85 Ranger Spitting & Sputtering

[98singlecab]

I will check that out. thanks Tom. when I go to work in the morning she runs fine and strong maybe a slight miss, but a blip of the throttle and it's gone.
Today on the way home (5miles) again slight miss, stopped to get a mt dew, then the miss was a lot more noticeable.
also I'm still burning rich, the exhaust will make your eyes water (outside, not in a garage) I've run 3 cans of seafoam through it because the p/o said it had a sticking injector.

 

[tomw]

If your exhaust gas is that noxious, I would be checking the fuel pressure regulator. It will adjust pressure based on engine vacuum (load indicator) and if it goes, you might be getting full pressure all the time, overloading the injectors beyond the adjustment the ECM can do. The diaphragm inside the regulator can perforate, and that would let raw gas get sucked into the intake. Fuel mileage would suffer accordingly.
tom

 

[98singlecab]

I just replaced the regulator though. going out now the check the rail filter location.

 

[98singlecab]

no filter on the fuel rail.

 

[tomw]

If you have EFI, the 1985 models had a canister that is behind a U-shaped metal plate bolted to the frame rail. I believe it is rearward of the fuel pump that is on the same drivers side frame. The metal shield is made of thick metal and held in place by bolts from the top and bottom(?) of the frame. I undid two or three bolts to let it pivot on the remaining bolt, which it did. My strap wrench would not loosen the filter canister. Been there since fall of 1984. Holy frack. 30 years old this November. Oy.
tom

 

[98singlecab]

cool Tom. I located the canister looking thing, mine doesn't have a skid plate. Just mounted to the frame rail behind the fuel pump on the frame rail. the top is metal but the bottom is plastic, there are 4 fuel lines attached to it 2 from the tank and 2 from the engine. is this the same as yours???

 

[98singlecab]

I looked on orielly's web site and found motorcraft part number 33268. is that the right thing??

 

[tomw]

I do not know. I googled for the image, and what comes up looks like what I'd expect.

From appearances, the small canister, which looks just like a tiny oil filter, was metal on my truck. It was painted just like the frame, and had two lines in and two lines out just as advertised.
You can unscrew the canister, and dump the contents into a jar, let it settle, and look to see if you have water installed. You do not have to replace the filter element unless you want to. I still have the same one after almost 30 years.... As noted I cannot remove it using my strap wrench, and do not want to mash it or damage it as I don't know if I can find a replacement.
tom

 

[98singlecab]

I went to walmart and picked up a pair of filter pliers. worked great. forgot to catch a sample so I just replaced the filter.the bottom felt gritty. (lost about a gallon of fuel in the process)
what vacuum test do you sugest?? I sprayed the motor down with carb cleaner with no change.
after everything I've done I still have this miss, now it seems to happen when it's cold. once it's reaches between the m and the p on the stock temp guage it seems to run fine.

 

[98singlecab]

Ok Tom,n here's a puzzle for you to figure out. first off the list of what I've replaced,cleaned,repaired or checked.


cleaned= EGR, intake, throttle body

checked= sprayed entire engine down with carb cleaner while it was running- no vacuum leaks, wiggle tested all electrical connections- nothing

replaced= Ignition control module, MAP, ECT, FPR, spark plugs, cap & rotor, fuel filter, air filter,

now the puzzle---- I have to start my truck and let it idle for a while. (It doesn't matter if I just ran into the store) It will go into high idle for about a minute then kick down, this is when it'll start to go baaababababaaaababababbaaabaaabaaaababababba, or miss. I let it do this till it kicks back into high idle then I can go and have no issues at all.

Did I stump you ??? I'm stumped

 

[tomw]

Simplify. Disconnect & plug: vacuum to 'tree' that is on top of upper intake. Vacuum to EGR. PCV. Put a vacuum gauge on the intake and see what it reads immediately after startup. It should wiggle with the miss events.

is "baaababababaaaababababbaaabaaabaaaababababba" the tail pipe noise? ... with the b representing a miss or burble? Does it still burn your eyes?

You can finish the job by buying new spark plug wires. and a coil. My plug wires would work fine .. then miss and make the truck chug and buck going down the road. Finally watched a light show early one AM when it was still dark outside... underhood as the wires flashed from one to the other...
have a vulcan that had intermittent miss... diagnosed a coil .. not. got worse with a new coil .. put the old one back in that had 'arc' marks on it... THE OLD COIL is still there. I even replaced all 6 injectors ... bought a 'tester' that would test TPS, ECT, ACT, etc, and a 'code reader' to help me try to fix the miss.
In another case, I had a TPS go bad, and kick the AXOD out of OD while cruising down the road .. dropout made the computer think the throttle was closed(?) so it disengaged TC lockup and OD. Or maybe just lockup .. it was quite a while ago.
Anyway, you are re-setting something when you shut it off. Likely a relay with bad points. The computer goes closed-mode with temperature... There are TWO temp sensors. One for the gauge .. near the oil pressure sender on the side of the block below the intake .. the other? I dunno. Either intake or cylinder head, but I'd have to get up and go to the bsmt to get the EVTM that shows that stuff. Have you read for any pending/temp codes or stored codes?
The idle speed is changing when the computer senses the temp is correct, and it can reduce idle speed and lean out the injectors. If the temp sensor is nutz, the computer will lean too quick, and diddle with timing before it's warmed up, and reduce idle speed. Worth looking at. It will be a resistor that changes value as the engine coolant heats & cools. I think it is on the intake ... there is coolant flowing through the bottom of the manifold via the 1/4 or 3/8" hose from the passenger side around the back end of the cylinder head into the intake.
Put a brand new thermostat in place. Stant or good brand - no cheapy.
tom

 

[98singlecab]

yes the "b" is the miss. the exhaust doesn't burn your eyes as bad.
I'll find someone with the testers needed to do the tests. thanks Tom

 

[98singlecab]

my ECT is on the manifold in between injectors 2 & 3. there are 2 sensors on the manifold for air flow, I don't know what they are called or their jobs.
It's just wierd that the wires would arc every now and then.

 

[98singlecab]

ok after going through my engine bay again and triple checking everything tune up wise I found that during the stumbleing my timing was off. but after my truck went through it's stumble fase and went back to running right. so I replaced my timing belt,(it was stretched by about and 1/8 of an inch). so now my truck runs great but doesn't have the get up and go it had before. I unplugged the computer from the distributor to check and reset my timing to what the book says. I'd like to get the get up and go back

 

[tomw]

You have to set the 'static' timing with the 'spout' plug disconnected. There is a rectangular plug hanging out of the plastic loom that feeds from the drivers side inner fender towards the engine. It has to be removed, then the engine started and gotten fully warmed up. Using a timing light, set the timing to 10BTDC on the pointers on the front pulley. Turn off the engine, and replace the plug. It should have a lot more getup and go.
tom