My Stupid Van - Part 2 *UPDATE*

[Howley]

As some of you may remember, I was having a mysterious problem with my 2L carby'd 1992 Ford Econovan. Currently, symptoms are as follows:

- Starts fine
- Idles fine
- After a few days without driving, it drives fine
- After about 1km of driving, WHAM, it's like I hit something. Engine loses all power.
- I can rev the engine, but it will get a bit above idle RPM and lose power again. It's like it can't go above idle RPM
- I can't stall it with this method
- If I keep my foot down after it has died, it will backfire (loudly)

To fix it I have tried the following:

- Changed the fuel filter
- Changed a spark plug lead that was burned on the exhaust manifold
- Put petrol drying agent in the tank

None of these things fixed the problem.

The only ideas I have are:

- Fuel blockage obstructing but not stopping the flow of fuel.
- Some other thing


If anyone has any ideas it would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[Rameses]

Blocked vent on the fuel tank?

Try driving it with the gas cap off and see if that solves the problem.

(Although I don't really know how that would explain the backfiring.    )

[ducatiz]

Blocked vent on the fuel tank?

Try driving it with the gas cap off and see if that solves the problem.

(Although I don't really know how that would explain the backfiring.    )

perfectly.

vacuum in the tank, carbs drained, voila -- lean combustion!

[ducpainter]

My Focus won't run without the cap in place.

Don't know if they have the same type of 'feature' down under.

[ScottRNelson]

If anyone has any ideas it would be much appreciated.

Fill eight one-gallon milk jugs with gasoline, put them inside, stuff a rag into one of them and ignite it.  Then push it off of a cliff and go buy a Chevy. 








Sorry, couldn't help myself.  I actually hate Chevy worse than Ford.

[Ducatiloo]

Maybe you need a new Cat.  A blocked cat would cause the issue you listed.  I had the exact same issue with a old Ford Taurus.

[Howley]

Maybe you need a new Cat.  A blocked cat would cause the issue you listed.  I had the exact same issue with a old Ford Taurus.

Cat as in catalytic converter?

[ducpainter]

Cat as in catalytic converter?

That's the slang for them here.

[Howley]

Do aussie cars even have them?

[ducpainter]

Do aussie cars even have them?

You got me.

Paging bigiain....

or Brad would know too

[Howley]

**UPDATE**

Took the fuel cap off. There was a whoosh sound. Took it for a drive with the cap off. It got almost twice as far, and just as I was thinking in my head how I would write my thankyou reply on this forum, WHAM, same symptoms.

Bugger.

[ducpainter]

If the van has rubber fuel line anywhere in the system I'd replace them.

Maybe collapsing and stopping fuel flow.

[ducatiz]

If the van has rubber fuel line anywhere in the system I'd replace them.

Maybe collapsing and stopping fuel flow.

that and pull the fuel pump and make sure there isn't a blockage on the uptake bag. 

but the fact there was a "whoosh" when you opened the tank makes me really suspicious.

[Latinbalar]

the whoosh is normal, the pump sometimes creates a vacuum and you get a whoosh usually when the tank is not empty.  Also you may have an air problem, check your intake system and make sure the the Mass Air Flow sensor is okay. Also you may want to recheck your vacuum hoses.  those hoses are the tendons in an engine they move and adjust all sorts of shit.

[Howley]

Is it possible that it's an electrical problem? If my coil was on the way out would it have these symptoms? The backfire, when it happens, is LOUD!. Makes me think plenty of fuel is getting in there. I'm beginning to think it's more related to how warm the car gets rather than how far I drive.