88WTM
New Member
- Joined
- May 19, 2009
- Messages
- 22
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 0
- Vehicle Year
- 1988
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Transmission
- Manual
*UPDATE* Completely Stumped!!! Help Please!
UPDATE TO HEADACHE
Ok...so a week and a half (give or take) since the last time my ranger stalled and all was well, until today! I'm coming home from work (1.75 mile trip one way), truck is running fine, I'm cruising in 3rd gear turning maybe 3000rpm and I'm headed up an overpass. I start getting close to 45mph (think my speedo is off though, tires are now 235/75/15) and I go to shift into 4th like I always do at the same time during this little journey. As soon as I do my truck starts bucking horribly and the tach is going ape sh&$...up and down up and down! I immediately shift back into 3rd and it did fine...on or off gas. Shift back to 4th...same weird problem. So I coast down the over pass and then it dies and this time doesn't start back up immediately. I stop on side of road, beat on the inertia switch and still no joy. I sit for a minute and it starts back up, but still is pissed at the attempt of 4th gear!!! WTH??
So, I drive it to house, park it, let it idle, and start tapping on stuff. Tapped on coil, plug wires, distributor, ignition module, inertia switch, throttle body, and it just sits there and idles smooth...revs fine, temp is fine, no indications of anything off the wall! I am at a loss here folks! Am I missing something so easy that I now look like an idiot and I'm too blind to figure it out? My BMW has never even stumped me like this I can't even speak German!!
So again, I ask for HELP!?
Oh and thanks for all the previous help also!
Rob
After some searching here, I have found some similar problems, but none that really match my issue. There is usually something different that doesn't jive with what I have going on.....so!
Short and sweet; 1988 2.3 Ranger with 5 speed and 91k on it. Dies completely out of know where with no regards to conditions of the road, temp of the truck, outside temp, rain or not, level of fuel, RPM, or any other combonation and it happens very very randomly and at the worst possible time (inside lane of a busy road!). The truck runs fine, idles smooth, pulls ok for 80 whopping horse power or whatever, but will just die. I never know when it will happen and can't make it happen....it just does! While driving down a perfectly smooth road in 70 degree weather it will just croak! Coast to the side of the road and after a couple of attempts it will start back up. Until it does though it just turns over....won't fire.
What I've done; since ownership....all minor tune up crap i.e plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, air filter, oil, blah blah. After advice from a friend who said he had the same issue I changed the ignition control module on my distributor...or TFI...or whatever. The deal with two crews that attaches on the bottom side of distributor. After putting on new one it actually improved how it ran. The truck did fine for a day....no stall, ran fine, all thumbs up here and then whammo...cruising down the road getting ready to turn into parking lot at work and it dies!!!!! URGH!!! I coasted about 15 yards, turned the key, and it started right back up and as of now it hasn't happened again. That was 2 days ago.
Any ideas!?
Thanks in advance for any and all help/advice!
Rob
UPDATE TO HEADACHE
Ok...so a week and a half (give or take) since the last time my ranger stalled and all was well, until today! I'm coming home from work (1.75 mile trip one way), truck is running fine, I'm cruising in 3rd gear turning maybe 3000rpm and I'm headed up an overpass. I start getting close to 45mph (think my speedo is off though, tires are now 235/75/15) and I go to shift into 4th like I always do at the same time during this little journey. As soon as I do my truck starts bucking horribly and the tach is going ape sh&$...up and down up and down! I immediately shift back into 3rd and it did fine...on or off gas. Shift back to 4th...same weird problem. So I coast down the over pass and then it dies and this time doesn't start back up immediately. I stop on side of road, beat on the inertia switch and still no joy. I sit for a minute and it starts back up, but still is pissed at the attempt of 4th gear!!! WTH??
So, I drive it to house, park it, let it idle, and start tapping on stuff. Tapped on coil, plug wires, distributor, ignition module, inertia switch, throttle body, and it just sits there and idles smooth...revs fine, temp is fine, no indications of anything off the wall! I am at a loss here folks! Am I missing something so easy that I now look like an idiot and I'm too blind to figure it out? My BMW has never even stumped me like this I can't even speak German!!
So again, I ask for HELP!?
Oh and thanks for all the previous help also!
Rob
After some searching here, I have found some similar problems, but none that really match my issue. There is usually something different that doesn't jive with what I have going on.....so!
Short and sweet; 1988 2.3 Ranger with 5 speed and 91k on it. Dies completely out of know where with no regards to conditions of the road, temp of the truck, outside temp, rain or not, level of fuel, RPM, or any other combonation and it happens very very randomly and at the worst possible time (inside lane of a busy road!). The truck runs fine, idles smooth, pulls ok for 80 whopping horse power or whatever, but will just die. I never know when it will happen and can't make it happen....it just does! While driving down a perfectly smooth road in 70 degree weather it will just croak! Coast to the side of the road and after a couple of attempts it will start back up. Until it does though it just turns over....won't fire.
What I've done; since ownership....all minor tune up crap i.e plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, air filter, oil, blah blah. After advice from a friend who said he had the same issue I changed the ignition control module on my distributor...or TFI...or whatever. The deal with two crews that attaches on the bottom side of distributor. After putting on new one it actually improved how it ran. The truck did fine for a day....no stall, ran fine, all thumbs up here and then whammo...cruising down the road getting ready to turn into parking lot at work and it dies!!!!! URGH!!! I coasted about 15 yards, turned the key, and it started right back up and as of now it hasn't happened again. That was 2 days ago.
Any ideas!?
Thanks in advance for any and all help/advice!
Rob
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