Couple issues

citori421 · Aug 17, 2018

Hi folks,

Bought a one owner 96 ranger auto 3.0 with 86000 miles a couple months ago, running perfectly smooth if a bit gutless, and drove it 3500 miles from Alaska to the Mojave desert. In the Idaho high country filled it up with 85 probably the for the first time in its life, and a couple hours later check engine light came on. Oxygen sensor. Read that gas in Canada can be trash, and also this truck spent its whole life in Alaska where I believe the gas does not have ethanol. Any thoughts?

Also, the transmission has started acting up. Doesn't shift smooth if I give it much gas, and revs up (slips?) Between 2nd and third. Help please! Not mechanically inclined. Had a full service oil change before driving down. Looking at the trans fluid it appears a tad high.

Thanks!

Sent from my moto x4 using Tapatalk

RonD · Aug 18, 2018

Welcome to TRS

The earlier 3.0l Flex Fuel Rangers, 1996 to around 2000 had an "Octane sensor" on the fuel line, these did act up and cost about $650 to replace, looks like $900 now.

What was the exact code for the O2 sensor?
There are about 25 O2 sensor codes
O2 sensor code usually means engine has a vacuum leak

Gas in Canada is fine, gas in Rural gas stations in any country can be suspect, lol.

86k miles on a 1996, thats about 4k miles a year or 300 miles a month, so it sat around alot

You will have some issues coming up, low milers don't make great "drivers" they are better to keep as low milers
So vacuum leaks would be expected

You have a 4R44E automatic transmission in a 1996, computer controlled shifting.
I would imagine there will be a internal leaks so loss of pressure, valve body replacement might fix the issue, the valve body gasket was a know issue on these transmissions

pjtoledo · Aug 18, 2018

RonD said:
Welcome to TRS

The earlier 3.0l Flex Fuel Rangers, 1996 to around 2000 had an "Octane sensor" on the fuel line, these did act up and cost about $650 to replace, looks like $900 now.

What was the exact code for the O2 sensor?
There are about 25 O2 sensor codes
O2 sensor code usually means engine has a vacuum leak

Gas in Canada is fine, gas in Rural gas stations in any country can be suspect, lol.

86k miles on a 1996, thats about 4k miles a year or 300 miles a month, so it sat around alot
You will have some issues coming up, low milers don't make great "drivers" they are better to keep as low milers
So vacuum leaks would be expected

You have a 4R44E automatic transmission in a 1996, computer controlled shifting.
I would imagine there will be a internal leaks so loss of pressure, valve body replacement might fix the issue, the valve body gasket was a know issue on these transmissions

alcohol content sensor, yes VERY expensive. same part found in FF Taurus of the same years.

"flex fuel sensor replicator" is available aftermarket, less than $200 but it locks the alcohol content at about 5-10 %, so no more E85.

Couple issues

citori421

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RonD

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pjtoledo

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