Need help troubleshooting carburetor issue(s), & where do these vacuum lines hookup??

['84ranger]

Got some questions about my 1984 Ranger

Hello Everyone,

I know that I have written a lot, and that I have a lot of questions, but I bet that most of you could answer them really quickly, so please help if you can! There are pictures that will aid in what I'm referring to ...


1984 Ford Ranger
4x4, 4-speed manual
2.8 liter V6
Carb ID = E37E AEA, 1.08


I'm having some trouble with my truck. I bought the truck a month ago. From the beginning, it was running pretty rough. I either had to hit the gas repeatedly, or hold down the gas at something like 4,000 RPM, to keep the truck running when letting off the clutch. It seemed like it was running way too rich, and overloading, and wanted to bog down. I figured it was just a carburetor issue, so I went ahead and bought the truck and just got done rebuilding the carburetor with a brand new rebuild kit.

Now its different. Now it starts, runs at a really high RPM for 5 seconds, and then just cuts off. It will not even idle on its own, even when the engine is warm. If I hit the gas repeatedly, like I had to before the rebuild, then I can keep it going. So, I started looking around, and found some vacuum hookups that have no line to them. I've searched on this site, other sites, and in the Haynes service manual, and still cannot find out what they go to, if anything, or if they just simply need to be plugged up.

Also, I'm trying to set up the choke and the fast idle, as I have a feeling that this is a huge part of my issue(s). The choke is pre-set from the factory, and I cannot adjust it, like all of the manuals say that I'm supposed to. They say that I should take out the screws and adjust it, but there are no screws. The choke has been pressed in, and not screwed in, from the factory, as you can see from the picture. The fast idle adjustment is also different from the other diagrams. There is only one notch in the fast idle adjustment, not multiple ones like shown in this rebuild instruction manual: (http://www.ifsja.org/forums/vb/showthread.php?p=941955) ...

Here is another thing that I have a question about. I turned the ignition on (w/OUT starting the truck), and wanted to see if the electric choke was even getting any juice from the battery. I put a test light in the hookup wire (the one that plugs into the nipple thing on the choke) and ran it to the negative side of the battery, and NO light came on. Just to humor myself and make sure my light was working and the battery was engaged by the switch, I put one end of the test light on the POS and one on the NEG and the light DID come on then, so I know my tool was working right and the ignition was for sure on. So does this mean that the auto choke wire isn't working, or does the truck actually have to be running for it to get power??

Lastly, there is a gap in between the throttle and some sensor. What is that sensor thing that is there, and is there supposed to be a gap?

PLEASE LOOK AT THE PICTURES. You'll see exactly what I'm referring to with each question.


Here's a few things I need to know:
1. what goes on the two vacuum hookups that I cant find any hoses for.
2. What to do about the choke and the fast idle.
3. As you can see from the picture, the SMOG has been rerouted to eliminate it. What new parts do I need to buy in order to reestablish the SMOG and how to do so.
4. There's a threaded hole in the air filter cover that doesn't have anything in it. What is supposed to go there - a sensor of some sort?


Thank you all for the help!!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

That should go to the PCV valve in the passenger side valve cover. If it is going somewhere else, cap that nipple.

Probably for some of your deleted emissions stuff. Mine didn't have that nipple. Cap it.

The first one is a massive vacuum leak and will cause major drivability problems on its own. I don't know exactly what the second nipple pictured does, but it sure wasn't meant to be open like that and may be a second vacuum leak adding to your problems.

On a non emissions era carb that is adjustable, where it is riveted they would have screws to loosen so you can adjust the timing of the choke. You can't adjust the 2.8's, just make sure it gets power with the key and the choke opens as the key is on.

Mine didn't have a threaded port like that. It did have a twist and lock senser towards the front on the passenger side, I supposed for intake air temp. Plug it until you figure out what it does.

That bumps up the idle, mainly when the A/C compressor kicks on I think. I removed mine and it ran the same, kinda cool to take apart too (it has a screw mechanism to move the the finger in and out)

If the two idle mix screws are not set right it will mess with you too. With a warm engine turn them all the way in and then 2-3 turns out. Start the engine, and adjust one for highest RPM and then half a turn back in, repeat for the other screw. Adjust overall idle with the adjusting screw on the linkage where the cable snaps on.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

#1 The vacuum nipple on the rear base of the carb is for the PCV valve.
#2 The nipple on the under side of the air horn is for the vent solenoid for the egr
the yellow line http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/diagrams/1983vacuumhoseguide.jpg
#3 The screws for the choke thermostat are the stock snap screws take a small chizzle and turn them out a little bit once you screw them out you can get regular screws to replace them for adjusting the choke spring tension.
#4 That hole is for the intake air temp sensor for the computer without it the computer will never work correct.
#5 Is the thermactor the upper nipple goes to the exhaust crossover on the back of the heads and the side nipple goes to the tube to the center of the cat.
#6 Is the idle control motor take the idle screw on the side of the carb and turn it out until the engine stalls or the idle motor takes over. The idle screw on the drivers side of the carb is just there so the engine dont stall when you let off the gas until the idle motor takes back over. It is call the anti diesel screw on that carb.

Someone hacked on it pretty good it looks to me if you can find one around the same year the vacuum diagram should be on the radiator support put a new ACT air charge temp sensor in the air cleaner get all the vacuum lines hooked up correct disconnect the battery for at least 1/2 an hour and see if the computer starts to respond to the. If you dont need to pass emissions do the duraspark conversion and save yourself the headache of getting the old EEC-IV system working

 

['84ranger]

Thanks for the help guys!

I got all the vacuum hoses hooked up right, and even pulled the carb back off and redid the fast idle adjustments, but the engine was still racing after I started it, like it did before.

But, I finally got the engine running smoothly! Still have a few questions, as some stuff just doesn't seem right.

1.) The reason that the engine was still racing after I pulled the carburetor back off the truck and redid the fast idle adjustments is because the choke plate was closed. I had evidently hit the throttle before starting the engine, and this knocked the fast idle screw off the V-mark on the fast idle, thus closing the choke plate. I had to manually set the fast idle screw back on the V-mark. But, shouldn't the automatic choke reset this for me? Isn’t that the purpose of the auto choke? I still cannot tell if the auto choke is even working. I tested the choke wire to see if it was getting electricity, and it did not light the bulb on the test light. I tried connecting the other end of the test light to both POS and NEG sides of the battery, and still got no light. Just to humor myself, I had someone try to start the vehicle (before I put the carburetor back on the truck so it wouldn’t actually start), and tested the wire then, just to see if the engine had to be turning/running for the auto choke to get juice. This situation wouldn’t really make sense to me, but I thought it was worth a shot, just to see, since it wasn’t getting electricity under the other circumstances. I am a newbie at this auto choke stuff. How do I make sure that the auto choke is even working?

2.) How do I properly set the idle screw and the idle control motor? I’ve read that I can have either the idle screw OR the idle control motor regulate the idle. But I figure they wouldn’t have put the idle control motor AND the idle screw there if they both didn’t have a purpose – so what is the correct balance between the idle screw and the idle control motor when properly setting them? & what is the purpose of the idle control motor? Do I really need it, or can I just disconnect and remove it and just rely on the idle screw?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

1.) The reason that the engine was still racing after I pulled the carburetor back off the truck and redid the fast idle adjustments is because the choke plate was closed. I had evidently hit the throttle before starting the engine, and this knocked the fast idle screw off the V-mark on the fast idle, thus closing the choke plate. I had to manually set the fast idle screw back on the V-mark. But, shouldn't the automatic choke reset this for me? Isn’t that the purpose of the auto choke? I still cannot tell if the auto choke is even working. I tested the choke wire to see if it was getting electricity, and it did not light the bulb on the test light. I tried connecting the other end of the test light to both POS and NEG sides of the battery, and still got no light. Just to humor myself, I had someone try to start the vehicle (before I put the carburetor back on the truck so it wouldn’t actually start), and tested the wire then, just to see if the engine had to be turning/running for the auto choke to get juice. This situation wouldn’t really make sense to me, but I thought it was worth a shot, just to see, since it wasn’t getting electricity under the other circumstances. I am a newbie at this auto choke stuff. How do I make sure that the auto choke is even working?

You need to get a new test light (or at least a bulb) if it won't light when you are going across the battery posts. It should come on at the battery like that.

The choke wire is hot with the key in the run position, as the key is on it heats a thermocouple in that round disc that pulls the choke open.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

It could be the choke relay next to the starter solenoid it should put out a pulsing voltage when the computer tells it to. Did you get the choke thermostat loose the rivet looking things are actually break away screws use a small chizel and tap them out until you can grab them and get some screws at the hdwr store of from another carb in the bone yard. Just turn back on the choke spring so it holds the choke all the way open you can address it later. Turn the idle air screws on the base of the carb out three turns from the lightly seated position and then You will need the IAT or ACT sensor that screws into the air filter housing plugged in also. intake air temp or air charge temp same animal without it the computer goes goofy. All it needs is plugged in giving the computer an input as well as all the sensors. Disconnect the battery for 1/2 an hour then start it and see if the idle motor takes comtrol of the idle you cant adjust anything until it is up to temp so get the timing light set up pull the spout and check the timing now you want 10 degrees btdc plug the spout back in and warm it all the way up and then check it again lock it down and check it again. once the timing is set and good unplug the idle motor and adjust the idle air screws for the highest rpm or vacuum you can get plug the idle motor back in and the idle should be around 700 rpm if the idle is high and the motor is not touching the throttle lever back out on the screw on the side of the carb by the throttle cable until the idle motor take over the idle. You dont want that screw touching the throttle lever just real close so when you let off the throttle the engine dont die until the throttle motor takes over the idle. Now turn the engine off and the idle motor plunger will fully extend that is your curb idle unplug the idle motor and start it up you want around 1150 rpm and to adjust it use the screw on the side to move the motor for the proper curb idle adjustment lock it down and plug the idle motor back in and it should control the idle. So first you have to confirm the timing then adjust the idle air screws then the curb idle and then you can mess with the choke just leave the choke all the way open until you get the carb dialed in it is allways the last thing to worry about oh yea dont be afraid to reset the computer especially if you run it without one of the sensors disconnected make sure everything is plugged in before you turn the key on.