88 bronco II problems

[Drakes1st]

Alright guys.....I am no master mechanic...but I am trying to learn....this is an 88 5sp 2.9 4wd....everything has been running fine. let it set for a couple of months and then when I drove it...it started acting up ....it would run fine then all of a sudden shut down ...or idle would jump.....then it just progressed to now it will turn over and fire ..burn the initial shot of gas and then die ...one time it will burn it at a really high rev ...then it will barely burn ...or sound like its hitting on one cylinder ....but nothing last over a second or two and it shuts down.....rear fuel pump was out or contributing atleast as it tested bad so I replaced it ....replaced fuel filter....didn't really help with the problem.....still wont run....getting gas though !!! then I pulled a plug and it was very fouled ..a lot of gas on it ...so I changed all the plugs....wires...tried it again and nothing ..same problem ....changed the Throttle sensor nothing....the Dist....and mod are also new.....ran a code scanner and it shows it shows an air flow problem upwards only on right side ...don't know what that is ...and Map sensor....fuel ground eec open.....I figure the fuel ground code is from me testing the pump or something related there...the pump is coming on a working fine....the map sensor is 60 bucks locally and i don't want to buy it unless I no thats what it is ...ie it could be a vacum or something related to the sensor and it actually is doing its job....I guess one question I have is can the map sensor cause this problem....had a guy tell me that it wouldn't effect start up only driving down the road would bring the map sensor into play .....what do you guys think ....coder also gave me powersteering sensor warning and A/C on waring ..the a/c wasn't on and the powersteering is fine ...any help or suggestions would be appreciated...Thanks

[vabronconut]

Alright guys.....I am no master mechanic...but I am trying to learn....this is an 88 5sp 2.9 4wd....everything has been running fine. let it set for a couple of months and then when I drove it...it started acting up ....it would run fine then all of a sudden shut down ...or idle would jump.....then it just progressed to now it will turn over and fire ..burn the initial shot of gas and then die ...one time it will burn it at a really high rev ...then it will barely burn ...or sound like its hitting on one cylinder ....but nothing last over a second or two and it shuts down.....rear fuel pump was out or contributing atleast as it tested bad so I replaced it ....replaced fuel filter....didn't really help with the problem.....still wont run....getting gas though !!! then I pulled a plug and it was very fouled ..a lot of gas on it ...so I changed all the plugs....wires...tried it again and nothing ..same problem ....changed the Throttle sensor nothing....the Dist....and mod are also new.....ran a code scanner and it shows it shows an air flow problem upwards only on right side ...don't know what that is ...and Map sensor....fuel ground eec open.....I figure the fuel ground code is from me testing the pump or something related there...the pump is coming on a working fine....the map sensor is 60 bucks locally and i don't want to buy it unless I no thats what it is ...ie it could be a vacum or something related to the sensor and it actually is doing its job....I guess one question I have is can the map sensor cause this problem....had a guy tell me that it wouldn't effect start up only driving down the road would bring the map sensor into play .....what do you guys think ....coder also gave me powersteering sensor warning and A/C on waring ..the a/c wasn't on and the powersteering is fine ...any help or suggestions would be appreciated...Thanks

sounds like a ignition problem to me. i dont see how air problem can be related to one side or the other in these engines but hey i learn something every day.

check these things before you buy any parts.
cehck for spark at the end of the plug wire by sticking a screw driver in the end of the wire and hold the exposed metal part of the screw driver next to the block or a metal bracket about a 1/16" away and have someone turn it over. you should
see a solid blue arc, any yellow and its bad, no arc well ..... you know

spray wd 40 inside your distibutor cap and let dry out

take a scotch pad to the distributor cap points on the outside and inside of the cap, and to the rotor button

i can't see a vacume leak playing a roll in starting and map also, your friend is right, they would only effect running not starting.

did gas pour out of the cylinders when you changed the plugs? if so the regulator could be bad or fuel pump relay is not turning off when engine is not running causing fuel to pour into the cylinders.

[Drakes1st]

Well...thanks for the reply ....your not gonna believe this one ...I still can't ...I went ahead and bought the map sensor ...hooked it up and presto ...everything is running like a champ ....I guess that dam sensor can mess up the fuel air mixture so bad if its out that it can cause it not to start ....I don't know ..I changed it and it worked so I am happy ....I appreciate you taking the time to reply ....learn something new everyday ...

[vabronconut]

awesome ! glad to hear its back on the road. definetly thanks for letting us know the end result. that map sensor must have really been f-up to cause all that. i have seen them go bad but usually the engine just surged hard, thanks for the lesson