Same old problems, thinking fuel related

[tenga]

I find myself having to post here again unfortunately, symptoms include very intermittent power loss, of which haven't been able to find a pattern. (It will go a whole day of driving without doing it, ill park in for an hour and get back in and it wont make it 2 blocks before doing it. though sometimes, it will do it when it first starts up) It sounds like someone is cutting off the fuel, if I open it to WOT it will work its way past it, but you can still feel it being held back. If you pop it in to neutral at any of these power loss points, it will idle very weak, and stumble and chug until it either straightens out, or dies. With my head in the engine compartment, while its having a fit and stumbling; struggling to stay running, I can hear a very distinct electrical buzzing either coming from the distributor or an injector. (This buzzing immediately goes away once the idle straightens back out.) I get a code 41 lean, so Im suspecting to fuel system, I changed the Fuel pressure regulator, and both filters. But That electrical buzzing is very suspicious to me, and I think its related to the problem. Looking for advice on what to do next, and if anyone has had success getting these problems sorted out.

 

[RonD]

This page has some good general info about the 2.9l engine
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/2_9_Page.html

If you scroll down about 2/3's of the way you will see general info about the "speed density" system used to set spark and fuel/air mixture.

From your description you could have a sensor that is failing or a bad wire connection to a sensor.

With only the "lean" code to go on it can be difficult to find an intermittent problem.

When engine is running well you can often unplug sensors and see if you can duplicate the "power loss", if you get the same symptom then test that sensor.
Most sensors can be tested with a volt/ohm meter, and it's wiring as well.
Never replace a sensor without testing it and its wiring, you could ruin the new sensor or just be spending money on a new sensor when the old one is fine.

The ECT sensor is a 2 wire Engine Coolant Temp sensor, it is not the same sensor that is used for the dash board engine temp gauge, that is a 1 wire sensor.
The ECT sensor tells the ECU that the engine is cold so ECU will run the engine rich until it warms up.
This sensor is the "choke" for an EFI system, if you notice an increase in fuel consumption this sensor could be the problem, ECU continues to run engine rich even after warm up.

The ignitions TFI is a known problem, good read here
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/TFI_Diagnostic.html

problem here usually gives a code

Noise you describe could be high side spark noise, crack in the coil?

 

[tenga]

Thanks for the tips.

 

[sjr53]

I've had a code 41 from a bad fuel injector and another time from a bad spark plug wire.

 

[adsm08]

From your description I would say that you have an oxygen sensor in the process of failing.

 

[Twister]

I have similar symptoms, ill be watching, hopefully you can figure it out

 

[tenga]

Haven't had the money to do anything with it in about a week or so.
Updated a symptom, when I took it out today everything was about the same. Except now if put at full throttle it will cut out, sputter and jerk, regardless of whether its having one of its little fits that I previously indicated. It will happen in any gear, and at all times if put at full throttle.

 

[tenga]

I will put up a video tomorrow.

 

[a31ford]

Two of us on the forum where having the sputtering problem, The solution for both of us, was to replace the IN TANK fuel strainer (it's a bag/filter) but it's in the tank, on the end of the pick-up.

Dugan was the other person having this problem, if memory is correct.

Greg

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1269983&postcount=39

this is the "Sock/bag" I'm talking about.

 

[tenga]

Two of us on the forum where having the sputtering problem, The solution for both of us, was to replace the IN TANK fuel strainer (it's a bag/filter) but it's in the tank, on the end of the pick-up.

Dugan was the other person having this problem, if memory is correct.

Greg

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1269983&postcount=39

this is the "Sock/bag" I'm talking about.

Thanks, I've definitely been expecting it, but I haven't gotten the balls to take off my bed and check the tank yet, and don't have a pressure gauge to check the fuel pressure.

 

[tenga]

Had someone pay for a shop visit today cause Im getting at wits end. Found a cracked spark plug that explained the jerking that popped up a few days ago. So, the jerking at full throttle is gone. But now Im back to square one, extremely random bogging. I pull out of the parking lot of the shop and it starts bogging, and then I restart it and it doesnt do it for 10 miles, then its starts doing it again. it seems to not do it after the check engine light comes on, but if I drove it long enough it probably would. the light seems to almost always come on after I take my foot off the pedal in gear. but it doesnt always.
Anyways, I told them that I suspected the fuel system, even after finding the cracked plug before I took it in, but Im guessing they didnt really do much to test it. Thinking about that strainer though, because its done it several times right after gassing up. But I'm running out of patience.

 

[a31ford]

Dugan and I chased that problem to death, I don't know how long it was for him, but for me, we are talking 4 months !!!!

It's almost like it would run better on a full tank, BUT not always, replaced the strainer, and POOF ! problem gone, GAWD, it was that simple.

I had to take the box off anyhow.

he,he,he,he !!

Greg

 

[tenga]

Dugan and I chased that problem to death, I don't know how long it was for him, but for me, we are talking 4 months !!!!

It's almost like it would run better on a full tank, BUT not always, replaced the strainer, and POOF ! problem gone, GAWD, it was that simple.

I had to take the box off anyhow.

he,he,he,he !!

Greg

Haha! Im right there with you. I've been chasing this gremlin for 2 or more months now, I dont even remember anymore.
Dropping the tank today to check that strainer out, started raining yesterday right when I got the skid plate off.
I would take off the bed, but the guy helping me out is about have surgery on his knee, and cant lift shit standing up.

 

[tenga]

Got it out

 

[robertc1024]

And?