Need Some Help On My 2.3L

Hitokiri · Apr 26, 2011

*Edit* Crap Im sorry I ended up putting this in the wrong section. Could a Mod move it please. Again im sorry...

First I want to say sorry if this is not in the right spot. But anyways my truck is a 1987 Ranger, 2wd 5 speed. I went to take my truck for a drive yesterday and started it up and let it warm up, well while it was warming up here and there it would act like it was missing a little. Well after it got fully warmed up it would idle way down and try to die then kick back up and keep doing that. It will idle down so low it will almost stall but it seems to catch its self and it will rev back up, But it did die one time. It starts right but up fine will idle perfect for a min. Then right back to the ruff idle. So my question is. Could it be a sensor going out and if so witch one? When it comes to EFI I dont really know much about it witch is why I mainly stick to carb motors. I was asking too because my dad has a s10 that does the same thing only his is alot worse. And if I can find out witch sensor it is then I can just replace it with out having to buy all new sensors cause I dont really have the money to hand out for all new sensors. So does anyone have any idea on what it could be? Iv checked the plugs and plug wires they all are in good shape, the cap and rotor seems to be all new on it. And its getting fuel so onlything I can think of is that its a sensor but I have no clue witch one it could be, cause like I said before I know very little when it comes to EFI. So any help at all I could use, and thanks again guy.

gabes2.3project · Apr 27, 2011

sensors or vac

start with checking all your vaccum hoses, sometimes the rubber end will dry rot and leak and the lines will be fine, next un plug the throtle position sensor its on top of the throttle body and check the resistance as you open and close the throttle, after there the idle air bypass valve could be the main reason there was a recall on those becuase of clogging and ford made a spacer to go in between i'd clean and check its just to the left of the body and is cylnder shaped id start there

hope this helps
gabe

keithisg · Apr 27, 2011

Check your air filter, then pull your Mass Air Flow Sensor out and clean it with Mass Air Flow Cleaner. You said you checked the ignition but mine was acting almost exactly like that right before my ignition coil went out. I replaced the ignition coil, plug wires, and spark plugs that seemed to solve the problem.The TPS sensor is another possibility like gabe said.

Is your CEL light on? If so pull the codes and that will point you in the right direction.

Hitokiri · Apr 28, 2011

I believe it maybe the idle air bypass valve, cause I checked everything els and its the onlything that really made no diffrence when I did anything to it. And no the CEL is not on at all. As for as the ignition coil I dont think its that cause I just did a full tune up on it the day I got it witch was just a couple days ago. So unless I ended up with a crappy one from the parts store witch is possable around here, then im leaning towords the idle air bypass valve. But ill try another coil too, I know it cant be much cause it will fix itself, cause it will go from idleing like crap to running like nothing at all is wrong with it, then I can turn it off go back out a little while later fire it up and it will run fine then all of a sudden back to running crappy lol. So i know it can be much wrong with it. But thanx for the help though guys ill go back through and check everything out again to make sure.

kimcrwbr1 · Apr 28, 2011

Yea preventative maint, air filter, clean idle air control and clean around the butterfly on the throttle body. If you clean or change a sensor you need to reset the computer by disconnecting the batt for 1/2 an hour. If you dont know how old the PCV is just change it they are cheap and could very well be the problem also. Any vacuum lines that are hard or cracked or loose just replace you want to give it a good once over. I like to do one thing at a time and see how it runs so you know where the fault was for future reference. If you do a bunch of stuff then your just guessing what the problem was let us know what you find out.

kimcrwbr1 · Apr 28, 2011

Also look at the wireing good especially around the exhaust for any bare or cracked wires that is another source of intermittent problems.

Nater · Apr 28, 2011

Try this...unhook the MAF sensor (the sensor that sits right behind the airfilter...) If it idles better, then the MAF sensor needs to be replaced...I am willing to bet that the MAF sensor has become gunked up...causing it to give a false reading.(which happens...)

Hitokiri · Apr 28, 2011

Yeah right now im just messing with it a little at a time, I mean the truck is still driveable and everything and I plan on doing my V8 swap soon in it anyways so im trying to keep from sinking much money into it as I can. I unhooked the idle air control and it did not change at all how the truck was running when it was running bad so im thinking that maybe the cause of it. As for the MAF sensor I already tried that one as soon as I unhook it the motor about dies so its good on it I believe. But ill keep you all posted when I find out whats the problem with the old girl lol. Thanx again for the help guys.

Need Some Help On My 2.3L

Hitokiri

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gabes2.3project

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keithisg

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Hitokiri

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kimcrwbr1

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kimcrwbr1

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Nater

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Hitokiri

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