IP going bad?

[jfp3205]

Hey everyone,
Can anyone give me some signs that the IP might be going bad? I do not know if the PO has replaced it and I have 188k on the clock. Not able to spend the money right now to replace it but dont want it to die on me either
Thanks
Fletcher

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

IP's generally die a slow death so you have time to save, unless you try to put cold lard through them.
What are your symptoms?

 

[icanfixall]

Add a quart of atf to the next full tank of fuel. It may clean out the pump internals but.. At 188,000 miles the pump is done if thats how many miles are on it. Failure signs are hard restarts after the engine is warmed up. This is a heat soak issue where the pump internals have worn so much that the cranking rpm can't make nough pressure to pop an injector. A cup of cool water poured on the pump end will fix that temporarily or thicker fuel from added oil to the fuel... Engine dies after getting out of the throttle at a stop. Thats a stuck internal valve and atf sometimes cleans that out. If a plastic ring in the pump begins breaking up it will tranfer pieces to the injectors really mess in things up really bad but thats probably not going on. If you have plenty of black smoke that you never had before could mean the pump is not metering in the correct amount of fuel too.