Ok... I know I'll probably be shunned for this...

[DeanMoriarty]

I've held out, and I hate to post this here... but the GM forums SUCK, and I wouldn't expect to find anything helpful there. You all seem a lot more knowledgeable. Anyway, I'm totally kicking myself now for not taking *someones* advice here (What's up LBR, lol). I bought a 92 Jimmy, and it's been a f**king nightmare. Here's what I have if anyone can help me, I would so appreciate it.
The thing runs a little hot on the highway, about 215 I'd guess from the gauge.
It has a newer radiator, thermostat, O2 sensor and TBI.
I'm getting a service engine error about fuel too lean.
Last night, on the highway, it lost power and started making a noise I can only describe as sounding like popcorn popping, (quick little pops in rapid succession) which seemed to come from behind the engine.) Once I got off the highway, power returned and it seemed to run okay...
I'mma check the plugs / wires today. I've read it could be the catalytic converter? I'm hoping it's all one problem tied to the lean fuel, but I don't even know how to begin troubleshooting that. Help me get this POS running so I can get it off my hands, please?! This will be my first and last GM purchase.

[skippy]

you might post this in non rbv forum to get more exposure.sorry i can't help with the problem.

[DeanMoriarty]

Aighty. I posted it there too. I only posted here because this seems to be a livelier forum... And I thought I'd give LBR a chance to say "Told ya so!" Lol.

[Ranger44]

Well, It over heats on the highway, but not in town? Are we working with thw 2.8 or 4.3? Is it eating coolant? What about the fan and clutch? Or is the fan electric? I'd check and see if they are working correctly and not damaged. A clogged cat would choke the truck out. Even though this is a GM, it still uses the basic automotive technology. There is no reason we can't help him.......so that he can sell the heep and get a Ranger:icon_thumby:

[DeanMoriarty]

That's what I'm talking about! Thank you. And I have a Ranger, just needs a new tranny.

4.3 throttle body injection, automatic, 4x4.
It heats up in city or highway driving, sometimes blasting the heater helps, sometimes not. It hasn't gone into the red, it just runs a little warm for my comfort. No coolant leaks, I checked the fan (clutch) after it heated up and it seemed to be running strong (I couldn't stop it with a piece of cardboard). I have a new thermostat to try putting in, I thought that would be a cheap thing to try first. The coolant looks clean from the top and overflow, hard to tell what might be lurking in the engine though I guess. What concerns me is the lean fuel warning and what the thing did last night, I didn't care for the popcorn popper noise / loss of power, at all. Also... I know this might be bad. It has a rubber stopper type cap for the oil fill, the thing was all eaten up with pieces missing. I replaced it yesterday, but I'm worried if some of it might have fell in...

[Ranger44]

Sweet....You should get that Ranger a tranny!!

But back to the other.... I heard somewhere that the 4.3 did have a fuel delivery problem, which caused a lean condition. But before we get into that, how long has it been since the air filter or fuel filter has been replaced?

[Ranger44]

Also make sure you have no vacuum leaks (any hissing sounds?). Could also be a fuel pump not running at full power. Any exhaust leaks before the O2 sensor? This could make it read lean.

[DeanMoriarty]

Fuel filter... not sure. I just bought the thing a week ago.
Air filter looks pretty good... I haven't noticed any hissing sounds, but I'll keep an ear out.
It has a newer exhaust on it, maybe two years old. I haven't noticed any peculiar smells.
Just pulled a spark plug that was easy to get to, it looked alright, rusty on the outside, but it didn't look fouled.
I'm going to do another reading on the computer and see if anything new came up, then maybe take it for a drive and see if it does the same thing it did last night.

[Ranger44]

Don't just look at an airfilter. It could be contaminated with things you can't see. Weigh a new one vs. an old one. You'll see a difference. I'd buy a new one. $5 for a Wicks brand, or something. Fram and K&N suck.

[Mutant Pony]

The best thing you could do is get rid of it!
That said, G.M. throttle bodies are infamous for blowing out the base gasket. You need to check that carefully for leaks. The most likely cause for the lean code is a plugged fuel filter(if the base gasket isn't leaking). You also need to do a careful inspection of the vacuum lines.
The 90s G.M.s normally run around 210 deg f. If it is not losing antifreeze or boiling when you shut it off then it is probably fine.
Also, go out in the morning or after it has been sitting long enough to be cold and bonk the side of the converter with your hand or a rubber mallet. If it rattles, you need it replaced.

[Black'03LevelII]

my mother had the same problem with her old van with the same engine. turned out to be the water pump. the aluminum blades in the pump corroded (doesn't like something in the coolant). I put a new pump in and the problem went away. Hope that helps a little bit.


oh and for what its worth, my old pontiac sunfire did the same exact thing, same fix too.

good luck

[Ranger44]

my mother had the same problem with her old van with the same engine. turned out to be the water pump. the aluminum blades in the pump corroded (doesn't like something in the coolant). I put a new pump in and the problem went away. Hope that helps a little bit.


oh and for what its worth, my old pontiac sunfire did the same exact thing, same fix too.

good luck

Coolant after a while loses it's additives and actually becomes corrosive. Esp. to aluminum.

That TB gasket sounds like a real good place to start Mutant Pony

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I hate to sound gloating and say I told you so. I would hate to think that you'd actually expect me to act childish like that, lol.

Oh, yea, GM's often used Dex-Cool antifreeze... aka Death-Cool because it was highly corrosive (Brilliant!)

Probably wouldn't hurt to throw a cheap paper air filter in. I'd really replace the fuel filter though, one tank of bad gas can plug one of those up pretty good.

I've heard that one way to help look for vac leaks is to spray carb cleaner around vac lines while it's running. If a vac line is leaking, it will suck the carb cleaner in and you'll hear the engine change tone.

Check the cat...if it rattles, definitely replace, but actually cats are only supposed to be good for something like 60-80k miles from what I understand.

Rapid popcorn popping sounds like some sort of misfire/backfire to me.

GM seems to often make decent cars... but SUV's and trucks, they fall flat on their face.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Coolant after a while loses it's additives and actually becomes corrosive. Esp. to aluminum.

Dex-cool (which is used by a large number of GM vehicles) is corrosive right out of the bottle.

[skippy]

Well, It over heats on the highway, but not in town? Are we working with thw 2.8 or 4.3? Is it eating coolant? What about the fan and clutch? Or is the fan electric? I'd check and see if they are working correctly and not damaged. A clogged cat would choke the truck out. Even though this is a GM, it still uses the basic automotive technology. There is no reason we can't help him.......so that he can sell the heep and get a Ranger:icon_thumby:

i meant i couldn't help because i don't know what it is.

[DeanMoriarty]

Ok, top to bottom, and thanks for all the responses guys.
My hope is to get this thing fixed and sold. I don't even have the new title in my hand yet, lol.
I'll definitely swap out the fuel filter tomorrow and see what that does, I'll try the converter thing as well. I looked again, the air filter is brand new. I'll throw a new one in anyway when I get the oil changed. I've heard the water pump could be the problem, wouldn't I have a heating problem if that were the case? The heater lines are hot after it's warmed up... no squealing noise or anything. How else can I check it?
How do I check the cat? Whack it with a stick or something? I'll check the vacuum lines as well. The guy who's putting on ball joints for me tomorrow offered to cut the cat out and bypass it for a minimum charge. Is that a good idea? It's too old for emissions testing so that's not a worry. Btw, LBR, I was just messing. I should have taken your advice, lol.

No Dex-cool in it now. It's green and looks clean, I may flush it out anyway if the problem persists.

The base gasket looks good, and fresh, they replaced everything above it. I'm wondering if they messed something up when replacing it...

So on to what's odd now, in my extremely long post; I did another read on the OBD and got the same thing, lean fuel reading. Then I reset it and drove it a good 1/2 hour. Granted, it is a bit colder today than it has been, but the thing didn't get above normal temp at all, even with the heater off, and didn't act up at all. It also seemed to eat more gas than normal, but it's hard to say. Is it possible that the OBD trying to compensate for the lean fuel somehow caused the engine to run hotter or cause the other problems? I guess I'll know for sure if it's still getting hot in a bit, I have to drive 1 1/2 hours round trip, to pick my son up. I'mma leave early so I can take it easy and have time to pull off and let it cool if it starts acting up again. Thanks again guys... This is why I asked here and not the jerks on the GM forum.
Btw... it immediately popped up the same warning after I reset it and drove it again.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

If the air filter is new, then that's probably not the issue.

It is illegal to bypass a cat. By law, if you have a vehicle that is equipped with a cat, you can not cut the cat off, because for normal inspection it is required to be on there. Emissions it is required to be on there AND working. I trust you can see the difference there.

Every time I've given someone vehicle advice, it's been ignored. And every time I've been proven right. (on buying a vehicle that is)

Water pump could be corroded inside and not flowing the coolant well enough. Usually on Fords the pump itself just goes bad and starts weeping fluid out the weep hole. GM, I dunno...

[85_Ranger4x4]

Coolant after a while loses it's additives and actually becomes corrosive. Esp. to aluminum.

That TB gasket sounds like a real good place to start Mutant Pony

Antifreeze picks up a voltage and will eat aluminum through electrolisis. I forget off hand what the maximum voltage is, but you can even stick a voltmeter in the antifreeze and get a reading off of it.

[DeanMoriarty]

I thought of a great sign I want to make for the parts store up the street to put in their window.
"GM owners make great repeat customers."
Lol
Ok, so I'm a total jackass. I realized as I was driving last night that the popping noise I'd heard was actually the lift gate glass being noisy. I think in my aggravation / nervousness of being stuck in the Taco Bell drive thru forever and being afraid the damned thing was going to overheat, coupled with the wind and the crappy condition of the highway I was on, I may have been imagining symptoms... Oops.
As I listened close, I realized the thing is responsible for many of the odd noises I've been hearing lately.
Regardless, the lean fuel warning and the running warm I'm quite sure I didn't imagine. I've got new plugs, wires, distributor, rotor, and fuel filter to put on, because it's all probably due anyway. Then I'm going to try to test as much of the other stuff as I can, I hate to just start dropping money on replacing parts and not knowing if it's going to fix the problem. I'll let you all know what I find. Thanks again.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Don't feel too bad about your "oops" moment...

I was in a hurry to leave Saturday evening cuz I was running late and I forgot to unlock my front hubs on the choptop, though it was in 2wd. (Also hadn't bothered to verify the condition of the passenger side U-joint.) So I drove off and I'm wondering why my turning radius isn't the normal good and it's taking a bit of gas to overcome the resistance (front locker). Don't think about it until I'm almost home and hear a THUMP. Pulled over, glanced around in the dark, realized my hubs were locked, unlocked 'em an drove home. Went out this morning and glanced in the knuckle area on the passenger side where I heard the thump come from. Yup....U-joint spit all the caps. That does it, when my tax money gets here, I'm upgrading my front to a D-35. Anyone got a D-35 pig with 4.10s for sale?

[DeanMoriarty]

Oh hell. That sucks man.

That reminds me of one time when I was younger. I was driving an old Lincoln town car down the highway. I noticed after a bit that no matter how much gas I gave the thing, I could not get it above 55mph. Engine is screaming and the damned thing still won't go faster than 55mph... What the hell?

Of course, I finally glance down and realize I had it in 2nd instead of drive.

Things that should seem very obvious can sometimes slip past a person.

[rboyer]

Sell that GM for a few hundred bucks and use the money to buy a tranny for your Ranger!!! Problem solved.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So how's the POS holding up now? lol

[DeanMoriarty]

Lol... So far so good. It drove great on the 1 1/2 hour to pick my son up Sunday.
The temp took a huge drop here yesterday so I haven't gotten out there to mess with it again, have to wait until my next day off and hope for a decent day.

Nah rboyer... I need wheels while the Ranger is fixed, and a vehicle to go pick up the tranny with... The GM has enough new parts, and new tires on it, I'm sure I can get some sucka to give me what I paid for it. Then I can invest that $$$ towards a larger cab truck or SUV (Not a GM, lol). Regular cab Rangers just weren't designed to haul a family around in.

[mhughes165]

but a bII or exploder were :derisive:

[lil_Blue_Ford]

'sploders make excellent family vehicles, especially when the kids get big. Plus you start out with the better motor and axles.

Of course, an adult can fit comfortably in the back seat of a BII as well...

[DeanMoriarty]

Yup yup...
I really do like the look of the BII's. Explorers are alright... but I'm not crazy about the full size SUV's. Seems like the older ones were a bit smaller. I wish they made a Ranger with a larger cab.

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yup yup...
I really do like the look of the BII's. Explorers are alright... but I'm not crazy about the full size SUV's. Seems like the older ones were a bit smaller. I wish they made a Ranger with a larger cab.

The older Explorers were a bit smaller, the new ones they made bigger and wider to help prevent rollovers... because idiots were behind the wheel.

They do make Rangers with a larger cab... they're just not brought into the US. Just like they make a diesel Ranger... just not in the US.

BIIs are great lil trucks... but you gotta watch 'em... anything with an auto that has an overdrive, the trans is on the weak side. Plus the D-28 front axle can bring the suck. They seem ok with up to a 30" tire, but if you lock it and go bigger.... not good.

http://a157.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/112/l_176bba52f155305dc738ae55f10366dc.jpg

[DeanMoriarty]

Ouch.
That sucks man.

Lol @ bigger than 30".... I'm looking for a family ride, so I don't think that would be a problem. I don't want to throw my back out lifting them into the thing. Maybe when I get the $$$ I could get myself a toy...

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Ouch.
That sucks man.

Lol @ bigger than 30".... I'm looking for a family ride, so I don't think that would be a problem. I don't want to throw my back out lifting them into the thing. Maybe when I get the $$$ I could get myself a toy...

Ehh.. I guess it was bound to happen... but it sucked that because of it breaking, it left me stuck in mud up almost to the bottom of my doors... Careful note will show that the U-joint is complete, all the caps are accounted for, and it was a brand new joint, less than 50 miles on it when the shaft detonated... Of course, I was WOT in the mud....:3gears::woot:

IMHO, I wouldn't run a tire smaller than a 235/75/15 (30x9.50x15) on a BII. My first BII I ran the tiny stock tires... the BII I fixed up and sold had 235's on it, I preferred that size, partly cuz it's easier to get a good AT tire in that size. You could probably run 31's with a 2" budget boost as long as you didn't lock the front...

[DeanMoriarty]

Damn man... You found a nice mud pit to sink yourself in. That sucks.
I haven't the slightest idea what WOT means.

I wouldn't need anything too big. Something a little bigger than stock maybe. What is stock, 14"? I think that's what's on my Ranger. In all reality, the only time I'd use it as a 4x4 would be in the snow, and maybe camping.

So I replaced the fuel filter in that Jimmy today, it was clogged as hell. Didn't notice a big difference yet though. Have to wait and see after I've driven it a bit yet. Going to tune it up probably over the weekend and see what that does.

[DeanMoriarty]

Well, fuel filter hasn't seemed to make a difference with the fuel consumption... This thing is getting horrible mileage. I was told I didn't need to reset the computer after the filer was replaced, but maybe I should anyway.
Can anyone tell me... Would a weak alternator cause all of the lights to sort of flicker? It's not very noticeable, until you're sitting still staring at them and they sort of pulsate. It doesn't do it with the engine turned off, plus the battery doesn't seem to have a great charge when the engine's shut off, although it's brand new.

[Dusty_Ranger]

after 2009 the current ranger will die but the bringing back with a crew cablike the mexican ones

[Mutant Pony]

Well, fuel filter hasn't seemed to make a difference with the fuel consumption... This thing is getting horrible mileage. I was told I didn't need to reset the computer after the filer was replaced, but maybe I should anyway.
Can anyone tell me... Would a weak alternator cause all of the lights to sort of flicker? It's not very noticeable, until you're sitting still staring at them and they sort of pulsate. It doesn't do it with the engine turned off, plus the battery doesn't seem to have a great charge when the engine's shut off, although it's brand new.

Yes, voltage regulator inside the alternator to be specific. The old c-120/130 alternators were infamous for that. Never jump start a vehicle with that alternator. The battery needs to be fully charged or the regulator gets fried. Improper battery voltage could cause some of the other problems as well.

[DeanMoriarty]

I would LOVE a crew cab ranger. Even the extended cab is really too small for more than two people.

Thanks for the advice MP, I'll have Auto zone test it out.