Shortly after going over 200880 miles my truck started acting up. At 60 MPH acted like it was stalling, again at 40 MPH, then at random speeds. All of this only happens when truck is in gear. Went to Autozone and asked to purchase a fuel filter, thinking it was clogged. Told that year truck doesn't have one, it has a fuel regulator system (looks like a carburetor on top of engine) that must be replaced and costs $200.00. After leaving it sit for a week or so I drove it about five miles to get an X-Mas tree. It drove fine until it reached normal operating temperature then started having issues, stalled, while in gear, at a stop signs. I would put it in neutral as I was coming to a stop so I could get it back home. In neutral and in park the truck runs fine. Got home and it backfired as I put it in reverse. The it backfired a second time as I was pulling into my driveway. I parked it and shut it off so it could cool down. The next day or so I attempted to start it and it started just fine, it idled fine, and while still in park it reved fine, while still cold I ran it and it was fine. Didn't let it get to operating temperature, but expect same results as before since I haven't changed anything out. Want to troubleshoot it before throwing money at it.
Goes through oil, thought that was because it has a rear seal leak, but now after search the net for a cause of the backfire wonder if another underlying issue is causing it.

Is there such a thing as a fuel regulator system? And is this the likely cause?

 

The regulator/fuel filter is on top of the fuel pump. When was the last time you did a tune up?

BTW, it would be nice if you put all the info about your truck in your sig. So we don't have to guess.

 

As it is engine temp related, wonder if your coolant temp sensor is lying to the computer.

Nother possibility is timing chain is stretched out, and when the truck goes into close loop, things get squirelly.

 

I had a backfiring issue for months. The truck would idle fine and had all kinds of power but once it was warm enough it would backfire constantly . I just fixed it the other day and it ended up being a worn out distributer cap . If you are unsure when it was last changed this could be a very inexpensive fix as i spent too much money on sensors trying to fix a simple problem . good luck

 

+1, that's where I was headed after getting the info about the tune up.

 

I ran into sorta same thing lasy year .... The guy removed his thermostat cause it was sticking,,, next day it started running all kinds of crazy ,, stalling , dying out for no reason..... The shop he took it to did a tune up for him , new spark plugs , coils , air filter , fuel filter , replaced fuel pump , flushed injectors ,, replaced injectors ( 2 ) days later !!!!!!!!!!,,, Of Course non of this helped ,, So he brought to me 3 weeks later , I hooked up the scanner got a code for low coolant temp,,, Noticed the blue goo on thermostat housing,,,, Asked him if the Thermostat had been replaced,, I thought he was going to chew the tires off the truck when I told him what was wrong ...

 

Thanks everyone for your replies. A ton of good information I can use to get started. I’ll let you all know what I find.

I traded my 95 Mustang for it about three months ago and was told at the time by the previous owner he had just spent a couple of hundred dollars getting it tuned up. I pulled the plugs; they don't really appear new but have no carbon build-up on them. The Distributor cap is definitely not new so I’ll change it out first.

I’ll work the temp angle as well, have a leaking radiator and it might have let something get into the cooling system.