98 Ranger problem! Please Help!!!

[97RangerXLT]

the gaskets were pretty cheap. I think I did all of my upper engine gaskets for about 100 bucks or so, and 56 of that was the lower intake gasket. the fuel rail to lower intake is only a few bucks. I think I included the prices in my walk through (keep in mind, those numbers are now 5 years old...)

I rather doubt it on the cmp sensor, as it does not have anything to do with the fuel mixture. All it does is tell the computer what position the crank shaft is in so it can fire the coils. If it was going wonky, I would expect that you would have a rich condition as the missfire would put unburned fuel into the exhaust. You have just the opposite.

MAF and vacuum leaks will affect the fuel mixture tho.

AJ

 

[bmerr98]

I had a lean condition (don't remember the codes) and a buddy smoke tested my engine for me (1998 4.0). Ended up being a leaking EGR valve. There's a diaphragm in there that will go bad.

Now mine never caused any rough running, but it did throw a CEL and a code...might be worth a look.

 

[Ranger4x4.0]

Well, ill check for leaks around the gasket thing, i guess with ether? This is a job i am not looking forward to, changing the intake gaskets, probably a giant pita. If they are bad, i know I've asked it before, but can they ( intake gaskets) really make it hesitate, buck etc? Ive looked online and i didn't see anything on them doing that. Thoughts?

 

[97RangerXLT]

Yep they can . Look at the tsb that I linked to...it gives symptoms of the issue.

AJ

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 4 while sitting in my underwear

 

[Ranger4x4.0]

Ok, thanks. I will check for leaks in the gasket when i get off work. Let y'all know the news tonight! Hope its not them,

 

[aspevacek]

the crank shaft sensor would most likely lead to a miss fire or no start condition. I am going to say Vacum leak fog the engine with carb or brake cleaner and listen for an RPM change. It will make itself know very quickly when you find the leak.

 

[Ranger4x4.0]

Well, bad newz. I sprayed starting fluid on the fuel rail where you check the fuel pressure, and the engine would kinda die down a hair every time I squirted it.. Not ready for this!

 

[TxGasRacer]

Vacuum leaks caused by a bad intake gaskets,I posted this in post #6 of this thread.

 

[Ranger4x4.0]

the crank shaft sensor would most likely lead to a miss fire or no start condition. I am going to say Vacum leak fog the engine with carb or brake cleaner and listen for an RPM change. It will make itself know very quickly when you find the leak.

I sprayed all around the location of the gaskets, and when I sprayed on top of the fuel rail thing, the engine died down a little, not much but enough to tell there was a leak. So, im assuming this IS my gaskets? Is there anything else I should replace while I'm in there?

 

[aspevacek]

VICTOR REINZ MIS19316. That is a master Intake set. Swap all those gaskets out.

I personally prefer Victor Reinz gaskets but there are some that prefer Fel Pro or another brand. Just get quality gaskets and follow torque specs. Label stuff as you pull it apart if you have never doe anything like this before, Be careful with all your plastic connectors as you are in the age frame where a lot of them may start to become pretty brittle.

 

[Ranger4x4.0]

VICTOR REINZ MIS19316. That is a master Intake set. Swap all those gaskets out.

I personally prefer Victor Reinz gaskets but there are some that prefer Fel Pro or another brand. Just get quality gaskets and follow torque specs. Label stuff as you pull it apart if you have never doe anything like this before, Be careful with all your plastic connectors as you are in the age frame where a lot of them may start to become pretty brittle.

Yeah, I'm going to get the fel pro ones, it comes with valve cover gaskets, upper, lower, and something called plenum gasket? I'm taking it to a shop, since I just don't feel like doing it, and it would be a pita. They said they would charge about 360 for the job. When it's all done I'll let y'all know how it runs, it'll be about Wednesday when I get it in the shop..

 

[Mickey Bitsko]

I don't think this problem is unique to ford rangers , When my truck was doing the same thing , my mechanic said all the same things , and lastly said , run a tank of gas through with 2 bottles of "HEET" in it. Well , it took two tanks for it to burn ALL the water out, now runs great.

Side note : before water problem, rich/lean code, found my air filter housing not sealed completely [ one of the snaps not locked tight] disconnected the battery that reset computer, haven't had a problem since,
Hope your fix is that easy.

Back to the gas issue, I DON'T by cheapo gas any more and every other tank get a bottle of HEET, especially in the winter months

Good luck

 

[enjr44]

Yeah, .....They said they would charge about 360 for the job. ..

For that I would have it done too. About a year ago, when I turned 71, I decided that there is stuff I just don't want to mess with anymore. Finding someone I trusted to do it right (I guess I mean, meet my standards) was the tough part.

 

[Ranger4x4.0]

I don't think this problem is unique to ford rangers , When my truck was doing the same thing , my mechanic said all the same things , and lastly said , run a tank of gas through with 2 bottles of "HEET" in it. Well , it took two tanks for it to burn ALL the water out, now runs great.

Side note : before water problem, rich/lean code, found my air filter housing not sealed completely [ one of the snaps not locked tight] disconnected the battery that reset computer, haven't had a problem since,
Hope your fix is that easy.

Back to the gas issue, I DON'T by cheapo gas any more and every other tank get a bottle of HEET, especially in the winter months

Good luck

Trust me, I've tried soo many bottles of heet, seafoam, etc. It's not water. I never buy crap gas, I usually buy from Sinclair, bp and some others I can't think of right now.
As for the air filter housing, one of the plastic clips broke, so I bolted them down. No leak there.
I'm positive that it's the intake manifold gaskets, because I sprayed starting fluid around it and the engine would die back a hair.

 

[Ranger4x4.0]

Its in the shop. The guy said that its the upper gasket, not the lower. Hopefully he is right. And hopefully this will take care of the problem for good!
Ill let y'all know how it runs after I get off wrk.