carb or ignition??? Bucking

88, 2.6, carb, auto, all stock Ram 50. Started bucking last night while driving at all speeds. Idled smooth in neutral or in gear at stop. Pulled plugs-all 4 were sooty, black. Cleaned plugs and shot carb cleaner down it's throat suspecting stuck choke. Ran great for a mile or so and bucking started up again. Runs fairly smooth under acceleration, the heavier the better but still bucks. Still idles smooth and revs fine with no load. Runs great for a mile with a shot of carb cleaner (the choke is open and is not sticking). Haven't been out to look at it this morning...yet. Ideas?

clean your air filter

It's nearly new but will replace it along with the fuel filter.

Fuel filter. On the road again. I hope the engineer who decided that that was a good place for a fuel filter got fried...I mean fired.

Isn't it fun to get a facefull of dirt and gas while trying to change it? At least they are cheap to replace.

Unbelievable. I guess that's why they don't get replaced until bucking occurs.

Its also because no one looks for it until they have a problem - its supposed to be changed every 15K miles

Does it matter which way it goes back in? In/out up or in/out down? The one I replaced was shoved up in there, not in the clip,at a 45 degree angle and I don't have pictures to show which way it goes. I hooked up hoses as they were on the old one and clipped it back in with in/out at bottom.

Should go in at the bottom center fitting and out the top side fitting.

This has the inlet and outlet on top(or bottom) of the canister. Just wondering if it makes a diff as to whether the can is up or down. Currently the fittings are down and the can is up. Original was fittings up and can down but it was stuffed up there at a 45 degree angle and not in the clip.

If you are talking about the fuel filter there is a flow direction on it. But it can go in any position. Vertical, horizontal, and any place in between.

It seems to be working so I won't mess with it. Many thanks.

Can goes on bottom, fittings go up stock, but probably doesnt matter

Is there anything I should know about changing the fuel pump? Going to dothat this weekend.

It will be easer to do it if you pull the valve cover to see the cam. What I did was to leave the truck in 4th gear brake off. pull the hoses off the the pump. Stick your finger over the inlet line to the pump. Then with your knees and legs push / lean on the truck. Pushing it back wards to turn over the engine. You will feel the pump sucking on your finger tip. When it stops then the pump should be on the heal of the lobe. If it's on the toe or pump stroke then you are working against the spring in the pump and it can be a pain to get it to go on. But if you pull the valve cover you will be able to see everything. Then just push / lean against the truck with your legs to see the cam turn. It's easer and faster then using a wrench.

Took off the valve cover and etc, unbolted fuel pump and found that it would be a cinch to put the new fuel pump on if I could get the old one out without removing the intake manifold first. Everything I've tried to do to this truck takes three times as long as it should and nearly impossible to accomplish without going around your elbow to get to your ear lobe. Mercy. Got an option B? Option A didn't work out.

2 nuts on the stud and remove it? Maybe????// IDK...

If it had bolts the pump could probably be removed with a lot of twisting and wiggling and cussing. It has studs and must be pulled straight out off the studs. It is located inside the tubes of the intake. It can be pulled out about 1/8 inch, just enough to get oil dribbling all over the place. No room to pull it out unless the intake is removed. I want to get a new, non jet valve head, and it would be the ideal time to replace the fuel pump if the head swap was happening now. No new head in sight. I'm stymied.

I just looked thru the factory manuals for these things (on the site) and they don't say the intake needs to come off to remove the fuel pump. You would think they would know how to remove it. I tried it, couldn't get it off and don't see how it is physically possible. BTW, there is not enough thread to double up the nuts and back out the stud. Anybody have any ideas?

IDK it should just pop off with out having to remove the intake. post up a picture of it please.