UFO Problem

[Vagabound]

the wipers shouldn't come on at all when you start the truck.  start your wiggle tests with those wires.  they probably go into the same harness as the ignition.  see where I am going with this.  btw does it now or did it ever have an aftermarket alarm or stereo?  highdesertranger

Wipers:  Yeah, seems I've bumped into some vehicle in my past that did something similar.  In any case, immediately when the truck is started, they seem to go across the windshield three times and then stop.  It is always exactly the same.  That doesn't seem random to me.

Aftermarket stereo:  Yes.  Why do you ask?

Vagabound

 

[GotSmart]

What is an "E connector"?

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Electrical connectors.  (plugs)  There have been many suggestions on that theme.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]If a plug is not tight it could get crud or corrosion and give you an intermittent connection.[/font]

 

[Gary68]

that wiring harness,follow the windshield wiper wires,if it has tilt steering check the wires at the joint where it moves and where they go through the dash to the engine

 

[highdesertranger]

stereo and alarm installers are generally wire hackers. highdesertranger

 

[jimindenver]

Three times and stop is as if you hit the washer button momentarily. I use to do it as on demand intermittent wipers.

 

[ArtW]

stereo and alarm installers are generally wire hackers. highdesertranger

+5000000000000000000000000
friggen wire monkeys

 

[Vagabound]

Three times and stop is as if you hit the washer button momentarily. I use to do it as on demand intermittent wipers.

Exactly.  And something is triggering that every time I start the truck.  What I can't remember is whether that happening automatically is normal on some models or a malfunction on all.

Vagabound

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Here's a thought.  Assuming it's not the rainy season - do deserts even HAVE rainy seasons? - why don't you pull the fuse to the wipers and remove all power from that circuit.  Then drive around for a few days and see if your engine dying problem magically goes away.

 

[highdesertranger]

I have never heard of a vehicle were the wipers come on when you start your engine. this would not be a good thing if your windows are dirty. especially sand, it would scratch your window. highdesertranger

 

[DannyB1954]

I have been working on my wipers as well. After getting back from Lake Havasu they came on all by themselves. Every switch position works well, (even the time delay), except for the off position. I pulled the switch from the dash. As soon as the switch base lost it's ground the wipers stopped. I put in a new switch, (hard to find for an 83 Dodge). Same story. The intermittent time delay works well. From what I researched on the internet the problem is always the electrical contacts inside of the wiper motor itself. When you turn the wipers off the motor still runs until it reaches it's park position. If the contacts are messed up inside of it, it may not always shut off. I got one on order.

You could have two unrelated problems. One engine, one wiper. The last owner may have ignored the wiper problem until they also had a engine problem.

 

[Vagabound]

Here's a thought.  Assuming it's not the rainy season - do deserts even HAVE rainy seasons? - why don't you pull the fuse to the wipers and remove all power from that circuit.  Then drive around for a few days and see if your engine dying problem magically goes away.

Still recovering, so not much troubleshooting so far.

Rainy seasaon:  I think they consider it rainy season if anyone spots dew in the morning! ;-)

Wiper fuse:  That's an idea.  My problem with any troubleshooting scheme like that is the 
engine shut-off problem is very sporadic.

----------

Mentioning this in case it helps someone to troubleshoot who is more knowledgeable than I am:

Regarding the wiper auto-activation, I paid more attention today.  If back and forth is considered _one cycle_, then, once triggered by whatever, the wipers cycle three times and stop.  I noticed today that they will do this entire thing twice.  Once when I first turn the key to ACC.  Then again, when I move from the ACC position to actually start the truck.

Shed any more light?

Vagabound

 

[DannyB1954]

Shed any more light?

Vagabound

Hopefully the headlights work. 

The ignition switch shuts off the power to the accessories while the starter is cranking. So every time the wiper motor first gets power it cycles 3 times. When you turn the key to the first position it gets power, while cranking it looses power when the vehicle starts and you let go of the switch it gets power again. If you start the vehicle and turn the wipers on and off real quick, do they still cycle 3 times? It still sounds like the contacts inside of the wiper motor are messing with you. It is odd that it is always 3 times before it finds the park position though. 

Do your windshield washers work? On some vehicles when you hit the washer button the pump for the reservoir turns on and the wipers cycle something like 3 times. I wonder now if that washer switch is stuck and the pump just does not work.

Have yet to receive my new wiper motor. Right now my wiper switch is hanging from the dash by it's wires. If it rains I have to put a jumper wire between the switch and ground. Good thing it only rains 4" a year here, and that is mostly in the hills I think. It rains a little in the winter, but mostly July is considered monsoon season.

 

[DannyB1954]

Also your vehicle most likely has a thing called a BCM Body Control Module. https://www.reference.com/vehicles/body-control-module-car-9103b2ed18850cdd

When you turn on a switch it sends a signal to the BCM and a relay inside of it actually turns on the item. Got to love the newer vehicles.
This web site says it has your fix https://www.fordf150.net/howto/fix-intermittent-wiper-problem.php

 

[Vagabound]

DannyB1954:  Hopefully the headlights work.

They do.  Never been a problem so far.  They were weak initially, but that was the bulbs.  When I replaced them, they were much better.

Do your windshield washers work? On some vehicles when you hit the washer button the pump for the reservoir turns on and the wipers cycle something like 3 times. I wonder now if that washer switch is stuck and the pump just does not work. 

I follow your logic.  Good guess, but the last time I tried the washers, they worked.  However, you're right that the auto-initiated wiper sequence that I'm experiencing seems to be the same as the one that happens when the washer is activated by pushing that button on the end of the wiper lever.  Hmmm. I'll check that next time I start the engine.

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]This web site says it has your fix [/font][font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]https://www.fordf150.net/howto/fix-inter...roblem.php[/font]

That's great, thanks.  A promising job for the "to-do list".

Looks like I'm on the road to a solution for the wiper problem.  That just leaves the larger issue of why the motor decides to stop working occasionally.  Might have to wait for the results of my "wiggle tests" to make some progress there.

Vagabound

 

[DannyB1954]

Most auto parts stores will read your computer for free to see if there are any codes that can give a clue.

 

[highdesertranger]

"Most auto parts stores will read your computer for free to see if there are any codes that can give a clue." not in California. boy I wanted to put a K on that. highdesertranger

 

[29chico]

What you have described sounds exactly like a fuel filter issue.  Just sayin'

When you are low on gas, depending upon how much silt etc is in the bottom of the gas tank and/or filter,  the junk gets sucked up and blocks the filter, shutting off gas to the engine.  As soon as you shut it off, or it dies, the silt drops back down and enough gas gets sucked up to start the vehicle and maybe run it a bit.   Bumpy roads might cause this too, with an already clogged filter.

For an older vehicle the best resolve for this is first replace the fuel filter and then never allow the tank to go below 1/2 full.

Hope this is the problem.... and if you ever do see a UFO be sure to register the siting online.

Are you thinking of what is usually called a fuel sock that is at the bottom of the fuel pickup tube and before the fuel pump?  The fuel filter is usually found somewhere down stream of the fuel pump. 

If the fuel sock is found with a fair mount of crud on it, it is a good idea to replace the fuel filter as well since the fuel sock is a mesh screen and will let thru small particles.  Cleaning out the fuel tank is indicated if the fuel sock is cruddy unless one wants to worry about the issue happening again.  Really not that much extra work if the fuel tank has been removed to get to the fuel sock.

The 5.8L 351 cubic inch Ford engine is a solid unit.  Upgrading to the Gen 3 (AKA Gen III) Bosch fuel injectors will result in better fuel economy, power and reliability. I am mainly saying this so that you, and possibly others, will know not to get their old school injectors cleaned or replace them with the same thing when there is a much better option available.

My '86 Bronco with the 5.0 L used the same injectors as the 5.8 L. It went from gross polluting to passing California smog with nothing more than upgrading to the Gen 3 "skinny" injectors.  It also got 2-3 better MPG overall.

 

[Vagabound]

Are you thinking of what is usually called a fuel sock that is at the bottom of the fuel pickup tube and before the fuel pump?  The fuel filter is usually found somewhere down stream of the fuel pump. 

If the fuel sock is found with a fair mount of crud on it, it is a good idea to replace the fuel filter as well since the fuel sock is a mesh screen and will let thru small particles.  Cleaning out the fuel tank is indicated if the fuel sock is cruddy unless one wants to worry about the issue happening again.  Really not that much extra work if the fuel tank has been removed to get to the fuel sock.

The 5.8L 351 cubic inch Ford engine is a solid unit.  Upgrading to the Gen 3 (AKA Gen III) Bosch fuel injectors will result in better fuel economy, power and reliability.  I am mainly saying this so that you, and possibly others, will know not to get their old school injectors cleaned or replace them with the same thing when there is a much better option available.

My '86 Bronco with the 5.0 L used the same injectors as the 5.8 L. It went from gross polluting to passing California smog with nothing more than upgrading to the Gen 3 "skinny" injectors.  It also got 2-3 better MPG overall.

29chico, thanks for the great tip about the fuel injectors.  I wonder what it costs to have those fuel injectors replaced?

On the other topic, as far as fuel filters go, mine is relatively new and most of my symptoms are unrelated, so nothing to do there.

EDIT:
DannyB1954: Checked the windshield washer. Works fine. However, the mystery deepens a bit. Remember that the mysterious auto-initiated wiper cycle related to my problem is 3 cycles every time? Well, when I manually push the washer button, I get water ... and _4_ cycles. So, those two things are different. In the end, it might not matter because the solution might be either cleaning or replacing the same component ... whatever that component turns out to be.

Vagabound

 

[Raven+Squid]

I may have missed it have you tried a new coil?

 

[Vagabound]

I may have missed it have you tried a new coil?

Haven't. But that's okay, because it seems that the UFO is off probing other people for a while!

Out of curiosity though, how do you see a coil problem related to the symptoms that I've described?

Vagabound