94 ranger 4x4 2.3 5 speed has no power

[10strokin]

hello, i just acquired a few rangers. the one i am working on now is a 94 4x4 with a 2.3 5 speed. i have driven many ranger 2.3's and this one feels like its down a cylinder but runs smoothly. check engine light is on, i pulled codes. the biggest ones were maf range too high and too low, so i changed, egr valve sensor not reading right, changed. i also changed both coil packs, fuel pressure regulator and fuel filter. plugs and wires, and air cleaner. where do i go from here? i cant find the saw port to check the timing, but it runs so smooth? occasionally i get bucking and jerking in 4th like a tank of bad gas, but i fixed that. it just doesnt rev right up through the gears, feels like it hesitates or surges. any ideas? thanks all.

 

[10strokin]

here is some more info: if you give it a quick blip of the throttle, there is an immediate stumble off idle EVERY TIME you do it. but the throttle revs quick and clean. now under load, it feels like it is laboring mightily to get up to speed. with surging.

 

[martin]

Only a guess but it sounds like the timing is not advancing.

 

[10strokin]

that is electronically controlled, so what does that mean?

 

[Bryan22]

is it still throwing codes? if so which ones? Have you done a compression test?

 

[10strokin]

no compression test yet> it does have 260,000 miles though. no smoke or rattles from engine. exhaust just looks a little sooty. i just cant understand the surging of power thing? will do another koer test tonight to see what its still throwing.

 

[10strokin]

didnt get to pull codes tonight, but there is a miss at idle that i forgot to tell all about too. when i start the truck, initially the check engine light is off, then high idle comes down some, i hear a click from the engine compartment, and light comes on.

 

[10strokin]

its bucking and jerking most of the time now, either building revs, or steady speed. when idling, you can hear a noticeable skip in it also. getting very aggravating......

 

[Bryan22]

i had a similar problem ended up being a set of bosch plugs causing all the havoc. and some cheap plug wires. you need to get the codes and see whats going on. Wouldnt hurt to take some fuel pressure readings either.

 

[10strokin]

ok, here are the codes...211 214, and 556. dont know what they mean? now, heres the funny thing. it was much cooler out this morning. jumped in and cranked it up. of course check engine light came on. BUT, i drove it to work, and there was not 1 miss or surge at all! NOT 1! could it be that the engine didnt come up to temp of making computer switch to closed loop or something? i am absolutely stumped! but i guess i will work with the codes first. if this was an old coil distributor engine, it acts like the engine gets warm and the coil broke down. had that happen a few times. also with tfi modules. but the coil packs are brand new. any help appreciated guys, thanks.

 

[Bryan22]

i would have the ICM tested. 211 and 214 are ignition system codes. ones PIP and ones CID. That kinda sounds like a crank sensor. but the working fine when it's cold sounds more like the ICM getting hot and not functioning properly. Your local parts store will test it for free. So go give it a shot.

556 is a fuel pump circuit failure, which could also be the culprit. try swapping the fuel pump relay with a new one. could be bad connection somewhere. that code could be a hard one to track down. but start with the easy stuff.

Good luck.