Hi All,

New member here. I have a 1988 Ford Ranger XLT 2.3L, 4 cyl, 5 spd manual trans with about 86,000 miles, although the odometer has probably turned over at least once! Earlier this year I did a bunch of work on it and it has been running really well until today.

I drove it a few times last week and last weekend and it ran fine. Today while I was driving it on the highway it all of a sudden started to lose power. I was going up a hill but I don't think that mattered much. I downshifted until I was in 1st gear and then coasted to the shoulder and the engine died. I got it started again but it quit. I got a tow home and close to my house I got it started again and pulled it into the driveway. I let it run for a little bit and it ran fine even when I revved the engine. I took it for a short drive and the same thing happened. I gradually lost power and then it quit running. After letting it sit for a little bit I it started again and I was able to get back into my driveway.

It seems like a fuel filter or fuel pump problem that manifests itself when the engine gets warm and there is a demand for fuel that is greater than what is needed for idling. Am I on the right track or could it be something completely different? Like I said, after it cools off a little it idles fine.

Thanks
TangoKilo

 

It does kinda sound like a clogged fuel filter

 

I have just done a little research on vapor lock, which CAN happen in fuel injected vehicles, and it sounds plausible. It was in the 80s when I drove the 20 miles home today (unseasonably warm) when the problem occurred, but when I went to work at 6:00 this morning it was in the 40s and it ran fine, as it has on previous days when it was cooler than it was today.