1990 Ranger with 4.0?

[Jerseyboy37409]

Morning everyone thanks for adding me. I recently purchased a 1990 Ford Ranger for $400 to start a project. The truck runs really rough misses has no power, so as I started to try to diagnose it and this being my first Ranger I kept looking up for the 2.9 liter V6 and it just didn't look right so I believe after looking around that has a 4.0. As I said before I haven't worked much with Ford Rangers if any at all so I don't know much about the motor sizes by looking at them so this took a second. I'm going to start with making sure the Scott Spark then it's firing in the right correct order I'm reading some of the articles on here about the swap to try to learn about how this was done but any input on what I should be checking out I could be the culprit and this would be greatly appreciated like I said the truck just revs funny and is very powerless I tried to take it on the freeway it struggles to do 45-50 miles per hour. The MAF sensor and air box has a coat hanger holding it. Like I said any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and I hope you reading this much on this forum to try to educate myself.....thx you jamie

 

[Jerseyboy37409]

Not sure why my pictures didnt load

 

[Snoranger]

Morning everyone thanks for adding me. I recently purchased a 1990 Ford Ranger for $400 to start a project. The truck runs really rough misses has no power, so as I started to try to diagnose it and this being my first Ranger I kept looking up for the 2.9 liter V6 and it just didn't look right so I believe after looking around that has a 4.0. As I said before I haven't worked much with Ford Rangers if any at all so I don't know much about the motor sizes by looking at them so this took a second. I'm going to start with making sure the Scott Spark then it's firing in the right correct order I'm reading some of the articles on here about the swap to try to learn about how this was done but any input on what I should be checking out I could be the culprit and this would be greatly appreciated like I said the truck just revs funny and is very powerless I tried to take it on the freeway it struggles to do 45-50 miles per hour. The MAF sensor and air box has a coat hanger holding it. Like I said any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and I hope you reading this much on this forum to try to educate myself.....thx you jamie

Paragraphs and punctuation... it makes it a lot easier for us to read. The easier it is to read, the quicker you'll get the help you need.

That being said, Why do think it's a 4.0L swap? The 4.0L was available in 1990. It could be stock.

 

[Jerseyboy37409]

Paragraphs and punctuation... it makes it a lot easier for us to read. The easier it is to read, the quicker you'll get the help you need.

That being said, Why do think it's a 4.0L swap? The 4.0L was available in 1990. It could be stock.

My apologies i havent been able to find one article saying that it was available. I am going by every google search i have done . im not at all saying

 

[Uncle Gump]

I think the eight digit in the VIN would be an X if it was a 4.0L truck.

 

[Jerseyboy37409]

Paragraphs and punctuation... it makes it a lot easier for us to read. The easier it is to read, the quicker you'll get the help you need.

That being said, Why do think it's a 4.0L swap? The 4.0L was available in 1990. It could be stock.

I tried to leave the page and it automatically replied. As i was saying , when you search 1990 ford 2.9 or 3.0 or 4.0 when people are discussing it . they keep referring to a distributor not coil pack.
I have googled for 2 days and until i changed year and put in 4.0 i couldnt find anything that looked close . the harness has some wires added or left out so i assumed .
If thats the case than i apologize

The map vacumn isnt hooked up.

The air box has a missing vacumn

And ive tried to find the firing order and how it is on the coil pack .

The truck just sounds like its missing and when i unplugged the map it didnt make a difference, which with it not having the vacumn hooked up makes sense.

I apologize but honestly i havent seen once were it showed a 4.0 in a 90 ranger ....i will recheck

 

[Snoranger]

'90 was the first year of the 4.0... Uncle Gump beat me to it.

What have you done to diagnose/fix it? Tune up? Plugs and wires (the 4.0 has a single coil pack, a 2.9L has a distributor.)
Fuel filter? (A clogged fuel filter could cause low power.)

Make sure all the basic stuff is good before you start trying to solve an issue. The simplest answers are often overlooked.

 

[Snoranger]

 

[Jerseyboy37409]

I think the eight digit in the VIN would be an X if it was a 4.0L truck.

Thx you 7th letter is a x

 

[Jerseyboy37409]

'90 was the first year of the 4.0... Uncle Gump beat me to it.

What have you done to diagnose/fix it? Tune up? Plugs and wires (the 4.0 has a single coil pack, a 2.9L has a distributor.)
Fuel filter? (A clogged fuel filter could cause low power.)

Make sure all the basic stuff is good before you start trying to solve an issue. The simplest answers are often overlooked.

Thx you for the diagram

First i notice the map vacumn isnt hooked up, i was gonna see if i could find a way to test this

The firing order now that i have the diagram

I will check fuel filters

then the maf

Thx you again for the help

 

[Snoranger]

Thx you 7th letter is a x

What about the 8th character? That's the one for the engine.

 

[Jerseyboy37409]

What about the 8th character? That's the one for the engine.

It was the 8th going on lil sleep , was up most of tge night thinking this was a 2.9 ....bou i feel dumb....and also plug wires were crossed

....Running alot better but the map does need vacumn correct? Its idling better gonna change the plugs who knows how long it was driven like that.
Its idling in park at 1100 but seems low in gear at 500 still rough in gear

 

[Uncle Gump]

Yes... the MAP absolutely needs a good manifold vacuum source.

 

[Jerseyboy37409]

Yes... the MAP absolutely needs a good manifold vacuum source.

Thx you for all your help

 

[Oxxon]

Hello and welcome to TRS!!