2.9 Won't start.

[kyle1468]

Hey everyone, I have an issue with my 1988 Ford ranger that has the 2.9 in it. I was coming home from work and it was driving great and all the sudden started to sputter like i was loosing fuel then backfired a bunch and every time it did black smoke would come out of the exhaust. I got towed home and tested fuel pumps etc no problems there but when trying to start it cranks but will not start. I've tried staring fluid all it will do is backfire maybe or nothing at all. it has been starting hard for a while but if you held the throttle to the floor it would start up quick and act normal. i bought a spark tester and i have put a new coil on spark seems very weak and almost nonexistent. any ideas of where to start or anything would be greatly appreciated.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Pull the codes on it.

Sounds like a TFI failure.

 

[kyle1468]

Pull the codes on it.

Sounds like a TFI failure.

I don't have check engine light on (I know that doesn't mean there can't be codes) but I also am new to the older check engine lights that aren't OBDII so how would I go about pulling those. thanks, in advance. also, would a TFI cause hard starts then just die completely? I wasn't sure if they slowly went out or just died without warning.

 

[RonD]

Crank the engine over a few times
Pull out a spark plug, easiest one to get at
Tip should be WET with "fuel"
Light the tip with match or lighter, should burn fast and bright
If not then you have water in the gas tank
The water will foul the starting fluid mix as well as the gasoline mix, and it will loosen carbon in the cylinders causing black smoke when a cylinder does fire

If tip burns well then yes, spark issue
TFI module was most common issue with 2.9l, but odd to fail while in use, usual failure was no start after engine was warmed up and shut off briefly, TFI module was overheated


All gasoline has some water in it, "bad gas" has too much water
Water can't mix with gasoline
Water is heavier than gasoline
So water will settle to the bottom of the gas tank.......where fuel pump is

 

[kyle1468]

Crank the engine over a few times
Pull out a spark plug, easiest one to get at
Tip should be WET with "fuel"
Light the tip with match or lighter, should burn fast and bright
If not then you have water in the gas tank
The water will foul the starting fluid mix as well as the gasoline mix, and it will loosen carbon in the cylinders causing black smoke when a cylinder does fire

If tip burns well then yes, spark issue
TFI module was most common issue with 2.9l, but odd to fail while in use, usual failure was no start after engine was warmed up and shut off briefly, TFI module was overheated


All gasoline has some water in it, "bad gas" has too much water
Water can't mix with gasoline
Water is heavier than gasoline
So water will settle to the bottom of the gas tank.......where fuel pump is

okay I will try that when I get home I thought maybe water in fuel, but I'll just test it to double check. I just figured when I try to start it with starting fluid it should at least try to fire but it just cranks.

 

[RonD]

Yes, but the thing about any water in the tank is that it becomes more concentrated at the bottom of the tank the longer the vehicle sits still.
So while driving you my get a 25% water 75% fuel so very rough running then stalling
But after it sits a few hours............100% water at the bottom of the tank
An not even starting fluid(ether) can over come that mix

You could pull the fuel pump relay or fuel pump fuse, then try the starting fluid

But water in the tank is an easier fix than TFI or spark system diagnostics

 

[kyle1468]

Yes, but the thing about any water in the tank is that it becomes more concentrated at the bottom of the tank the longer the vehicle sits still.
So while driving you my get a 25% water 75% fuel so very rough running then stalling
But after it sits a few hours............100% water at the bottom of the tank
An not even starting fluid(ether) can over come that mix

You could pull the fuel pump relay or fuel pump fuse, then try the starting fluid

But water in the tank is an easier fix than TFI or spark system diagnostics

thank you I will definitely try that later today and I will come back and let you know what I find in case that isn't the issue.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Order one of these...

Amazon.com

Makes pulling codes way eaiser then doing it with a volt meter or something.

Also...i have personally had a TFI fail very similar how to you describe on an 87 2.9. It didnt start hard or anything, was running fine then bam...just up and croaked.

It did fire once i got it home but died after about 10 seconds and that was it.

TFI's die in weird ways. What Ron said is correct for their normal MO of death...but they can fail in lots of ways.

I would order that code reader and see what you come up with.

 

[kyle1468]

Order one of these...

Amazon.com

Makes pulling codes way eaiser then doing it with a volt meter or something.

Also...i have personally had a TFI fail very similar how to you describe on an 87 2.9. It didnt start hard or anything, was running fine then bam...just up and croaked.

It did fire once i got it home but died after about 10 seconds and that was it.

TFI's die in weird ways. What Ron said is correct for their normal MO of death...but they can fail in lots of ways.

I would order that code reader and see what you come up with.

i got home today and started messing with it cutting the fuel off and trying to start with starting fluid did nothing. hooked the test light to the coil spark wire and had decent spark pulled codes from ecc got a code 14 a code 18 and it was working on another but it would freak out and stop showing codes. (Also i forgot lately it has had a issue with the tachometer working then dropping to 0 then 10 or so seconds later it would jump back up to normal. didnt know if this had anything to do with the TFI) i put spark light on plugs and got spark but was kind of weak aswell. i have fuel good fresh gas. i am leaning towards the TFI i just wasn't sure if it would still have spark if the TFI failed. i was going to replace the TFI and replace plugs while im at it just was hoping to not go down a rabbit hole of replacing things that ultimately dont solve my issue.

 

[RonD]

Do you have a timing light to check if distributor has shifted
And a steady pulse while cranking will also tell you if spark is intermittent

If you have fuel(starting fluid), spark(at the right time) and compression, then a gasoline engine will fire
Since you have added fuel manually and it didn't fire you are down to spark or compression

Tach cutting out means signal to coil and/or computer(injector timing) could be cutting out
That would be TFI OR...........the hall effect sensor inside the distributor

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Do you have a timing light to check if distributor has shifted
And a steady pulse while cranking will also tell you if spark is intermittent

If you have fuel(starting fluid), spark(at the right time) and compression, then a gasoline engine will fire
Since you have added fuel manually and it didn't fire you are down to spark or compression

Tach cutting out means signal to coil and/or computer(injector timing) could be cutting out
That would be TFI OR...........the hall effect sensor inside the distributor

Most likely TFI

 

[kyle1468]

i do not have a timing light.. but the tach issue has been going on for short time and when i first started the truck somedays it would stumble and die and then started back up and was fine worse when engine was warm starting would be harder.

 

[kyle1468]

okay so i have replaced tfi distributor cap and rotor plugs and wires and still nothing. i am leaning towards a timing issue something to do with the timing chain/tensioners etc. i know the 2.9 is a non interference engine so i shouldn't have to worry about bent valves but if i replace timing chain and align marks back up do i have to mess with distributor timing or as long as i don't touch that should i be fine.

 

[RonD]

You should check and time a distributor engine once a year
You can find timing lights at garage sales cheap

Timing chains were never an issue with the 2.9l engines, but yes you will need to time distrubutor if you change the timing chain

 

[rusty ol ranger]

okay so i have replaced tfi distributor cap and rotor plugs and wires and still nothing. i am leaning towards a timing issue something to do with the timing chain/tensioners etc. i know the 2.9 is a non interference engine so i shouldn't have to worry about bent valves but if i replace timing chain and align marks back up do i have to mess with distributor timing or as long as i don't touch that should i be fine.

I will almost 99% gurantee its not the chain. In 20 years here i dont think ive ever heard of a 2.9 chain failure.

It could possibly be the distributor itself. IIRC code 18 usually relates to that. It may even be wiring or an ECM failure