3.0L injectors on a 4.0L would it work?

[black_demon69]

i think my 1 or all of my injectors are partially plugged and was wondering if the new set of 3.0L injectors would work?


of coarse this is just a hunch and kind of running out of options while trying to find a miss at idle and bucking in 4th and 5th.

CAT was hollowed out (it was falling apart and i didn't have money for a new one after rebuilding transmission, but it will be replaced after miss is gone).

O2 sensors were just replaced as one of them was cracked at the back by wires and would cause engine light to come on when it would get wet.

replaced plugs again from iridium to copper and replaced wires.

Swapped coil pack for known good one

cleaned MAF and IAC

cleaned throttle-body and intake

checked fuel pressure and fuel pressure regulator 35 PSI @ idle w/FPR between 40 to 45 PSI wo/FPR and no fuel smell from FPR VAC line.

some of this was done for other reasons but it might help find my miss.
just running out of ideas and will be checking with noid light to see if injectors are getting signal..

1 other thought is could CKP be going bad?

 

[cbxer55]

The injectors in my 98 3.0 have proven hard to keep unplugged. Been a multi year event with the damn things. Have to remove the upper intake to get to the driver's side pieces.

I started adding a half gallon of E85 to the gas tank when I fill it. I use premium due to pinging problem, a result of performance mods. Can't get premium with ethanol here, so I have to adlib it. I use 93 octane and add a half gallon of E85. I fill it at the half tank, so theoretically I always have a gallon of E85, which translates to 5%.

Ever since I started doing this, I've had not one problem. Matter of fact, truck's been running better than I can ever remember it running, even with 148,000 miles.

So I believe I will keep doing this, rather than attempt to get the injectors out.

In January, the injectors were plugged up so bad it wouldn't start without almost killing the battery cranking on it. Took up to 10 minutes to get it started every day. Finally one day it flat refused to start. Had it towed to Ford, who diagnosed it as injector's not supplying sufficient fuel. They did clean them, but within a week it was back to cranking but not starting. I started doing the ethanol thing at that point, and as I said, not another problem since. Starts first turn of the key every time.

No codes, all monitors READY.

 

[Doofy]

Perhaps living in a hot climate is causing a varnishing problem with the injectors. Kind of an odd problem...first thread I've read with this problem.

 

[cbxer55]

Perhaps living in a hot climate is causing a varnishing problem with the injectors. Kind of an odd problem...first thread I've read with this problem.

Yes, I live in a hot humid area. Oddly enough, every time I have troubles with the injectors, it's during the coldest part of winter. Every time. A tech at Ford described what he believes to be the problem. A glaze forms on the end of the injectors. When that glaze is cold, it's hard and it takes a while for the fuel to beat a hole in it. Once warmed up, the glaze is softer so therefore no problems when hot.

When mine is having this trouble, it typically takes a huge amount of cranking before it starts. When it does start, it's only on 3 or 4 cylinders. After a few minutes another cylinder kicks in. After anywhere from 6 to 10 minutes, it's purring like a kitten on all six.

As I said, the last time I had this problem, I started adding some E85 to my fuel. Haven't had another problem since then. It's nice that E85 is the cheapest fuel there is, makes it a cheaper fuel injection cleaner than any of the store bought stuff.

I do keep a case of Berryman's B12 in my garage, a friend gets them for me at $32.00 for a 12 pack. If the truck suddenly starts exhibiting starting problems, a can of this will head that off. None of the other cleaners ever worked for me. Lucas, Seafoam, etc. None of them ever did a bloody thing.

 

[Doofy]

Any other people having this injector problem? Could a fuel pressure problem be the cause? My '98 3.0 has been driven in temps from +100F to -55F with nary a stumble. I would be very irritated with this situation.

 

[black_demon69]

As Isaid I have a miss that is driving me crazy. 94 4.0L ohv no cel jjust miss@ idle and slight bucking @ 45 to 60 in 4th and 5th no loss in power no hesitatio.

 

[cbxer55]

Any other people having this injector problem? Could a fuel pressure problem be the cause? My '98 3.0 has been driven in temps from +100F to -55F with nary a stumble. I would be very irritated with this situation.

I put a new fuel pump in in December, 62 psi. The problem cropped up two weeks after I put the pump in. So it definitely isn't pressure related in my case.

I put the pump in as the truck would no longer accept throttle, and I had the lean codes. The pump solved those problems.

 

[adsm08]

I do not know if they are the same. Ford only used a handful of injectors, so the odds are actually pretty good. If they are the same color they are the same flow rate. Then the only variable is length.

 

[black_demon69]

I do not know if they are the same. Ford only used a handful of injectors, so the odds are actually pretty good. If they are the same color they are the same flow rate. Then the only variable is length.

same plug same length different color so i would assume flow rate is different

 

[adsm08]

Yes, the color indicates flow rate, so different flow rate.

 

[black_demon69]

Yes, the color indicates flow rate, so different flow rate.

question is would they work and would computer be able to compensate for different flow rate?

 

[AidanG]

I have the exact opposite question could I use the 4.0 injectors in my 3.0 to save cost and so I have headroom, or can the computer not adjust for that

 

[Otis413]

EDIT: I misread the numbers on my black injectors, so I edited them out of the color list...
I know some of the 3.0L (Vulcan) injectors are longer then the Ford/Bosch injectors used on the 4.0L SOHC's, it prob goes by year, I think the fatter longer injectors were made by Denso(?) early 90s (?)
Anyway, all the 3.0L injectors I'm familiar with are (gray) 14 lb/hr pn:?, I'v read that you can go up a size to the orange-yellow 19 lb/hr injectors with no ill effects.
Also keep in mind that Ford injectors came in high impedance and low impedance units. A high-impedance injector (aka saturated) uses a high resistance value of around 12-14 ohms (+/-) across its coil, low-resistance coils only have about 2-3 ohms, you can check this with an ohm-meter. As far as I know all 4.0L SOHC engines use high impedance injectors.
Here's the color code, (at the electrical connector) not 100% reliable, always double check with the part numbers.
14 lb/hr = Grey,
19 lb/hr = Orange-Yellow.
24 lb/hr = Blue (teal)
30 lb/hr = Red (didn't normally come on Rangers, found on some V6 & V8 Explorers)
Color coding is only good for OEM Ford injectors. There is no industry standard color scheme.
Note: "flex fuel" vehicles have larger injectors to flow more fuel when running ethanol.

Change the filters while they're out, a lot of people don't know that there's a "micro filter" pressed into the top of each injector, there's a $10 tool to remove them and replacements are cheap.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PHMRNZP/ref=twister_B07PFTMCPW?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Tool and replacement filters.

You may also need this, o-rings and such, this kit fits the injectors from my 03

https://www.amazon.com/UREMCO-2-6-Fuel-Injector-Seal/dp/B01GWWIC72/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=FUEL+INJECTOR+REPAIR+KIT+O-RINGS%2C+PINTLE+CAPS+FILTERS+2004+FORD+RANGER+4.0L+V6&qid=1608506322&replacementKeywords=fuel+injector+repair+kit+o-rings%2C+pintle+caps+filters+4.0l+v6&s=automotive&sr=1-1&vehicle=2004-54-696------------&vehicleName=2004+Ford+Ranger