CEL, Lack of Power, Black Smoke...please help

[Sirsnags]

Hello and thank you in advance to all that will try to alleveate my problem. Im new to the site, but have been a member of FTW-Oklahoma chapter for many years.

Now onto my problem child I call my truck. I own a 1993 Ford Ranger Supercab 4x4 with a 4.0L auto. Truck has 108K miles on it and god only knows what owner I am to it. Bought the truck in Oct of 09' and worked some of the issues out. Did the basics, replaced air filter, fuel filter, trans filter. Truck ran rough...long story short, ended up being (2) ground straps not connected. Bingo, $10 later and truck ran great.

Around January of 10' we had a pretty wicked ice storm in southern oklahoma. Drove the truck to Lawton to stay with a relative since she had power. Got in the garage, truck died. No biggie, fuel pump was on its last leg. Changed the fuel pump, just the pump and things worked ok. About (2) days later the truck started running rough....like it was the fuel pump going out. Ok, i figured I'd bite the bullet and order a whole fuel pump assembly from O'reillys. Dropped the bed, swapped out the units and the fuel filter, again. Left the bed off and drove it around the block. It was blowing tons of white smoke. Blown head gasket...surely. Well, between lack of money and lack of service stations and lack of time the truck sat for about (2) months. April of 10' comes around and money is a little better so I buy the complete head gasket set and trailer it to a shop. The guy takes the heads off and sends them to a machine shop to check for any cracks and plane the deck. Heads came back fine and said that the pass side head gasket was completely gone. They ended up replacing the head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, intake gasket, new thermostat and new lower radiator hose. (4) days later I picked the truck up and it was running at idle. Everything sounded great and good to go. I got about (5) miles from the shop and the CEL came on and the truck started bogging and there was a loss of power. Thought at the time that maybe it was bad gas, so I filled it up. Not sure now because I'm getting horrible gas mileage(7mpg) and it boggs real bad and blows black smoke when I give it any kinda throttle over an idle.

I cant get the CEL to come on once I turn the key off. It comes on after (5) mins of driving. I've had it hooked up to (2) seperate code scanners and both tests show negative codes.

I'm digging deep and asking for some serious help. I love my truck and have shown it some great TLC, but its fighting back. I'm knowledgable in many ways of repairs and am not afraid to shed some blood and get dirty. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thomas

 

[Sirsnags]

I'm also not online as frequent as I would like, but I'll make every effort to check.

 

[Sirsnags]

I've also changed the spark plugs. No idea of any actual "codes" though at this time. Another thing is the Oil Temp gage, the needle sits around the N on normal. And as far as an owners manual...dont have one. Wish I did, but I'm still working on that.

 

[Nhaz]

could be the fuel pressure relay, if the diaphram in the relay breaks it could be sucking extra fuel in through the vacuum lines. you can check that by pulling off the vacuum line to the relay(its hard to get your hand on btw) and smelling for fuel in that line.

Reading off the code/s would help too.

The engine temp gauge is just a idiot gauge they aren't terribly accurate. If its hitting the N I would say its fine.

Mine barley hits the line and I used a laser temp gauge on it and its running at normal temp.

 

[Sirsnags]

Where is the fuel pressure relay located at? Don't have an owners manual, and the Chiltons book doesn't list it. I found the electrical wire coming off the fuse box under the hood, but can't trace it.

 

[Bird]

Prime symptoms of a bad FPR (fuel pressure regulator) on the fuel rail. There's a vacuum hose attached to it that passes fuel back into the intake if the regulator goes bad. just pull the hose off and check for fuel coming out - if there is, the regulator is bad.


Bird

 

[Nhaz]

Facing the engine from the front of your truck. Its on the left front side of the intake manifold beside the fuel rail. Its not easy to see or get your hand on. But it is possible to get the vacuum line off of it and check for fuel in that line.

 

[Sirsnags]

That sounds like a good possibility. The shop that changed all my gaskets said they had problems routing all the vacuum lines correctly. I'll get to checking it out and I'll keep yah posted.

Thanks
Thomas

 

[Sirsnags]

I'm guessing the top hose is the main fuel line and the vacuum line is the one coming off the backside of the FPR? Seems when I floor it and bog it down blowing black smoke heavily, and let up...the performance is almost normal for a few seconds. Is that because the fuel pump is running weak and I'm dumping what would be the correct fuel into the engine? Plus, the fuel pump which is only 3 months old sounds like a garbage disposal in some ways. Time to warranty?

 

[Nhaz]

On mine the small black line on the back is the vacuum line. and my fuel lines braided stainless steel on the top. Which I don't know if that's stock or not.

And my fuel pump is just a little hum. you have to listen for it its rather quiet.

 

[Sirsnags]

Well I've got a replacement new fuel pump assembly coming in tomorrow under warranty. Gonna change out the fuel filter and take everything from there. If it still runs crappy, then I'll bite the small bullet and pick up a new Fuel Pressure Regulator.

I really hope out of these 3 items, it'll be cured and running like normal.

I'll keep yah posted

 

[feellnfroggy]

Maybe throw in a fuel filter. When you release the throttle and it runs normally it is because withthe fuel flow cutoff, the excess fuel is burning a little leaner and properly. What is sounds like is excess fuel being dumped into the cylinders. So its not the fuel pump(or shouldnt be) My guess is the fuel pressure regulator is stuck in the open position allowing all the fuel to be injected instead of regulated amount. Give this a try, turn the truck on and wind out the motor to redline, preferably while going down the road in 1 or 2. At the top of the RPM band it should smooth out considerably. No matter how much fuel you dump in the motor will lean out with higher rpms's (above 2000) If it does nto smooth out at the higher rpm range (redline) then most likely its a computer problem.

Hey, I just noticed you are changing the fuel filter, So nvm my first comment.

 

[trish]

Hello and thank you in advance to all that will try to alleveate my problem. Im new to the site, but have been a member of FTW-Oklahoma chapter for many years.

Now onto my problem child I call my truck. I own a 1993 Ford Ranger Supercab 4x4 with a 4.0L auto. Truck has 108K miles on it and god only knows what owner I am to it. Bought the truck in Oct of 09' and worked some of the issues out. Did the basics, replaced air filter, fuel filter, trans filter. Truck ran rough...long story short, ended up being (2) ground straps not connected. Bingo, $10 later and truck ran great.

Around January of 10' we had a pretty wicked ice storm in southern oklahoma. Drove the truck to Lawton to stay with a relative since she had power. Got in the garage, truck died. No biggie, fuel pump was on its last leg. Changed the fuel pump, just the pump and things worked ok. About (2) days later the truck started running rough....like it was the fuel pump going out. Ok, i figured I'd bite the bullet and order a whole fuel pump assembly from O'reillys. Dropped the bed, swapped out the units and the fuel filter, again. Left the bed off and drove it around the block. It was blowing tons of white smoke. Blown head gasket...surely. Well, between lack of money and lack of service stations and lack of time the truck sat for about (2) months. April of 10' comes around and money is a little better so I buy the complete head gasket set and trailer it to a shop. The guy takes the heads off and sends them to a machine shop to check for any cracks and plane the deck. Heads came back fine and said that the pass side head gasket was completely gone. They ended up replacing the head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, intake gasket, new thermostat and new lower radiator hose. (4) days later I picked the truck up and it was running at idle. Everything sounded great and good to go. I got about (5) miles from the shop and the CEL came on and the truck started bogging and there was a loss of power. Thought at the time that maybe it was bad gas, so I filled it up. Not sure now because I'm getting horrible gas mileage(7mpg) and it boggs real bad and blows black smoke when I give it any kinda throttle over an idle.

I cant get the CEL to come on once I turn the key off. It comes on after (5) mins of driving. I've had it hooked up to (2) seperate code scanners and both tests show negative codes.

I'm digging deep and asking for some serious help. I love my truck and have shown it some great TLC, but its fighting back. I'm knowledgable in many ways of repairs and am not afraid to shed some blood and get dirty. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thomas

I am having same problem, associated with total loss of electrical power. If I boost the battery, everything fires up fine. It runs until I shut it off, then all dead and key stuck. No alternator waring lights so expect battery needs replacement.