diagnostic help needed!!!!

[dfitz]

ok, here's the symptom
(to/from and during ouray)
on the highway going up grade it starts cutting out, like running out of gas, if you lightly feather/pump the gas it will sort of help but not much, it will idle fine and will make the climb eventually but only at just above idle speed, worse at altitude but is not consistent, seems to be related to temp, but it never got that hot, barely above mid range.
On the way there it did it from Mesquite, NV to Richfield, UT off and on, I spent the night in Richfield then drove to Ouray without a problem.
It happened a couple of times going over the Red Mountain pass to Silverton but not every time. On the way home it didn't start until Green River, UT and lasted until St. George, after that it was ok!
when it happens there is usually a very strong gas (fuel) odor noticeable, when it cuts out it's almost like, turning off and on the ignition, could this be electrical?????
on the advice of one of another FSJ'r I cut and plugged the vent line from the fuel filter and left the line from the tank open, this had no noticable effect good or bad.
any help would be appreciated, I'm stumped!
thanks,
Dennis

[Bob Barry]

Since you say it is temperature-related, I'm going to suggest an old favorite: ignition module.

Especially if you're smelling raw fuel, but there's none on the exterior of the engine (i.e. from a leaky line or fuel-pump), it sounds like the light-throttle/moderate-load when the ignition is just about fully advanced from the vacuum canister is too much for a hot ignition box to fire.

Check if the resistance wire to the coil is frayed at the end where it connects to the coil; that might increase resistance and decrease voltage, to the point where it starts cutting out.

[dfitz]

man I'm really gonna hate myself if that's the problem, but I'm inclined to agree, I even bought a new one in Utah on the way home. It acted just like the vapor lock problem that everyone was having I just ASSUMED that was it! I even bragged that it still has the original (78) module that was in it new!
oh well, live and learn I guess, not sure how I'll test it, just drive up in the hills and see how it acts, or let my son have it for a few hours!!!
thanks for the reply.

[reddog]

Sure sounds electrical as Bob says. I had a set of plug wires go bad (I never tested each wire so I don't know how many were really bad) but it acted alot like the symptoms you describe. It acted like carburation - new set of plug wires and all symptoms were gone.

Kerry

[dfitz]

I belive you guys are correct and it only makes me feel worse. I had all the TFI parts including new wires, that I didn't have time to do before I left. Actually I was a little worried about doing the conversion and not having any time to de bug if needed. The worse part is knowing that I had to nurse the thing all the way home and spent all those extra hours on the road! it took me 20 hours (including stops for fuel and food) to get back home, should have been about 16 or 17.

[DjD]

Could it be the fuel filter or fuel pump. Please let us know what fixes it. Another one of my vehicles is having the same symptoms and it's getting worse, plug wires pass the resistance check. Thanks in advance.