Mechanic Advice Please...
 

My poor ol' truck is having some issues as of late. It started having difficulty turning over every once in a while. It seems like 1 out of every 20 times I try to start it the engine will act like it's flooded, even when I didn't touch the footfeed. I can hear the starter spinning, and I took the starter off not long ago and it tested fine. It will just chug-chug-chug and never turn over. In the last 2 weeks it has started dying on the road while I'm driving. All the electrical systems still work fine, but it just acts like the fuel was cut off, or combustion just all of a sudden failed. When it dies while driving, I'll try to start it again and it starts the chug-chug-chug and won't turn over.

Funny thing is if I let the truck sit for 20 minutes or so, it will fire up fine and usually not do it again for another 20 starts or so. The engine feels like it's idling a little slow as well.

It's a 4.0L V6 EFI. I haven't changed the plugs and wires in a while, but I wasn't sure if a bad plug would cause that type of behavior, especially when the engine is already running..

Any ideas on what could be causing this would be greatly appreciated.

Fuel pump?

...Or filter? :shrug:

I had considered that, but I had a new one put on 2 years ago. Had to take the whole damn fuel tank off.....

What are the chances it went bad in 2 yrs?

Thanks for the help....

or injectors?

or computer that runs the injectors?

Check to make sure you are getting a good spark first, most problems turn out to be electrical related (spark plugs, distributor,) as opposed to a fuel problem.

Make, model, year?

96 Ford Ranger XL
4L V6 EFI
manual tranny

If it's GM product, I'd bet it's the ignition module in the distributor. It's a very common problem.

sounds like a plugged fuel filter or fuel pump going out to me at first glance.

A buddy has a tester that will tell you why your check engine light is on, which mine is, and the tester says a cam shaft position sensor failed.

Would that affect the timing or firing?

If you made the common mistake of buying the cheapest fuel pump, I'd say it's likely. On a fuel pump, I always buy OEM.

Yes, I'm afraid I did buy the cheapest one.... :banghead:

Only do that on a car you're going to sell to some sucker. :p