vsinger
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- Mar 12, 2017
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- Vehicle Year
- 1987
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- Ford
I've been reading various posts here, and on TRS and Ford-Trucks.com, trying to make sense of my recent experience. I purchased a 1987 Bronco II from a gentleman in Ruidoso, New Mexico. He tow dollied the truck to Roswell, where I picked it up a few days later. The truck fired right up after I attached the + cable to the battery, which had been detached by the seller. I drove to a local gas station on my way out of town, filled up, and started for home in Lubbock, TX, about 180 miles. I got as far as the west side of Tatum, NM (75 miles), when the motor started running very poorly, with a smell of raw gas. I pulled over, turned off and tried to restart - cranked, but no start. Got gas in a can - poured in about 1 1/2 gallons, along with a can of "Gumout" - restarted fine. Drove to Plains, TX (30 miles). Was running poorly again. Added about 1 gallon to fill up at gas station - started fine again (added another bottle of Fuel Injector cleaner). Started driving. Got about 15 miles, same thing again. Took almost no gas, would not restart. Friend and I came back later and flat-towed truck home.
With the truck on the street outside my friend's house, we have apparently found that there is a short of some kind, as if I leave the battery connected (especially after changing the decrepit + cable (to the solenoid), it will almost fully drain within 24 hours. The fuel pump relay (?) on the pass. side inner fender got really hot while my friend had his starter/charger connected in "start" mode, but no fuel pump priming sounds. I also checked the inertia sensor and pressed the reset button - no help. However, several of the connectors have loose/dirty bare/corroded/ wires hanging out or very loose. I am thinking about changing some connectors and/or relays and/or the fuel pump. I'll update with more info. We did connect an ammeter from the battery + terminal to the disconnected + cable, and it maxed out over the 200 ma limit of the meter with the ignition off.
Thanks for all of the helpful posts. Yes, we do have some Haynes manuals, but (for instance) none of these mention the inertia cut-off switch - which makes forums like this one so beneficial...
With the truck on the street outside my friend's house, we have apparently found that there is a short of some kind, as if I leave the battery connected (especially after changing the decrepit + cable (to the solenoid), it will almost fully drain within 24 hours. The fuel pump relay (?) on the pass. side inner fender got really hot while my friend had his starter/charger connected in "start" mode, but no fuel pump priming sounds. I also checked the inertia sensor and pressed the reset button - no help. However, several of the connectors have loose/dirty bare/corroded/ wires hanging out or very loose. I am thinking about changing some connectors and/or relays and/or the fuel pump. I'll update with more info. We did connect an ammeter from the battery + terminal to the disconnected + cable, and it maxed out over the 200 ma limit of the meter with the ignition off.
Thanks for all of the helpful posts. Yes, we do have some Haynes manuals, but (for instance) none of these mention the inertia cut-off switch - which makes forums like this one so beneficial...