Can you PM me the VIN so I can look up the original equipment?
That crazy girl is back with another question (Ford F-150 truck)
Hello, all-- I'm hoping I can trouble you with another mechanical question--this time about my truck.
The truck is an '88 Ford F-150 that was left to me last year when a friend passed away. It has been great tool for hauling firewood, going to the dump, bringing in fence posts, etc. I use it only about 20 times a year, but having it has made a huge difference in terms of what I am able to accomplish (by myself) on the homestead.
I took the truck into a mechanic for the first time last week because it was running very rough. I knew that a previous owner had put in a brand new engine and, in the process, had stripped out all of the emissions stuff. According to the mechanic (who has a good reputation in town), the stuff that was removed included all of the electrical components for the fuel injection system. He believes that this is the reason why the truck is running so rough. He tuned up the engine so that it is running better, and then gave me some choices: (1) call it "good enough" for an occasional-use truck, (2) find the right used components and build the injection system back the way Ford had it, or (3) put in a carburetor.
Which of these options makes the most sense for me?
The truck is an '88 Ford F-150 that was left to me last year when a friend passed away. It has been great tool for hauling firewood, going to the dump, bringing in fence posts, etc. I use it only about 20 times a year, but having it has made a huge difference in terms of what I am able to accomplish (by myself) on the homestead.
I took the truck into a mechanic for the first time last week because it was running very rough. I knew that a previous owner had put in a brand new engine and, in the process, had stripped out all of the emissions stuff. According to the mechanic (who has a good reputation in town), the stuff that was removed included all of the electrical components for the fuel injection system. He believes that this is the reason why the truck is running so rough. He tuned up the engine so that it is running better, and then gave me some choices: (1) call it "good enough" for an occasional-use truck, (2) find the right used components and build the injection system back the way Ford had it, or (3) put in a carburetor.
Which of these options makes the most sense for me?
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The fuel injection and electronic ignition are run by the computer, so if it still has those, the computer must still be there. He may have removed sensor(s) etc. that the computer needs to make it run well, so there may not be very much that has to be added back. You could ask the mechanic to tell you exactly what it needs; if it's minimal, option 2 might be a good choice. But if it's not going to be driven much, then fuel mileage isn't a big concern, and it may not be worth the cost to spend much to do that. In that case, "good enough" might be the best choice.gave me some choices: (1) call it "good enough" for an occasional-use truck, (2) find the right used components and build the injection system back the way Ford had it, or (3) put in a carburetor.
Yes, we are going to need a few more details, ie what size engine. Maybe a photo of under the hood.
You said you took it to the mechanic because it was running rough. How was it running when you first took possession of it?
The old fuel injection systems of the mid to late 80s weren't so complicated. An electric fuel pump, a relay, and injectors. They can be affected by bad gas, plugged filter, bad catalytic converter, o2 sensors, etc.
Our help is free and worth every penny, so take advantage and share as many details with us as you like.
You said you took it to the mechanic because it was running rough. How was it running when you first took possession of it?
The old fuel injection systems of the mid to late 80s weren't so complicated. An electric fuel pump, a relay, and injectors. They can be affected by bad gas, plugged filter, bad catalytic converter, o2 sensors, etc.
Our help is free and worth every penny, so take advantage and share as many details with us as you like.
Exactly, had it run bad since you got it, or did it get worse? If it had gotten worse, that means it’s not necessarily the modifications your friend made earlier.
My son converted a fuel injected truck to carbureted, not as easy as it sounds, but can be done,BUT since you’re paying someone else to do the work, I’d say not worth the trouble for a farm truck.
My son converted a fuel injected truck to carbureted, not as easy as it sounds, but can be done,BUT since you’re paying someone else to do the work, I’d say not worth the trouble for a farm truck.
I would also be interested in knowing if your mechanic checked the truck's ecm for trouble codes.
If it ran fine when you got it , I would drain the gas and get fresh gas and a can of sea foam
you need to drive them enough to use a tank of gas every 3 months or more often and some times that means just using it to go get groceries ect..
my little garden truck is a 88 S-10 it is stock throttle body injected I take it to run erands or drive it to work some times just to run some gas through it.
the 88 f-150 is multi port and I ran into very rough running with my 86 f50 which was the first year for multi port fuel injection but I let it go as it was rusting out badly and I wasn't driving it hardly at all.
you need to drive them enough to use a tank of gas every 3 months or more often and some times that means just using it to go get groceries ect..
my little garden truck is a 88 S-10 it is stock throttle body injected I take it to run erands or drive it to work some times just to run some gas through it.
the 88 f-150 is multi port and I ran into very rough running with my 86 f50 which was the first year for multi port fuel injection but I let it go as it was rusting out badly and I wasn't driving it hardly at all.
What year and what size engine?
My '90 van had a central fuel injection system. My '98 Crown Vic had injectors.
My '90 van had a central fuel injection system. My '98 Crown Vic had injectors.
I also have an '88 F-150, but it hasn't run since I parked it in 2010.
Mine has a 302 V-8 but they also came with a 300 straight 6.
If your truck is running at all, the previous owner did not "strip out" all the wiring components for the fuel injection.
I've worked on Ford trucks and cars since my first pickup, bought new, a 1974 F-100.
Find another mechanic.
Your option of putting on a carb would be a good one IF you drove the truck regularly. Otherwise the ethanol gasoline will gum up the carb and render it useless.
Also. to put a carburetor on it you'll need a proper intake manifold. And I'm not sure if the existing computer operated ignition would work. You might have to get an aftermarket distributor such as made by MSD.
Figure on about $1,000 for the intake, 4 barrel carb, distributor, and labor.
And then remember - you'll have to either drive it regularly or use nothing but non-ethanol gasoline.
It would NOT make an "occasional use" truck.
Mine has a 302 V-8 but they also came with a 300 straight 6.
If your truck is running at all, the previous owner did not "strip out" all the wiring components for the fuel injection.
I've worked on Ford trucks and cars since my first pickup, bought new, a 1974 F-100.
Find another mechanic.
Your option of putting on a carb would be a good one IF you drove the truck regularly. Otherwise the ethanol gasoline will gum up the carb and render it useless.
Also. to put a carburetor on it you'll need a proper intake manifold. And I'm not sure if the existing computer operated ignition would work. You might have to get an aftermarket distributor such as made by MSD.
Figure on about $1,000 for the intake, 4 barrel carb, distributor, and labor.
And then remember - you'll have to either drive it regularly or use nothing but non-ethanol gasoline.
It would NOT make an "occasional use" truck.
The "electronics" on an '88 were not very sophisticated at all compared to today's vehicles-- not much more than an O2 sensor on the exhaust....As others have said-- it depends on whether the truck was running well at first, then went rough, or was it rough from the start..If it went from good to bad, then something changed....could be the something in the ignition system (bad plugs, bad plug wires, bad distributor, etc) or in the fuel delivery system (bad injector(s), fouled injector(s).)
I'm no longer familar with after market stuff-- Switching to a carb probably involves, as Al said, also a switch to a different manifold-- involving more expense.
How bad is bad and what's good enough? Improved performance and fuel savings from making proper repairs when you only drive a few hundred miles a year probably isn't worth it.
Thanks to the EPA, we now have cars with engines that cost a few thousand dollars more than the old conventional carb'points/plugs and the only real advantage is that they start easily in the winter now.
I'm no longer familar with after market stuff-- Switching to a carb probably involves, as Al said, also a switch to a different manifold-- involving more expense.
How bad is bad and what's good enough? Improved performance and fuel savings from making proper repairs when you only drive a few hundred miles a year probably isn't worth it.
Thanks to the EPA, we now have cars with engines that cost a few thousand dollars more than the old conventional carb'points/plugs and the only real advantage is that they start easily in the winter now.
The ecm on an 88 was very, very basic and designed to run in closed loop under fixed settings until it warmed up. It was not reactionary or programmable and did not "learn". In fact, we used to read trouble codes on many of them without a scanner by simply plugging two ends of a paper clip into certain ports on the pigtail and reading the coded flashes on the dashboard.
Are you thinking General Motors with the paper clip trick?The ecm on an 88 was very, very basic and designed to run in closed loop under fixed settings until it warmed up. It was not reactionary or programmable and did not "learn". In fact, we used to read trouble codes on many of them without a scanner by simply plugging two ends of a paper clip into certain ports on the pigtail and reading the coded flashes on the dashboard.
I don't know about GM, but it is a OBD I test for Ford.Are you thinking General Motors with the paper clip trick?
Didn't have to be a paper clip, just a jumper wire would do. The test port should be under the hood on the 150 on the passenger side, if I recall. The OBD1 system was used until about 1997.Are you thinking General Motors with the paper clip trick?
If it ran well when you got it I would try the simple cheap solution first and put fresh gas in it. I also recommend STP super concentrated fuel injector cleaner. I have been running that occasionally in my 96 bronco since it was new and it runs great.
Good mechanics don't always find all the gremlins. Sometimes there are too many, sometimes they are bound to the customer's pocketbook. I have seen smokey motors diagnosed as worn out when it was little more than bad gas, fouled plugs, or clogged crankcase ventilation.
Turn the key on without starting the engine. The check engine light will flash either in quick succession or steady. For example, three steady flashes with a pause in between is three "1"s. Three 1s is OBD1 lingo for all is good.
Two quick flashes, a pause, and 3 quick flashes would be a "23" which if I recall, is the throttle position sensor.
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Two quick flashes, a pause, and 3 quick flashes would be a "23" which if I recall, is the throttle position sensor.
OBDII became standard in 1996 I happened to be working as a mechanic in 96
it was on a few things as early as 1993
both the 88 S-10 and my 86 F-150 you could do the jumper and trouble light to read the codes
it was on a few things as early as 1993
both the 88 S-10 and my 86 F-150 you could do the jumper and trouble light to read the codes
I still have my old Sun Pro code scanner for Fords
In the same vein, the OP needs to detail the available budget based on the "use it only about 20 times a year, but having it has made a huge difference in terms of what I am able to accomplish (by myself)" statement.Yes, we are going to need a few more details, ie what size engine. Maybe a photo of under the hood.
You said you took it to the mechanic because it was running rough. How was it running when you first took possession of it?
The old fuel injection systems of the mid to late 80s weren't so complicated. An electric fuel pump, a relay, and injectors. They can be affected by bad gas, plugged filter, bad catalytic converter, o2 sensors, etc.
Our help is free and worth every penny, so take advantage and share as many details with us as you like.
A large part of the decision to follow one plan or the other depends on $$$ available and the importance of using the F150 every 2-3 weeks in a year.
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
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