hancockr
New Member
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2008
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Vehicle Year
- 2002
- Make / Model
- Ranger
- Transmission
- Manual
2002 47,500 miles, 5-speed
I have had problems for over 4 years with difficult starting (2 to 3 seconds or longer cranking), random surging, and occasional misfires. Last week the misfiring grew much worse but stopped after the engine warmed up. Thought I would try plugs first. Did not make it to the weekend however, as 2 of the 4 cylinders completely stopped firing. Fun trying to drive a 4 cyl on 2. Tried plugs (futile effort, of course), then limped it into the dealer. Had I thought more about this and didn't absolutely need the truck to get to work, I might have thought about the coil. Yep. That was it. $500 later and it is running better than it has in 4 years. Hmmm. Starting problem gone too. So is the surging and misfiring. Connection? I would think. Had this truck at dealer in Nov 2002 (at 7,100 miles) and Oct 2003 (at 16,100 miles) for hard starting and in March 2005 (at 25,700 miles) for surging. Hard starting always there, I just gave up asking about it. Dealer never found anything. Now dealer says since truck is over 5 years in service, there is nothing he nor the service rep can do. He also says hard starting and surging problems have nothing to do with the coil. Anyone with thoughts on this? Any TSBs relating to coils for this vintage Ranger they should have consulted? Oh well. Looks like I am probably going to have to eat this one...
Thanks for any suggestions!
I have had problems for over 4 years with difficult starting (2 to 3 seconds or longer cranking), random surging, and occasional misfires. Last week the misfiring grew much worse but stopped after the engine warmed up. Thought I would try plugs first. Did not make it to the weekend however, as 2 of the 4 cylinders completely stopped firing. Fun trying to drive a 4 cyl on 2. Tried plugs (futile effort, of course), then limped it into the dealer. Had I thought more about this and didn't absolutely need the truck to get to work, I might have thought about the coil. Yep. That was it. $500 later and it is running better than it has in 4 years. Hmmm. Starting problem gone too. So is the surging and misfiring. Connection? I would think. Had this truck at dealer in Nov 2002 (at 7,100 miles) and Oct 2003 (at 16,100 miles) for hard starting and in March 2005 (at 25,700 miles) for surging. Hard starting always there, I just gave up asking about it. Dealer never found anything. Now dealer says since truck is over 5 years in service, there is nothing he nor the service rep can do. He also says hard starting and surging problems have nothing to do with the coil. Anyone with thoughts on this? Any TSBs relating to coils for this vintage Ranger they should have consulted? Oh well. Looks like I am probably going to have to eat this one...
Thanks for any suggestions!