85 ranger . . need help

[mspeessen]

owned a couple f150s . . .first time with a ranger. love it so far . . .best running truck i've ever owned.

it's an '85 ranger 2.3 4 cyl. 5 speed. runs good when it doesnt bog. it seems like anytime i hit a bump, or sometimes just because it feels like it . . it bogs down really bad like it's not getting furl, or air, or spark . . not sure which, and i'm not familiar with rangers so maybe someone could help me. it seems as though it stops running for a socond or two repeatedly until it decides to grab back in and keep going. makes an awful sputtering noise then keeps going until it decides to do it again. I have a few ideas, just don't know which one would be my best to start with.

b.t.w. . .. i only paid 500 bucks for it a month ago and it only has 119,000 on it . . . not a bad deal huh?

 

[mspeessen]

my ideas were maybe o2 sensor? or plugs and wires arent any good?

i would say feul filter or pump, but it will do it at any speed, wether taking off or cruising 60.

my experience with fuel pumps has always been problems about 30-50 m.p.h.

but no matter what it always starts fine.

 

[mspeessen]

any help[ anyone can give would be greatly appreciated . . .thanks

 

[superdave1984]

Is this fuel injected or a carb?

 

[mspeessen]

reply

it is a fuel injected.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

sounds like possibly a loose connection to something...those can be a bitch to track down.

i would try pulling codes on it (being an '85, it may not have a check engine light). i believe theres a how-to on pulling codes on an EEC-IV vehicle in the tech library.

 

[BlackBII]

Yeah, I'd try pullin the codes.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/OBD_I.html
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/2digitcodes.html

Check the fuel pressure, read the plugs, timing etc

 

[mspeessen]

yeah

i appreciate the advice . . but i don't have to tool required to check the codes . . . . is there a place i can have that done for reasonably cheap?

and your sure that a truck this old can be read like that? there's not really a computer anywhere visible under the hood. looks pretty basic to me, but like i said i don't know a whole lot too much about rangers

 

[BlackBII]

You dont need a special tool...A piece if wire and a test light will work just fine.

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

you can pull those codes with a peice of coat hanger wire and a 12v test light. check the page that blackBII posted.

and any fuel injected ford vehicle has on-board diagnostic abilities. your PCM is inside the cab, not under the hood.

 

[jobar]

Is it you air conditioner? I know mine boggs down and picks back up when the air is on.

 

[mspeessen]

thanks

thanks a lot guys . . . . i'm going to check this out when i get a chance . . . . but is it located under a cover under the passenger side of the dash? or somewhere else . . im sure i could find it . . . but i really appreciate all the help

 

[mspeessen]

i wish it were that simple . . . no A/C in this old truck haha

 

[Wicked_Sludge]

no, the data port on older rigs is under the hood somewhere.

 

[fastpakr]

The connectors you're looking for are probably under a small black plastic cover labeled 'diagnostics'. On my '85 2.8 they were over the passenger side wheel well as I recall.