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84 Ranger dies when turning right


zmotors

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Hello folks, i got me a 1984 Ford Ranger Xl 2.3 with an automatic transmission that likes to turn off once in a while when turning right. This usually occurs when turning into a driveway or parking lot. One day i was pulling into the store and i felt it dying i pumped the gas and it stayed on. I can't seem to figure it out. The owner i bought the truck from replace many parts. This includes coil, catalytic converter, distributor, ignition module, carb (autozone autoline c6266). The car did pass California emission test. Only thing unusual i notice is it takes a while in the morning to warm up. If i don't give it enough time to warm up it will sputter and hesitate. If anybody got any input to correct this problem please chime in. I am mechanically sound and can troubleshoot.
 


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I was going to be a smart-ass and say to just turn left 4 times, but I'm not that smart. Only thing that pops into my head is a worn or pinched wire in the steering column.
 

zmotors

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lol. Thats what my co-workers tell me to do.:D Thanks for the rely. I did replace the ignition switch and the key. While there i did jiggle the wires to see if the car turned off but i was unable to duplicate it. One of the tricks i do use is i keep my foot and the gas pedal enough to keep a slight acceleration. This works but when pulling in my garage i have to stop completely then turn and ill be fine.
 

Mightyfordranger

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Vacuum prob maybe?? my truck has the opposite problem it comes under braking like while down shifting and coming to a stop it'll hold a high idle until completely stopped mines a 98 2.5
 

Mark_88

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Believe it or not...I've seen this question before...and it was as Richard mentioned a wiring issue...but that case there was a total loss of all power and the truck died completely.

The main power feed was so badly chaffed that it was held on by a few threads and the gravitational force of turning right somehow managed to separate the wires...or something like that.

In your case...it sounds like the float is set too low and there is just barely enough fuel in the bowl to keep it running...and when you turn that forces the fuel away from the jets just enough to interrupt the immediate flow...

How you set the float on that style of carb...or whether it even has a float in the bowl is another story...and I don't have that infor for you but there is probably a ton of info floating around the internet bowl...I know pretty well how to do that on a Motorcraft 5200 and they are probably very similar...you remove the top of the carb and the float comes up with it...adjust the height by gently bending the prong that the float sits on so that it allows more gas into the bowl before shutting it off...

Sounds like a good name for a new sporting event...The Internet Bowl...lol
 

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See if fuel level in the gas tank has something to do with it, i.e. below 1/4 tank it does it, above 1/4 it doesn't
 

Mightyfordranger

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:agree: with the above aforementioned
 

Mazda

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See if fuel level in the gas tank has something to do with it, i.e. below 1/4 tank it does it, above 1/4 it doesn't
That's so funny. long ago I had a 83 Toyota Long Bed I bought from a guy for $100 bucks. Would do the exact same thing every time I would park in the garage above the airport (12 stories). Constantly turning right up or down the helix. Pretty sure it was when my tank was low.

Also found out the fuel input to the carb had a little hole that needed to be lined up just right for it to run. Was a 90° fitting so I thought okay it should be pointed horizontal or vertical. Nope needed to be just at about 15° for the thing to run right.
 

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Does the carburetor have a solenoid to hold the throttle plate open when the key is ON? The ones I know of are used to kill the engine quickly and prevent run-on. If the connector was loose, or the wires chafed, it could disconnect turning right.
tom
 

zmotors

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So i been messing with the truck this past week to figure out the issue. Still nothing but this is what i did. I check for vacuum leaks and couldn't find any and my gauge read 22-24. The a truck still turns off with 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full tank of gas. The carb is new and does have a float. My carb doesn't have a solenoid just the electric choke. I did find a used carb at the junkyard that has an A/C solenoid. I'm in the process of rebuilding it and will reply on how it works. Only thing i notice is this donor carb is missing (2) vacuum lines in the from of the carb on the bottom throttle plate. But i will plug the lines. The donor truck was the same year and engine size.
 

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Thank you for the update and hope it solves your problem…or, at least, enlightens you about the cause.

Where you able to set the float in the original carb or was that not an option?
 

zmotors

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I plan on setting the float when i swap carbs. That way if i screw up i can still drive the truck.
 

Mark_88

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Ah, OK…only thing that can go wrong is dropping parts and not finding them…like the needle on the float…

But it's normal to feel a bit nervous doing things for the first time…

Take your time and it will work out…:icon_thumby:
 

StangpowerLSX510

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I plan on setting the float when i swap carbs. That way if i screw up i can still drive the truck.

thats funny, im having the same problem lol EXACT same problem....are you in the bay area by any chance? california?
 

tomw

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If you are in the SF Bay Area, you should not have cold engine problems unless you are outside the actual bay. I lived on Oakland and then moved to Dublin before moving here, and I got frost in Oakland maybe twice or so in 8 years. Got it a lot more in Dublin, on the windshield, even, which I never got in Oakland.

I would like to see a pic of the carb, the float bowl just after removing the lid, and the lid inverted to see how the float sits(by weight) on the needle valve.
The fuel level in the float bowl should be ~2/3- 3/4 of the height of the bowl BALLPARK, and if lower, might result in engine stalling on turns. If the float bowl is 'sideways' you could on the other hand, be flooding the engine by 'spillover' from the bowl into the intake. Gotta see the carb in place and the fuel level to make a mo-bettah guess.
tom
 

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