01 ranger engine stumbles at 3k

[JStutz]

Hey guys.
Been a Ranger fan since my first 85 back in high school.
I currently am working on a 2001 ranger that sat for a year or so. it is the 4.0 engine. Its actually going to be a donor engine and trans for a project. It ran fine when parked. And it has been run for 30ish minute intervals every month or so since then. It Idles fine and even revs fine up to 3000 rpm. Right about 3k if you try to rev it any higher (no load just sitting in park) it stumbles and the tach starts bouncing from like 2700 to 3100 and as long as you keep your foot on the gas it just keeps bouncing like that. If you take your foot off of it it settles back down to a normal idle. I cut the Catylic off to be sure it wasn't a back pressure issue, and I replaced the fuel filter to be sure the filter wasnt restricting flow of the fuel. Does this sound like a fuel pump to you guys? BTW zero engine codes.
Thanks for any input.

 

[SenorNoob]

IIRC, there is a rev limiter at 3000 RPM on many Rangers (all Fords?) when not in gear.

 

[sgtsandman]

I agree, the rev limiter triggers earlier when not in gear vs when in gear. It sounds like you are hitting the rev limiter.

 

[JStutz]

Well dont I look like a moron. I had no idea the newer trucks had a rev limiter on them. Would you believe this is the newest ranger I have dealt with? And the frame is so bad I'm not willing to take it on the road to see if it gets over 3000. which is why this is just a donor engine for a project. Thanks for filling in the gaps in my knowledge.

 

[sgtsandman]

Well dont I look like a moron. I had no idea the newer trucks had a rev limiter on them. Would you believe this is the newest ranger I have dealt with? And the frame is so bad I'm not willing to take it on the road to see if it gets over 3000. which is why this is just a donor engine for a project. Thanks for filling in the gaps in my knowledge.

Nothing wrong with asking questions.