Bill
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2007
- Messages
- 1,004
- Reaction score
- 789
- Points
- 113
- Location
- Sacramento, CA
- Vehicle Year
- 2007
- Make / Model
- Ford Ranger
- Engine Type
- 2.3 (4 Cylinder)
- Transmission
- Manual
- 2WD / 4WD
- 2WD
I finally got around to checking the brakes to see if they need anything. They are in good shape, but I'm still going to replace the semi-metallic pads with ceramic because I'm tired of the brake dust. Since I've put just under 4,000 miles on the blend of different brands and weights of oil I decided to do an oil change. I have this thing about starting the summer with fresh oil for the hot weather here . I investigated a ticking noise that appears shortly after starting it when cold, then changes to a sound something like marbles when things are warmed up. I think it is an exhaust leak where the upstream cat is bolted to the manifold. I tested out the OBD2 bluetooth scanner I ordered to assist diagnosing the revving between shifting gears. Nothing obvious came up. Vacuum is at 21.5 - 22.5 in. at sea level and about 20.5 -21.5 at 2,000 feet elevation. I can't find any vacuum leaks in any of the hoses, but the PCV hose appears to be slightly soft from age, but not at the point of collapsing. I can't find one online, but I'll order a replacement when I do. TPS appears to be OK, and the MAF is reading 2.3 -2.9 g/s at idle. I think the windy conditions was causing the air pressure and temperature to fluctuate, thus causing the inconsistent reading. I'll check it out again if it isn't windy tomorrow. It would be nice to have a chart that shows exactly how much air the engine sucks in at various RPMs so I can verify I'm getting the correct readings from the MAF. I also bought a replacement gasket for the throttle body just to make sure this issue isn't from an old gasket.