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96 2.3 2wd 5 speed timing or misfire


blueovals

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Awhile back I was coming home and lost power and seemed to be misfiring and blowing gas from the pipe. It threw a p0340 code. It was out of time. Put new timing belt on and got back in time. Still wont hold an idle, hard to start, runs rough and shakes like a beast. Changed the cam sensor. Still not better. I've read a few posts saying that the alternator could be the culprit. Something about an odd wave through the system that affects the cam sensor circuit. A friend said to check the maf as he had a similar problem and disconnecting it puts the system in "limp" mode. I tried that and it smoothed out some. Haven't tried pulling the belt to check alternator yet as the truck is sitting in 8 inches of snow at the moment. Need her running again asap. Any suggestions or experiences with this would be great. Can't afford to keep dumping money in her blindly. TYIA.
 


RonD

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After clearing the p0340 code(CPS circuit failure) and installing the new CPS has the code come back?

This can often be a wiring issue and new CPS won't fix it, could even be computer failure.

Blue/orange wire on CPS goes to pin85 on computer
Grey/red wire is the common signal return wire shared with several other sensor, it goes to pin 91 on computer

Because grey/red wire is spliced to other wires it can get corroded somewhere.

Grey/red wire connects to power steering pressure switch, clutch switch(manual), DPFE sensor, TPS, Air Temp sensor, ECT sensor, octane shorting bar, shaft speed sensor(automatic).

I would use OHM meter to see if CPS's grey/red wire shows 0 ohms(connected) to one of the above sensors grey/red wires
 
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blueovals

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Ok my buddy is bringing an ohm meter over later. I've never used one. Ill post results when I get rhem
 

blueovals

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welder: because balls out fire breathing metal bending bad ass mofo isn't an official job title
Ok so my buddy cant find his ohm meter. After both of us finding several different sources that say it could be the alternator sending odd electric currents through the system or a bad maf we first pulled the maf. Slightly better idle but not much. Then we pulled the belt and started with maf connected. Similar results. While running without alternator he disconnected the maf and it smoothed out and held good idle. Our conclusion is both are bad. I'll be buying both over the next couple paychecks. After both are changed ill update.
 

Milton

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Have you tried cleaning the MAF?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

RonD

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$25 volt/ohm meter would be first thing I would buy

Then $25-$40 Bluetooth OBD2 reader, these use your smartphone(iOS or android) as the display, wireless so easy to use and view real time data while driving.

Both the above can be used on ANY vehicle made after 1995, so not Ford or Ranger specific.
And both will save you hundreds of dollars in guess work.
90% of DIY replacement sensors and control didn't need to be replaced

Newer vehicles are very easy to work on, you just need a different set of tools, timing lights and dwell meters have been replaced with volt meters and OBD2 readers.

But a vacuum gauge is still also a good tool to have :)
 

Big Jim M

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Am I reading this correctly? You replaced the timing belt and still have the same problems? That alone should make you want to spend fifty bucks or so just to find out what is really wrong with this ride.
Big Jim
 

blueovals

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welder: because balls out fire breathing metal bending bad ass mofo isn't an official job title
I have a code reader. Its throwing the p0340 code. I am living paycheck to paycheck with 3 kids and another on the way. Buying tools I may not use again for quite some time isn't an option right now. I did clean the maf. Gonna order a maf and alternator from rock auto. Only makes sense if it runs fine with them both disconnected but if either is connected it runs like its out of time.
 

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