Please Help!!!!

wayfastwhitey745 · Dec 14, 2007

I hate my truck. HATE HATE HATE it. It has become a money trap. I have a 1988 ranger xlt with a 2.9 5 speed. The truck has 144k on it has has a mysterious problem. Intermittenly, the check engine light will come on the the truck will cut out. The check engine light only blinks and doesn't stay on. It bucks the enrtire truck. It has nothing to do with what rpm the motor is, or what gear its in. We have changed all injectors, fuel pumps, gas lines, map sensor, computer, and all other sensors on the engine to no avail. We have check all grounds and wires, and they are fine. Please help before i crush the truck.

Broncodude · Dec 14, 2007

Is the "cut out" when the light is on or when its off? or can u tell? how often does it do it? and does it do it when your setting still or only when your moving?

wayfastwhitey745 · Dec 14, 2007

the light flashes on for just a split second, while its moving down the road. Also, there are no codes stored.

Broncodude · Dec 14, 2007

have you tried just setting and not moving? It would then sound like a short thats being vibrated when moving?

wayfastwhitey745 · Dec 14, 2007

Yeah as long as your not sitting, it runs fine. But if you rev it up the check engine light will come on, but it wont cut out

Psychopete · Dec 15, 2007

Does it cut out if you hit a bump or if someone shuts the passenger door pretty good?

I had this issue, and my main harness was a little loose to the PCM (woops). I found the issue big just jiggling random wires under the hood and at the PCM, until it cut out. I also had a lot of unusual codes like I had a bad ground. You should probably start by pulling codes.

Since you have CEL, you do not need to use a volt meter, your CEL can function as such.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/OBD_I.html

Follow Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Method, and read everything below that, there is a link to a diagram...

Pete

samsonitesamsonite · Dec 15, 2007

Just a thought. My truck had the same problem when I bought it, the PO had crossed to of the spark plug wires. So double check your firing order and make sure everything is right.

wayfastwhitey745 · Dec 15, 2007

well i tried everything you guys said and everything checks out fine, plus no codes

wayfastwhitey745 · Dec 16, 2007

Hey everyone. Just an update. I drove the truck all day today and it didn'y do it a single time. I then drove down to a gas station, and the entrance is an incline that slightly twisted the truck. When i took off, it started doing it again. Me and my dad now believe it its something to do with the wiring going to the gas tank. Any thoughts?

AllanD · Dec 16, 2007

Check engine light?

On an '88?

I'm confuddled...

AD

Jspafford · Dec 16, 2007

Wasn't 1988 the year they started to transition them in?

wayfastwhitey745 · Jan 2, 2008

Well couldn't find the problem and the truck was getting like 5mpg. Took it to the junkyard and crushed it. Buying a Chevy so I won't have to worry anymore.

skippy · Jan 2, 2008

wayfastwhitey745 said:
Well couldn't find the problem and the truck was getting like 5mpg. Took it to the junkyard and crushed it. Buying a Chevy so I won't have to worry anymore.

there you go,and when the chevy starts giving trouble just throw parts at it,get pissed then crush it.

Psychopete · Jan 2, 2008

AllanD said:
Check engine light?

On an '88?

I'm confuddled...

AD

I missed this. Yes, mine does. '90 MAF PCM was almost direct bolt in.

Pete

mikhail · Jan 2, 2008

mine is doing something real similar im gonna make my own thread though. but my motor keeps on cutting out, and every time it does the check engine light comes on, at idle its fine, it used to only be when i was off road, now it just did it 3 times in a row when i was on the street. seems like when its below 2k rpm itll just cut out for a sec then drive fine. seems like a fuel problem to me, started doing it after i put on the 3" BL i thought it was the ground at the back of the motor that connects to the body with the wiper motor but i changed it and its still doing it.

Please Help!!!!

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