Brian1973
Member
- Joined
- May 29, 2010
- Messages
- 129
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 16
- Location
- Cincinnati, OH
- Vehicle Year
- 1991
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Transmission
- Manual
Did an engine swap this summer on my 91 Ranger 3.0L. My manufacture date was 2/91.... the engine I swapped was from a 8/91 truck... ended up being the same engine except for the newer one was a roller cam engine.... Since running the engine I continue to seem to have plug issues.
Initially after starting, I had a miss..... soooo, went through the plugs and found one cracked... ok, seemed to remember possibly hearing something when I tightened that one down... so changed it and had about a week of good running (50-100miles) before it was "missing" again... ran back through plugs and found another cracked... hmmmmm, don't think that was my fault as everything seemed good for a week... but ok, maybe it was just at the verge and the heat got it? soooo, two plugs changed now... different cylinders.... truck seemed to work fine for a week or two and then I start getting the "missing" AGAIN!!! SOB! what now!? sooo, checking around and find a wire that has a crack in the boot... ok, so maybe from the pulling off and on I was a little rough on that one? The wires, plugs, cap, rotor all are new! Replaced the bad wire, all plugs seem fine, go for about another couple weeks (maybe 100-200) miles and here in the present, I seem to be having another missing issue! grrrrr
question - my owners manual for the truck suggests platinum plugs. is it possible that the 8/91 engine uses standard copper for some strange reason? Going to the local Autozone, their recommendation is copper for a 91 Ranger 3.0... had to bring in my owners manual to prove to one guy once that yes, it actually calls for platinum on the 3.0L whereas the others (2.9L & 4.0L for that year) called for copper per my manual...
just wondering if this upgrade from the non-roller cam also made some kind of difference in which spark plug is needed and possibly the difference is causing problems that seem to appear possibly engine/heat related? obviously, possibly just continued stoopid errors by me but it's sure seeming to be a little more than coincidence at this point... have yet to figure the current miss but I'm guessing it's a plug again! Drives just fine for about 1-2 weeks... also from what I can recollect, it seems to initially appear after a highway trip (and I'm not nice to the throttle entering the highway, I believe in being UP TO THE SPEED LIMIT by the time I'm merging! and this truck sure can seem to be a "dog" and not get out of it's own way at times... lol)... Currently with the miss issue it isn't noticable until the truck is up to normal operating temp.. then the missing starts..... I've never had these issues before changing plugs.... grrr
ideas?
Initially after starting, I had a miss..... soooo, went through the plugs and found one cracked... ok, seemed to remember possibly hearing something when I tightened that one down... so changed it and had about a week of good running (50-100miles) before it was "missing" again... ran back through plugs and found another cracked... hmmmmm, don't think that was my fault as everything seemed good for a week... but ok, maybe it was just at the verge and the heat got it? soooo, two plugs changed now... different cylinders.... truck seemed to work fine for a week or two and then I start getting the "missing" AGAIN!!! SOB! what now!? sooo, checking around and find a wire that has a crack in the boot... ok, so maybe from the pulling off and on I was a little rough on that one? The wires, plugs, cap, rotor all are new! Replaced the bad wire, all plugs seem fine, go for about another couple weeks (maybe 100-200) miles and here in the present, I seem to be having another missing issue! grrrrr
question - my owners manual for the truck suggests platinum plugs. is it possible that the 8/91 engine uses standard copper for some strange reason? Going to the local Autozone, their recommendation is copper for a 91 Ranger 3.0... had to bring in my owners manual to prove to one guy once that yes, it actually calls for platinum on the 3.0L whereas the others (2.9L & 4.0L for that year) called for copper per my manual...
just wondering if this upgrade from the non-roller cam also made some kind of difference in which spark plug is needed and possibly the difference is causing problems that seem to appear possibly engine/heat related? obviously, possibly just continued stoopid errors by me but it's sure seeming to be a little more than coincidence at this point... have yet to figure the current miss but I'm guessing it's a plug again! Drives just fine for about 1-2 weeks... also from what I can recollect, it seems to initially appear after a highway trip (and I'm not nice to the throttle entering the highway, I believe in being UP TO THE SPEED LIMIT by the time I'm merging! and this truck sure can seem to be a "dog" and not get out of it's own way at times... lol)... Currently with the miss issue it isn't noticable until the truck is up to normal operating temp.. then the missing starts..... I've never had these issues before changing plugs.... grrr
ideas?
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