94 Ranger 2.3 lack of power and sounds like it's missing

[THE ZEF]

Picked up this ranger about a month ago. The previous owner had a problem with it stalling out while driving. I sea foamed the vaccuum system and that took care of that problem but the truck still lacks power and takes forever to get up to highway speed and is a pain in the ass to keep that speed and sounds like its missing. I have replaced the plugs and wires along with pcv valve and fuel filter. The previous owner replaced a lot of parts like the icm and ecu along with coil packs.
The thing that stumps me is the check engine light isn't on (and no the bulb is not burnt out I checked it out) there may be stored codes but I have never messed with obd1 before and don't know how to pull the codes. Any input is greatly appreciated. I only paid $800 for the truck and don't realy want to throw a lot of money at it.

 

[chilsam]

Plugged cat

Picked up this ranger about a month ago. The previous owner had a problem with it stalling out while driving. I sea foamed the vaccuum system and that took care of that problem but the truck still lacks power and takes forever to get up to highway speed and is a pain in the ass to keep that speed and sounds like its missing. I have replaced the plugs and wires along with pcv valve and fuel filter. The previous owner replaced a lot of parts like the icm and ecu along with coil packs.
The thing that stumps me is the check engine light isn't on (and no the bulb is not burnt out I checked it out) there may be stored codes but I have never messed with obd1 before and don't know how to pull the codes. Any input is greatly appreciated. I only paid $800 for the truck and don't realy want to throw a lot of money at it.

pull off the converter and see if it makes a diff.Unhook batt to reset compGood luck!

 

[JC 97]

Verify that the timing belt didn't jump a tooth or two.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Verify that the timing belt didn't jump a tooth or two.

this and if it's a california model make sure to line up the auxiliary pulley as it most likely has a cam sensor... that could make some funny things happen.

Pulling the plugs is easy with a paper clip or something, check out the Tech Library here and look for EEC IV troubleshooting and follow the analog volt meter method just forget about the volt meter, jump the two wires and go sit in the cab, turn the key on and count the flashes of the check engine light.

 

[Captain Ledd]

x2 on checking the timing belt. More so the oil pump pulley (this is where all OHC engines cam position sensor is at)

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119214&highlight=timing

Top gear triangle to triangle
oil pump gear diamond to diamond.
Crank keyway straight up.

I had the oil pump gear off and my truck had the EXACT same issues you describe.

A bad stumble when you let off the clutch or let the RPM's get just a little to low. Once up to speed it'd miss and did not want to go past 60 without trying to escape out from under the hood (THEN the CEL would flash and go back off). And SLOOOW.

No CEL except for a misfire in cyl#2, which was actually Cyl#3 (the electrode had disappeared ) but because my cam timing was so far off it thought it was a different cylinder. But yeah, other than that, NO CEL or any other issues as far as it was concerned.

 

[THE ZEF]

Thanks for the input guys. Don't have time this weekend to get under the hood but hopefully I get some free time this week to check it out.

 

[RangerusDangerus]

Also check the intake gaskets. I had a similar condition with my ranger and a leaky intake gasket was the culprit. You can check 'em by spraying a carb cleaner/ATF mix (ATF so it doesn't explode) and if the idle changes when you spray by the gasket it's probably leaking.

 

[THE ZEF]

Ok so finally was able to work on the truck a little. It was missing due to the previous owner crossing the 1 and 3 plug wires and the front left caliper seems to stick once in a while so that will get replaced this weekend (autozone $16.99). And there were no vaccuum leaks. But the problem with it dying while driving came back and I was able to pull the codes (4 total).

121 tps out of self test range
211 profile ignition pick-up failure
218 idm signal open or high or left coil pack failure
222 idm signal open or high or right coil pack failure
So it looks like I have a lot of work ahead of me. Too bad it couldn't have just been the timing. Any input on these trouble codes would be greatly appreciated.