• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Problems with lack of power


PetroleumJunkie412

Official TRS EV Taunter
Supporting Member
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
7,826
Reaction score
6,565
Points
113
Location
Dirtman's Basement
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Size
2.9l Trinity
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Give 'yer balls a tug. Fight me.


reed b.

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
48
Reaction score
7
Points
8
Location
CA
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Manual
To All- I do thank you all for your input. As you can see I have tried a few things already which unfortunately have not 'done the trick'. So I am open to any ideas, especially one's 'outside the box'. A question that came to mind- If the fuel pressure is within specs at no load is there a possibility that it might not be when under a load? Like I said, I'm trying to look outside the box... Thanks
 

PetroleumJunkie412

Official TRS EV Taunter
Supporting Member
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
7,826
Reaction score
6,565
Points
113
Location
Dirtman's Basement
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Size
2.9l Trinity
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Give 'yer balls a tug. Fight me.
To All- I do thank you all for your input. As you can see I have tried a few things already which unfortunately have not 'done the trick'. So I am open to any ideas, especially one's 'outside the box'. A question that came to mind- If the fuel pressure is within specs at no load is there a possibility that it might not be when under a load? Like I said, I'm trying to look outside the box... Thanks
Hm. Pressure wouldn't be my concern, volume would be.

.....just out of curiosity, map sensor known to be good?
 

lvwill

Active Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2013
Messages
430
Reaction score
143
Points
43
Location
Las Vegas Nv.
Vehicle Year
2020
Make / Model
ford
Engine Type
2.3 EcoBoost
Engine Size
2.3 Ecoboost
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Tire Size
265/65/17
Grey tfi is the correct one for your truck.
 

RonD

Official TRS AI
TRS Technical Advisor
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
25,291
Reaction score
8,296
Points
113
Location
canada
Vehicle Year
1994
Make / Model
Ford
Transmission
Manual
A gasoline engine will lose 3% of its power for every 1,000ft of elevation
So if you are at 4,000ft you're already at a 12% loss of power, and that's minimum, I would guess 15% would be more likely, as loss % increases over 3,000ft
After warm up check exhaust for Rich smell that would indicate an issue with air/fuel mix of course, and contrary to what many think Rich is bad in this situation, less power and low MPG

Find your vacuum gauge
At 4,000ft it shouldn't be lower than 16"

MAP can be tested with a Volt/ohm meter with a Hz setting, graph here: https://www.aa1car.com/library/map_sensor_ford.gif
The 2 outside wires are 5v and ground, test those first, key on
Center wire will have the Hz frequency signal the computer sees

Check key on/engine off Hz, at sea level it should be 159 Hz, at 5,000ft elevation 144 Hz, so 4,000ft should be 147 Hz
The computer gets this with key on to adjust for elevation
 

rusty ol ranger

Im a Jeep guy now.
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
12,267
Reaction score
7,274
Points
113
Location
Michigan
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
177 CID
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
A legend to the old man, a hero to the child...
This one is interesting.

Find your vacuum gauge....wonder if you got a clogged cat or something?

Other then that im out.
 

reed b.

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
48
Reaction score
7
Points
8
Location
CA
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Manual
I have put a new high pressure pump in but haven't really checked the ones that are in the tanks. I did do one thing else which I don't want to think of as the problem. There is a small canister for a fuel filter before the pump. I had opened it up long time back and it had nothing in it. I did not want any junk that might be in the tanks to mess up my new pump, so I made my own 'conversion' since I was told that no filters were available by Ford. Their logic was that there was a filter after the pump so that was all that was necessary. So I used a smaller in height filter and painstakingly fit a bronze bushing into the housing to make up the difference. It seems I did okay since it only uses a 1/16th " o-ring to seal and I have no leaks. But what you've said about volume may need to be checked out. As far as the MAP goes the next thing to do is to find a testing procedure for it. I have another one from a donor Explorer with the same emissions data and had switched it out before but not recently. Okay then, I will switch it out first and see if there is any difference.
 

reed b.

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
48
Reaction score
7
Points
8
Location
CA
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Manual
Rusty, Thanks for your input. It took me back a few years- you know, before vehicle computers! I had thought about a clogged cat and have already separated them at the rear from the exhaust pipe and was able to look inside all the way up to the oxygen sensor. So I'd say no problem there. However, back to the gauge. It is sitting at only 13-14 " though it does drop a bit when revved and go up for a second when throttle is closed again. So low on vacuum. I will be checking all the hoses though I can't say I hear the typical sounds associated with a leak. Again, all the input is helpful. And appreciated.
 

reed b.

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
48
Reaction score
7
Points
8
Location
CA
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Manual
A gasoline engine will lose 3% of its power for every 1,000ft of elevation
So if you are at 4,000ft you're already at a 12% loss of power, and that's minimum, I would guess 15% would be more likely, as loss % increases over 3,000ft
After warm up check exhaust for Rich smell that would indicate an issue with air/fuel mix of course, and contrary to what many think Rich is bad in this situation, less power and low MPG

Find your vacuum gauge
At 4,000ft it shouldn't be lower than 16"

MAP can be tested with a Volt/ohm meter with a Hz setting, graph here: https://www.aa1car.com/library/map_sensor_ford.gif
The 2 outside wires are 5v and ground, test those first, key on
Center wire will have the Hz frequency signal the computer sees

Check key on/engine off Hz, at sea level it should be 159 Hz, at 5,000ft elevation 144 Hz, so 4,000ft should be 147 Hz
The computer gets this with key on to adjust for elevation
 

reed b.

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
48
Reaction score
7
Points
8
Location
CA
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Manual
Ron . Thanks for the extra education ! I am only seeing a steady 13-14". And now I've seen how to test the MAP which was one of the next steps. My thanks indeed.
 

reed b.

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
48
Reaction score
7
Points
8
Location
CA
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Manual
A gasoline engine will lose 3% of its power for every 1,000ft of elevation
So if you are at 4,000ft you're already at a 12% loss of power, and that's minimum, I would guess 15% would be more likely, as loss % increases over 3,000ft
After warm up check exhaust for Rich smell that would indicate an issue with air/fuel mix of course, and contrary to what many think Rich is bad in this situation, less power and low MPG

Find your vacuum gauge
At 4,000ft it shouldn't be lower than 16"

MAP can be tested with a Volt/ohm meter with a Hz setting, graph here: https://www.aa1car.com/library/map_sensor_ford.gif
The 2 outside wires are 5v and ground, test those first, key on
Center wire will have the Hz frequency signal the computer sees

Check key on/engine off Hz, at sea level it should be 159 Hz, at 5,000ft elevation 144 Hz, so 4,000ft should be 147 Hz
The computer gets this with key on to adjust for elevation
 

reed b.

Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2020
Messages
48
Reaction score
7
Points
8
Location
CA
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
ford ranger
Transmission
Manual
I just checked and my dvm does have a Hz function, though I will need to learn to use it first! Again my thanks
 

gaz

Well-Known Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
1,382
Reaction score
623
Points
113
Location
Wa, Bremerton 98310
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
87Ranger Endrigo 2.9l, 87BII Endrigo 4.0l
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
Ranger 5" (2" suspension), BII 4" suspension
Total Drop
Ranger 5sp, BII A4LD
Tire Size
Ranger 33"/4:10LS, BII 29"/3:73LS
My credo
Deengineer until it is how Blue Oval should have sold it!!
reed,

On my stock 2.9L with headers, exhaust and chipped it fluttered with 27 vacuum @ 100' above sea level. So that is where I set the timing and it ran like a BEAST!
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top