460cid Stalling...Ideas please

[Bill (Trucker101)]

[size=12pt]Hi all,  I need some suggestions please.
I have a 1985 ford motorhome with a 460cid. Last year when I parked it,it ran fine. The other day when I started it,it kept stalling? It would run on reg idle or fast idle for about 30 seconds then quit. I restarted it & blocked the choke open,no change.I kept restarting it till the engine warmed up,no change.I removed the gas caps,no change. Two gas tanks, 1/2 & 3/4 full. If I rev it up & down it will run a little longer but not much.While it is running,it's running smooth as can be.
What the heck could it be?
Thanks for any help...Bill ???[/size]

 

[RetiredLE]

Sounds like a clogged fuel filter.

 

[Just Lou]

Bill, I'm not sure what chassis you have (F53 or F350/450) so I'm not sure if both tanks feed through the same fuel filter or not.

My first guess is that you need to replace the fuel filter.  On the F53 it's usually mounted on the inside of the frame rail along the drivers side just aft of the drivers seat.  You will need the little fuel line clip release tool so pick one up at the auto parts store.

 

[Bill (Trucker101)]

Bill, I'm not sure what chassis you have (F53 or F350/450) so I'm not sure if both tanks feed through the same fuel filter or not.

My first guess is that you need to replace the fuel filter.  On the F53 it's usually mounted on the inside of the frame rail along the drivers side just aft of the drivers seat.  You will need the little fuel line clip release tool so pick one up at the auto parts store.

Sorry,chassis is e350 it's the same Motorhome that is my avatar in the post. I'm pretty sure there is a fuel filter at the carb, & I'll also look for another one...Thanks

 

[tswms]

I have had stalling  problems twice with my Ford 460 (1990) First turned out to be  Fuel Pump. Mine has two High pressure in tank and low pressure in frame with filter.  Second acted like fuel filter also but turned out to be the catalytic converter.  I would check filter first. Then pressure test fuel pump.

Tony

 

[JIGGS]

Mine had two filters one on the rail and one by the carb. My trouble was the one by the carb. We were leaving for bristol when it happened. One guy with us was a mechanic and knows fords from racing them. He couldn't find that one. Finally he followed the gas hose and the filter doesn't look like a filter. It looks like a regular hose connector. He couldn't blow thru it so he drilled it out and put it together and started wright up.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Could also have a critter taking up residence in the air intake. Check the air intake "horn" and air filter as well.

 

[Bill (Trucker101)]

Could also have a critter taking up residence in the air intake. Check the air intake "horn" and air filter as well.

[size=14pt]Yes I was thinking that also,so first thing off was the air breather,no renters there[/size].

 

[Bill (Trucker101)]

Today I went hunting for a fuel filter. I followed both lines from the tanks to the place where the line go into the carb.
The picture that I'm putting the links to shows my carb, is this a fuel filter? If it is I took it off, blew it out with compressed air & reinstalled it. It still stalls but it does run a little longer than before.Other than what the pix show I couldn't find any other filter?







The next link has a green box & a red box in the picture. I removed the screw(red box) from both float bowls,cranked engine over,lots of gas comes out. The green box is the fuel line into carb. I could not crack the nuts to remove the line,so I removed it at what I think is a filter,lots of fuel coming out while cranking.
Engine still stalls.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

That doesn't look like a filter to me. The "T" suggests its purpose is to allow excess fuel to return to the tank, a common feature with electric fuel pumps.

A faulty fuel pump comes to mind - low fuel pressure, starving the engine.  The 460's I know about had the fuel pump in the tank, but those were 1990's models. Don't know if it was there in 85 or not. Ford had problems with their electric fuel pumps in the early-to-mid 90's and had to replace a lot of them. The symptoms were similar - fuel starvation.

 

[Bob Flight]

Our RV is on a 1988 John Deere chassis with a Ford 460.  Our fuel pump is located on the from side of the fuel tank.  There are other versions that have the fuel pump in the tank.  For fuel filters, we have one along the frame rail and another at the inlet to the carb.

Our fuel pump failed a couple of years ago and we found that it was a standard after market Holly pump.  The old one would run, but not pump any fuel.  An autopsy found that an internal check valve had failed.  We also replaced the fuel pressure regulator near the carb.  We were very lucky that it failed in the drive & not on the road.

 

[JIGGS]

Yhay looks something like I was talking about. We took a drill and drilled it out and all was well. Some times there is a filter on the carb were the gas line goes in

 

[Bill (Trucker101)]

I found this part online. It looks similar to the part on my motor that I blew out,thats why I'm asking if anyone knows if it's a fuel filter?
Thanks ??? ???

 

[Just Lou]

Can't really see how restricted the inside is, but it looks like a simple gender-bender coupling to me.
It may also have a strainer in it just to drive the price up.

 

[Bill (Trucker101)]

I was crawling around under this thing today, I thought I had a mechanical fuel pump but nope. So on the hunt for an electric one. The photo I am posting I know is my tank switch gizmo.I had my wife switch tanks back & forth & it clicks when she does that. But is it also a electric fuel pump? Thats all I can find?

 

[DonTom]

I was crawling around under this thing today, I thought I had a mechanical fuel pump but nope. So on the hunt for an electric one. The photo I am posting I know is my tank switch gizmo.I had my wife switch tanks back & forth & it clicks when she does that. But is it also a electric fuel pump? Thats all I can find?

Even in a 1985 with a carb,  there's a good chance that your fuel pump is located in the gasoline tank. See if you can tell how many wires go to the top of the gas tank.  That might give a clue. Also, check to see if you have a fuel pump fuse. Also, listen for it just before you start the engine. IOW, ignition on but not started. Do you hear anything the first few seconds, such as a steady clicking that stops in a few seconds?

BTW, I am going to guess you have one of these.

That's in the gas tank and looks like the fuel gauge sensor is part of the assembly.

-Don- SSF, CA​

           

 

[S J Strait]

I wonder if you put your hand over the exhaust pipe is anything coming out ? I had a similar problem once and it turned out to be a clogged catalytic converter.

 

[adun015]

The symptoms you described are exactly what I was experiencing with my 1985 Chevy 454 MH. I found I had two fuel filters, one just before the fuel pump ( mechanical ) and one inside the carb. It is a paper cylinder filter with a pressure valve on one end. If it clogs I would get fuel to start but it will not run.
Now for the other piece, is there a chance that you kinked a fuel line. If you get a restricted fuel flow it will run and shut off as the engine is starved for fuel. Just a thought that you might want to check.