Ok so I just bought a 1986 ford ranger 5 spd 4x4 with 89,000 miles. It has a 2.9L fuel injected v6. The truck runs great. We just did a tune up on it (plugs, wires, dist cap/rotor, air filter, pcv valve, oil and filter change, and greased fittings plus a radiator flush and new thermostat).

Anyway it has lost power a couple times. I'll be driving along and there will be no power. I can pump the gas a few time and it will catch but than start to die again. It's a real smooth power loss (no jerking or sputtering) and I have all electronics working.

The first time I was going up a hill (10-15mph) and was pretty low on fuel. (my gauge doesn't work) If I kept the rpm up it'd be fine for a min until it just shut off. I looked under the hood and then tried to start it again and it started right up.

2nd time same thing up hill (about 40mph), low fuel, but didn't die this time, it just tried to a few times.

Both times if I shifted down a gear it kept running with the high rpm

3rd time I was parked idling with full tanks and it started shuttering and just died. Tried to start 2 or 3 times, looked under hood than tried again. It started and died right away and then started the next time and it hasn't happenend since. The tune up was between the 1st and 2nd time.


I'm thinking fuel pump is going out. If it is is there a way to pin point between the high pressure pump mounted to the frame or the low pressure one in the gas tank? I plan on changing the filter too. It's one of the old canister ones mounted to the frame behind the pump.

Damn this turned out long. Any ideas???

 

Unless you forgot to mention it, Did you change the fuel filter?

 

I mentioned that I was about to. I bought the wrong one for the tune up. It's one of the canister ones. The manual says that it's not part of the normal tune up if it's the old canister but I'm sure it needs it after 89,000 miles.

 

I may get some flak on this, but it is a good policy to change the fuel filter at least once every year. My reasoning for this is; unleaded fuel has an unusual capability to hold water when mixed with the fuel. After allowed to settle out the water will build up in the bottom of the ,glass container in this case, and then can be readily seen. Moisture has a way of getting into the fuel tank many ways. If this water gets trapped in the fuel filter as it is supposed to, eventually it will not allow gasoline to pass. This can become a serious problem with water in the fuel filter and freezing temperatures. Dry-gas an additive is helpful to help this pass through the filter, but it will not melt ice once formed in the filter. Simple solution is to change the fuel filter at least annually.