical.

I have only seen a fuel problem when the fuel relay would get hot and fail...then allow a restart and be ok after cooling down. BUT! You changed that.

I have to think the problem is a failing, ( now very poor) dist. pick up coil.

This is a rough, old guys method, and may not tell us anything....but, connect a test light between the + and - side of the coil. observe the light.

Is it flashing in good time while the engine is idling? Or is it flashing intermittent?   Intermittent means the coil is getting intermittent "fire " signals.

This comes from the Ign. module, the pick up coil, or the primary wiring.

The final idea I have is the coil itself.  It could be dying and not giving a strong spark. 

Good Luck

 
Last edited by a moderator:
OP
OP
B

BobJamisonIII

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Denver, CO
Ignition coil has already been replaced. Only thing in ignition left is the pick up coil in the distributor. Just bought my fuel test Gauge so let's see what it says real fast. Fingers crossed that it's low and it's the fuel pump under the door, just because it would a very easy fix. I'll be back in a few minutes

 
OP
OP
B

BobJamisonIII

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Denver, CO
Just noticed my topic is titled 89 Bronco 2, it's an 88 but still fuel injected. Checked the fuel pressure, with truck running and running poorly pressure was around 35,36, and check engine light stayed on after battery disconnect. Any links on how to replace the pick up coil? A little nervouse to do it seems kind of a big job and my mechanic knowledge is pretty limited

 
OP
OP
B

BobJamisonIII

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2015
Messages
38
Reaction score
0
Location
Denver, CO
Found out how in my Haynes manual and I'm not buying anymore specialty tools haha but for $30 more than the cost of a new pick up coil I can buy a whole new distributor assembly which if assume would have a new coil inside of already. But will be another week before I can do that so I'll get back to ya guys when I get the new assembly

 

Bully Bob

TOP GUN
Moderator
Joined
May 23, 2004
Messages
3,844
Reaction score
12
Location
Boulder City, Nevada (Las Vegas area)
The pick-up coil is pretty easy to change.

The "caution" is the "LITTLE" rolled pin that holds the 6-point rotor (forgot what it's called) in place.

I layed some mini magnets in there just in case I dropped it.

Also, not sure who sells a "good" one.  I got one fr. O'riellys & it rubbed on the rotor as it spun. 

I put the old one (The orig. old one worked fine)  back in & I'm still looking to buy one to carry as a spare.

.

 

Members online

No members online now.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
22,509
Messages
135,878
Members
25,108
Latest member
Utahstroke
Top