2.3L ('83-'97) 2.3 wont stay running/clacking noise/loss of power

[sjmccumsey]

Good morning. Uh, so I bought a 94 ranger with 2.3 about 3 weeks ago, (manual trans) drove it 2 weeks and I started to have a loss of power and started hearing a clacking noise when I gave it gas. Still was driving, transmission seems to work as it should (shifts through gears, rpms change relative to the gears, etc).

So first I thought it was a clutch/flywheel issue.

So I drove to a nearby auto parts store, and then it started having a starting issue, where I'd turn the key, it would run for 5 seconds, then clunk out. If I gas it up, run around quick and hold the throttle I can keep it running. So a gas issue?

I'm pretty decent at doing basic diagnostics and a few people said "change the plugs" so I changed the plugs, figured I ought do that anyways, to no change.

I'm just kinda baffled cause it seems like I developed 3 issues at the same time (won't stay running, loss of power, clacking noise) and I know it's relatively unusual to have 2-3 things go out at the exact same time, but I'm not 100% sure how they are related, and this the first 2.3 I've had so I'm trying to learn it.

Any information would be appreciated, thanks! -Stuart

 

[SenorNoob]

Hard to say without being there, but it sounds to me like something internal engine has too much slack.

 

[Shran]

Hard to say, see if you can buy/rent/borrow a fuel pressure tester and rule out a weak fuel pump first. That would track with your symptoms, I have had a few of those cause really weird stuff. Lean backfires through the intake, runs fine at idle/won't drive at all, certainly misfires and weird noises. A lot of times they will just fail and be totally dead all of a sudden but once in a while they kinda halfway work.