1990 2.9L Manual - Stalls in First gear, won't move its own weight.

[Boulter]

My 15 year old son bought a 1990 Ford Ranger 2.9 L Manual 4x4 for $1.00 from a stranger down the alley. We have messed with it but can’t figure out why it has no power under load. It will stall out in first gear even at 2500 rpm. It tries to move and then with pedal to floor, just stalls out. The only way to get it to move is to put it in 4x4 low range, even then it has little power.

Replaced injectors, fuel pump, fuel filter, distributor cap and rotor, spark plugs and wires, MAP sensor, O2 sensor, fuel pressure regulator, plenum gasket. Removed catalytic converter and checked for exhaust blockage. Fuel pressure at rail is 40 at idle. Idles well and will rev up in neutral. Engine shakes a lot at about 1000 rpm in neutral. We have read codes via jumper method and nothing comes up.

Any ideas?

 

[Brain75]

Something in the brakes seized up and holding? (even parking brake)

 

[MaicoDoug]

Will it roll around with no power, like checking if the brakes are engaged? Could be something in the drive line. I'd first put it up on jackstands and start spinning stuff.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Check the timing.

Remember to yank the SPOUT connector when checking/adjusting

 

[Boulter]

Will it roll around with no power, like checking if the brakes are engaged? Could be something in the drive line. I'd first put it up on jackstands and start spinning stuff.

Rolls on its own down sloped driveway.

 

[Brain75]

How does the shift pattern feel, goes into every gear smoothly/normally?

How does it drive in reverse - the same?

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Long shot but maybe the rear axle for some reason has way too tall gearing in it? do the wheels spin at the same rate in 4low?

 

[RobbieD]

If you haven't already, confirm that your plug wires are going to the correct distributor tower and spark plug, in the right order; there's a diagram in the tech section here.

If you just copied what was there when you replaced the parts, you don't know if the previous owner had it right unless you check it.

 

[Boulter]

How does the shift pattern feel, goes into every gear smoothly/normally?

How does it drive in reverse - the same?

Same issue in reverse

 

[Boulter]

Check the timing.

Remember to yank the SPOUT connector when checking/adjusting

Just checked the timing and it is at about 10 degrees.

 

[Boulter]

If you haven't already, confirm that your plug wires are going to the correct distributor tower and spark plug, in the right order; there's a diagram in the tech section here.

If you just copied what was there when you replaced the parts, you don't know if the previous owner had it right unless you check it.

Checked and ok.

 

[nick87xlt]

Check fuel output volume, You can have proper fuel pressure but the pumps not delivering enough volume. Remove fuel line and crank into a jerry can and see how much fuel comes it should fill in a few minutes

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Just checked the timing and it is at about 10 degrees.

Id check compression next..just to rule that out.

 

[SenorNoob]

I know you said it rolls, but is that with it in gear and the clutch released? That should completely eliminate the possibility of something binding in the transmission..

 

[Brain75]

Given that it idles fine and you have replaced half the engine, I would slow down on poking at the engine 99 different ways. My money was on something in the driveline. Trans, U joint, brakes, wheel bearing, etc. since it rolls down hill fine, I look less at the back portion (everything past the trans), and now look pretty squarely at the trans itself. Have you put the rear up in the air and verified all that turns nice and easy when out of gear? - it's redundant to the "rolls down hill" test, but more thurough. And the post right before me is doing my next suggestion testing the trans/whole driveline up to the clutch.