1990 2.9L V6 - Randomly Getting Missfires - No CEL - Not Sure How To Troubleshoot

[Mahonroy]

Hey guys, so I have a 1990 2.9L V6 Ford Ranger. Roughly 200,000 miles on it.

There are days where it fires right up, and runs great all day. Other times it will fire right up, then shortly after driving it will enter a "state" of all the sudden getting a ton of missfires - lots of engine jerking, difficulty with idling, etc. This can last 30 minutes, to the rest of the day.
There are other days where it is very hard to start and its running super rough - as if its already in that "state" that I mentioned above. Sometimes after driving it around it clears up and runs perfect.
Its been very random on whenever it decides its going to run bad, or run perfect, and it can change mid-day.

I am not the greatest mechanic and not very knowledgeable on this, so I was to the point of wanting to just take it to a mechanic to work on it. I am worried that the truck will end up running perfect while they are trying to diognose it, and they won't be able to actually "see" the problem to begin troubleshooting, then I am out the diagnosing fees. And there is no CEL.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this? Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[rusty ol ranger]

My first guess would be an ignition module on the way out.

 

[Bear in the woods]

I agree with rusty. also the stator does the same simptoms ,but is know to last longer than module before acting normal again. Does it suddenly die while driving, then starts right back up?

 

[franklin2]

Are you sure you have a CEL? The old ones didn't. Not sure when they started putting the CEL in the dash, but it might be worth getting the codes checked anyway.

I had a 1986 that was giving me the same intermittent symptoms, never could get it fixed. I finally checked the codes after checking them on a regular basis, and got a code that indicated the pickup inside the dist was missing signals. I replaced the dist and the problem went away finally. This was the pickup inside the dist, not the module on the outside.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I think a 90 has a cel. Assuming it works

 

[Bear in the woods]

Are you sure you have a CEL? The old ones didn't. Not sure when they started putting the CEL in the dash, but it might be worth getting the codes checked anyway.

I had a 1986 that was giving me the same intermittent symptoms, never could get it fixed. I finally checked the codes after checking them on a regular basis, and got a code that indicated the pickup inside the dist was missing signals. I replaced the dist and the problem went away finally. This was the pickup inside the dist, not the module on the outside.

Yup. Also called a stator

 

[Mahonroy]

My first guess would be an ignition module on the way out.

Are you referring to a "TFI module" that appears to be attached to the back of the ignition distributor?
This part?

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/Motorcraft/Ignition_Module/1990/Custom/6_Cyl_2-dot-9L/MIDY1284.html

I agree with rusty. also the stator does the same simptoms ,but is know to last longer than module before acting normal again. Does it suddenly die while driving, then starts right back up?

It has never fully died while driving. The worse it has gotten is I can barely get any acceleration, and its struggling to idle. Occationally it has died at idle and I can barely get it started. If I give it a little gas it never dies, but idles super rough.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Are you referring to a "TFI module" that appears to be attached to the back of the ignition distributor?
This part?

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/Motorcraft/Ignition_Module/1990/Custom/6_Cyl_2-dot-9L/MIDY1284.html

It has never fully died while driving. The worse it has gotten is I can barely get any acceleration, and its struggling to idle. Occationally it has died at idle and I can barely get it started. If I give it a little gas it never dies, but idles super rough.

Yes the TFI module.

It could be a MAP issue as well.

 

[Mahonroy]

Yes the TFI module.

It could be a MAP issue as well.

Thanks again for the response!

Someone mentioned it could be the "stator", which I'm assuming is the same thing as the ignition distributor.

Would it be better to just order a distributor instead? It comes with a new TFI module bolted to the side of it:

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/A1_Cardone/Distributor/1990/Custom/6_Cyl_2-dot-9L/A1842686MB.html

The MAP sensors are only $14, so I could do that as well:

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/Replacement/MAP_Sensor/1990/Custom/6_Cyl_2-dot-9L/REPF315201.html

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Thanks again for the response!

Someone mentioned it could be the "stator", which I'm assuming is the same thing as the ignition distributor.

Would it be better to just order a distributor instead? It comes with a new TFI module bolted to the side of it:

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/A1_Cardone/Distributor/1990/Custom/6_Cyl_2-dot-9L/A1842686MB.html

The MAP sensors are only $14, so I could do that as well:

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/Replacement/MAP_Sensor/1990/Custom/6_Cyl_2-dot-9L/REPF315201.html

Dont just start shotgunning parts at it. Espicially with as shitty as part quality has been lately.

First thing i would do is atleast attempt to scan it for codes.

If that turns up bare. Do the TFI first.

Then try a MAP.

It *could* be a distributor issue...but i kinda doubt it.

It could also be wireing, or even some odd fuel issue.

But my gut says TFI, they can fail in very odd ways

 

[franklin2]

Thanks again for the response!

Someone mentioned it could be the "stator", which I'm assuming is the same thing as the ignition distributor.

Would it be better to just order a distributor instead? It comes with a new TFI module bolted to the side of it:

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/A1_Cardone/Distributor/1990/Custom/6_Cyl_2-dot-9L/A1842686MB.html

The MAP sensors are only $14, so I could do that as well:

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/Replacement/MAP_Sensor/1990/Custom/6_Cyl_2-dot-9L/REPF315201.html

My recommendation is to buy the stator and a new TFI and install it yourself. Did Cardone "say" they put a new TFI module on the dist? I do not like Cardone, and this distributor thing I was going through was the beginning of it.

I bought a new stator and module when my code came up. I went to pull the gear off the bottom of the dist after driving the pin out, and I chipped the tooth on the gear. I looked high and low, could not find a gear. So I just went ahead and bought a "rebuilt" distributor from one of the local stores. It was a Cardone.

Installed it, and I had worse bucking and jerking problems than a started with. All I changed was the distributor. So I pulled the "rebuilt" distributor out, and tore it down. I was more careful this time and did not chip the gear. I could not believe my eyes. Old black oil and carbon all inside the distributor shaft, and a old crusty stator module inside. They had cleaned up the outside and put little paint marks here and there, but had not even torn the distributor down during their "rebuild"

I still had the new stator that I had ordered for the other dist I broke. So I cleaned the "rebuilt" distributor up, installed the new stator, lubed everything and put it back together. Ran great after that.

You get lousy parts once in awhile, I know that. But I went a couple rounds with the dist in a 2.8,, and ran into the same thing with a Cardone "rebuilt" distributor. They are really the only game in town, so you do not have a choice sometimes, but it aggravates me how they run their business.

 

[Bear in the woods]

Thanks again for the response!

Someone mentioned it could be the "stator", which I'm assuming is the same thing as the ignition distributor.

Would it be better to just order a distributor instead? It comes with a new TFI module bolted to the side of it:

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/A1_Cardone/Distributor/1990/Custom/6_Cyl_2-dot-9L/A1842686MB.html

The MAP sensors are only $14, so I could do that as well:

https://www.carparts.com/details/Ford/Ranger/Replacement/MAP_Sensor/1990/Custom/6_Cyl_2-dot-9L/REPF315201.html

The stator is an internal part on the distributor , the distributor has to be removed and disassembled to replace it Serves same function as the module on the outside. But harder to replace

 

[Bear in the woods]

the module on the outside was put on to take some load off the stator. Most time the module will go out first. But the stator does same symptoms, but usually lasts days before it will allow to crank again. Had to replace mine on my 90 ranger 2.9

 

[Bear in the woods]

Dont just start shotgunning parts at it. Espicially with as shitty as part quality has been lately.

First thing i would do is atleast attempt to scan it for codes.

If that turns up bare. Do the TFI first.

Then try a MAP.

It *could* be a distributor issue...but i kinda doubt it.

It could also be wireing, or even some odd fuel issue.

But my gut says TFI, they can fail in very odd ways

Also check the connections on your sensors. I had one on my tps sensor that looked plugged. But wasn’t all the way locked on. Gave me fits for a while with idle and acceleration

 

[Mahonroy]

Are you sure you have a CEL? The old ones didn't. Not sure when they started putting the CEL in the dash, but it might be worth getting the codes checked anyway.

I had a 1986 that was giving me the same intermittent symptoms, never could get it fixed. I finally checked the codes after checking them on a regular basis, and got a code that indicated the pickup inside the dist was missing signals. I replaced the dist and the problem went away finally. This was the pickup inside the dist, not the module on the outside.

I think a 90 has a cel. Assuming it works

Dont just start shotgunning parts at it. Espicially with as shitty as part quality has been lately.

First thing i would do is atleast attempt to scan it for codes.

If that turns up bare. Do the TFI first.

Then try a MAP.

It *could* be a distributor issue...but i kinda doubt it.

It could also be wireing, or even some odd fuel issue.

But my gut says TFI, they can fail in very odd ways

I wanted to touch on the check engine light - so the truck does actually have a check engine light. When the engine is running its off. Is it still possible there are some codes to read? I have an OBDII scanner, but I think this is too old for that. Should I just take it somewhere to read codes? Or will there definately not be anything to read because the light is off when engine is running?

I took a photo of my dash below to show:

That was why I was hesitant taking it somewhere, and thought maybe the shotgun approach to just throwing parts at it would work - because I'm worried the mechanic might not be able to find something wrong. Unless I'm lucky enough for it to be running bad at the same time they are looking - its so random though.