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Update to Weird Problem Last Week


Trfsrfr

Active Member
Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
38
Vehicle Year
1993
Transmission
Manual
Since the initial emergency last week is over and I still haven't figured out the problem, I decided to post the update here;

First a recap;

Last week 10 miles from home my 93 3.0L Ranger just all of a sudden (right after I mashed it to pass a guy) started running real poorly. It wouldn't rev past 1000 rpms and I limped it home at 25 mph in 4th gear on the shoulder.
Was missing, sputtering, backfiring, black liquid coming from tailpipe, running real rich.
This all started after idling with the a/c on for 20 minutes, here in AZ.

I installed a new fuel pump that day, and it didn't help the problem, but took care of the broken fuel gauge.
Also, I did a poor job of cleaning the MAF sensor with brake cleaner.

Fast forward to this morning;

It's much cooler outside.
It started just fine, and it revs now.
I held it at 2500 and every now and again now, it hiccups.
I haven't driven it yet, but it stumbles, hesitates, or hiccups every few seconds while revving.
As before there are no codes.

Any thoughts?
 
I didn't read the other post but id suggest sea foam (tank and oil) and a tune up... If you haven't already. Your spark plugs will tell you alot too. Maybe buy one of those nifty spark checkers.

You may have done this already, like I said I haven't read your other post

Just a shot try resetting the ecu.
 
Sure you don't have a bit of water in your gas? When you mashed it the water moved went up the fuel pump and proceeded to give you all kind of headaches. Fuel injectors don't like water. Along with that Seafoam... toss in a can of gas line antifreeze. It is basically denatured alcohol and if you remember your basic chemistry alcohol absorbs water.

When you changed your fuel pump you didn't by the way drain and clean out your tank did you? If not you should have. I was amazed at what I found floating around in my gas tank. I have pictures of it someplace.
 
Last edited:
Maybe just time for a tune up, Bro. Clean the fuel system, new fuel filter. Pull three random plugs and look at them and also check the plug wires and see if you see any cracks or cut marks. Could be a number of issues or just one. It might just be best to take it to a shop and have the engine diagnosed if you can afford about $50.00 (some places change less or more).
 
Straycat - That thought has crossed my mind, but the sec. ignition parts look like they've been changed recently. In fact the distributor looks new as well.
I'm trying not to spend money where I dont need to.

PanamaExpat - That thought has also crossed my mind. I just put in $20.00, approx 5 gallons, about 40 miles (and an hour and a half) prior to the initial incident last week. When I read a review of the gas station afterward, one customer said they had junk gas.
I didn't drop the tank. This truck is a flatbed so the pump came out in 3 minutes, and since I never knew until then how much gas I had, it ended up being full.

Swynx - thanks for the advice. I am going to look at all the plugs and do a compression test later today.

Thanks ya'll. I'll post what I find.
 
Update -

Okay,

Today I replaced the TFI module and test drove - No change.
Then I bought a new coil and installed it.
If anything, the truck now idles worse than it did, but has less liquid/black soot coming out of the tailpipe.
 
Were you passing a VW at the time? Maybe your truck swallowed a Bug...those things can be murder on the intake...

Anyway...I'm with the idea of gas line anti-freeze...and/or injector cleaner...sounds like the problem is working itself out slowly in spite of your desire to throw money at it in parts...so it could be fouled fuel system or the fuel itself...tank up with some mid grade gas if there is any room in the tank and toss in the additives...if that doesn't help then check for bug wings and legs stuck in the TB...
 
Fixed.

It was a broken metal piece inside the ignition pick-up. I couldn't see it until I pulled the distributor. It looks like it was rubbing on the rotary vane.
I tried to just replace the pick-up but broke the drive gear when trying to remove it from the shaft. At that point it I just bit the bullet and gave them another 60 for a reman distributor.
Limited Lifetime Warranty of course.
 
thanks for the update...that was a weird one...
 
Yeah, I agree.
It reminds me of the CRX I used to have. I was driving home one night and it just started to randomly miss.
I checked every damn thing, and I dont remember but I'm guessing that I replaced many parts before I found that the rotor had somehow come loose.
It spun on the shaft. I think the screw fell out.
(I use Loctite now.)
 
You may have ruined your MAF too. Using brake cleaner on electrical parts is a big no no. Get MAF cleaner next time.

Sent from the road while ignoring traffic
 
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