93 Ranger intermettent ignition problems

[Wahoojim]

I have a 93 Ranger with a 2.3L - the dual coil setup. Starts up and runs fine but after a while as I am driving all of a sudden it acts like it jumps time and looses power like it has dropped 2 cylinders and it starts smoking sometimes it starts back running fine. I can park it and wait and it starts up fine. So it seems to be heat sensitive. I have replaced the plugs and wires but no luck. I am thinking it could be a coil pack??

 

[Ozwynn]

Sounds like a coil. Could be a bad cat but more likely a coil.

 

[Earl43P]

Sounds like a bad ICM to me. If it were a coil, it'd have to be that both are bad. Only one is used for starting, then both after it's running, IIRC.

ICM (ignition control modules) heat up and fail.

If you swap the coils positions and it won't start afterward, I'd agree with 2 bad coilpacks, but it's not likely.

 

[AllanD]

Whenever I hear about backfiring on an EEC-IV managed ford I think fuel filter.

To be backfiring it is sparking.

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