My Pickup

[19&41]

I have a 1996 F150 Eddie Bauer XLT. I have been having problems with it for the last 2 years. After driving the truck for 1/2 hr. to 45 minutes, parking it and letting it sit for 30 minutes, it wouldn't start, or start with great difficulty. I ordered an affordable set of fuel injectors from Rock Auto and replaced them. I was able to drive the truck for about 10-12 miles before I got a check engine light for a fuel injector running rich. Also, when I set the key to run, there was a loud whine coming from the drivers' front side of the fuel rail. That was this spring just before the weather turned fiercely hot. I ordered a new set of O ring seals and scrubbed on the old injectors intending to re install them when the weather would cooperate. 2 weeks ago the weather was right and my nephew kindly replaced the injectors with my help. The injectors have a plastic cap over the nozzle and 3 of the new ones left the caps in the port My nephew was at a loss as how to get them out. I got a philips head deck screw and that got em out. A number of the O rings on the new ones were loose to the body of the injector on the input and output sides. The new seals are tight inside and out. We installed each of the injectors and tie wrapped all of their electrical connectors. I have been driving it to get it to fail and it has done well. I drove it to work today. Previously the engine would show a stumble by the time I'd get to work and I could expect the truck to not be able to start a while after parking it. I waited about 45 minutes and went back out to start it. It started with no hesitation. So far, so good.

[electra225]

I sure have to give you an "A" for effort and for not giving up. It feels good when the plan finally comes together. Good thoughts go your way for continued success with the repair.

[William]

Congrats, Rex. I'll keep my fingers crossed for continued success.

Bill

[19&41]

Thanks, guys!

[19&41]

Drove it to work again. It started right off 45 minutes after parking and again as the parking lot thinned out. It's getting heartening.

[electra225]

If I understand your first post correctly, the o-rings on the injectors were the trouble? Were they sucking air or what made them cause trouble, or don't I understand your post correctly? What turned you on to the possibility injector seals were causing grief? Good thoughts for continued success.......

[19&41]

When I pulled the oem injectors, the o rings were quite stiff. The new ones had flexible ones but a few of them were loose on the injectors. It looks like each were allowing leakage after the engine was shut off. the new ones had one that was leaking under pressure. The oem ones with new seals are on the truck now. I guess they must've succumbed to the ethanol fuel.

[19&41]

Thought I'd try driving home on the interstate last night. The fuel was getting low, so I switched to the rear tank shortly before getting to town. the engine started to stutter and i saw the gauge at empty. I guess I had forgot to fill it. It's a hassle to get gas at Costco. The delivery is too fast for my tanks to vent, so the nozzle continually shuts down. Then I get the attendant giving me the hairy eyeball thinking I am going to cause a spill.

[Motorola minion]

I had an injector (or 4) leaking in a 84 VW rabbit (USA built). The exact same thing happened, making it a bear to start hot. Otherwise it ran fine. I tried all kinds of cleaning additives, tried different gas, even had a VW dealer hook it up to a fuel system cleaning machine with no lasting results. After a year of this nonsense, I was fed up big time.

The Bosch K-jetronic system is rather simple and a troubleshooting guide in a Haynes manual hinted at leaking injectors. I followed directions and pulled out each injector after it was running, to see if residual line pressure after shutoff caused the injectors to leak fuel into a baby food jar and three of four did. Changing injectors and o-rings with the head inserts was a $150 investment that make the problem go away forever. I had the car for 13 more years and put 250K miles on it.

This was back when Haynes manuals were good, before being hopelessly dumbed down by Chilton.

[19&41]

I agree that the old Haynes manuals were better. I finished out the week taking the truck to work and it has done well. It kind of takes my back off the wall having 2 vehicles.

[electra225]

It sounds like you are at least making progress. If we say it is for sure fixed, it won't be.

Good thoughts go your way for continued progress.

[William]

Rex, it's good you finally have it sorted out, there is nothing worse than have a vehicle not running right. I have a vehicle with no heat I'm dealing with, and in Michigan heat is something you want especially this time of year.

Bill

[19&41]

I've had to sort out heating problems many times with different vehicles over the years. Maybe I could help.

[William]

Thanks, Rex, here goes. It's a 2001 Oldsmobile Bravada, GM S/T body. 4.3 V6 and power everything including auto climate control which I have never liked. The A/C works great, it will freeze you out of the vehicle. When you switch to manual mode, or for that matter auto mode and turn up the dial, even to max heat, you get nothing. I'm guessing the heater core is plugged because if you feel the two hoses that go into the heater core both are just barely warm. Operating temp on the dash gauge is normal. It is next on the list to try and figure out. There have been other projects that needed to be done before this heater problem. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Bill

[19&41]

I would agree on the core, as long as there isn't a valve in the core plumbing. I hope it's an easy one to get to.

[TC Chris]

I would agree on the core, as long as there isn't a valve in the core plumbing. I hope it's an easy one to get to.

I haven't studied later-model heating systems, but I recall that at some point GM left the heater core "on" all the time, modulating temp via various air doors. Looks like my Ranger has the same principle. The '61 Chevy has a water valve plus air mixing.

Could you try a gentle backflush on the heater core to see if some big chunks are blocking it? I haven't had real mineral buildup plugging in ages, so I wonder if you've just got chunks of debris. You'd have to figure out which way is backwards flow.

Chris Campbell

[William]

Thanks, Guys! There is no valve before the heater core. Chris, with this unit having auto air it definitely has doors to create the desired temp. This Bravada was just purchased a couple of months ago, kind of a winter beater if you will. It's replacing a 1994 Ford Ranger that runs great but every time you hit a bump more body parts fall off. It's really rusty. With modern service recommendations, which I do not agree with, I'm guessing the radiator was never flushed. Auto makers recommend 100,000 or not at all for most services besides oil changes. This Bravada just turned 100,000.

Bill

[19&41]

It's been my experience that a thoroughly clogged core also hides a leak that has become clogged as well, so I would be leery of using any aggressive chemical treatment on it.

[hermitcrab]

Those 4.3 are a good engine ... their only downfall is the cooling system..GM claimed this engine is required to use dex-cool ... the yellow crap... mechanics call it dex-kill , because it does kill seals and leaks mostly on or around the intake manifold on these engines ... It would not surprise me if you have a blockage in the core... I would try and flush it out, what have you got to lose ? a lot easier than ripping part of the dash out to replace the core . Some mechanics say to flush the dex-cool out completely and go with regular green anti-freeze My 2004 Pickup suffered from the intake leaking coolant but it was a rust bucket , so I never tried to flush it out... she went off to the crusher when all the brake lines rusted off

[electra225]

We bought the wife's Tahoe new in December 2003. It had 8 miles on the clock when we got in to drive it home. I had my auto restoration shop at that time, and drove the new Tahoe to the shop and drained the Dex-Cool out as thoroughly as possible. Then I flushed the system with clear water until I got no more orange crap out. Then I refilled the system with the old green antifreeze, a GM anti-leak pill, and two cans of water pump lube/anti-rust stuff you could buy at a parts store. IT has 183,000 miles on it now, has had the coolant changed twice in that time, and has never had a leak of any kind. The antifreeze is still nice and green still. I got my old Pontiac, a 2004, as a rental return in 2005 with 15,000 miles on it. I drained the Dex-Cool and put in the green stuff and anti-rust compound. I drove it 207,000 miles and never did a thing to the coolant after that. It was still green when I sold the car. That was the most dependable car, and the ugliest car, I have ever owned. Dex-Cool is corrosive to aluminum and eats up plastic.