A little help?

[PipeDreams]

Hey guys I'm a newby here but not new to 4x4's. I live on pirate and do alot of building... Never seems to end! Any who I'll intro me and my rides quick then my issues...

Current project is an 88 ranger, straight cab, 2.9, 5-speed, manual 1350, divorced toyota case, in board leaf sprung rear toy diff welded, 3-link panhard, 18" air shocks toy diff welded front all on 36" iroks!

My DD I just picked up is an odd ball or so everything I have read leads me to think.... 90 ranger, Ext cab, 2.9, 5-speed, manual 1354, D35 TTB, and here's where I think it's weired... 8.8 limited slip rear! Now to the best of my knowledge and everything I have found on this great forum the 2.9's shouldn't have an 8.8, but trust me I have checked and re-checked it is in deed an 8.8! For now it's all stock but eventually will be getting a little budget 2" lift and some 31's. But for now will stay as is! Any who I have a few odd problems with this current truck.

First: Once every day or so the throttle will get stuck partially open... When I push in the clutch it only revs to about 4500. So I shut it off and go under the hood move the throttle cable in and out freely and give it a good yank BACK and it makes a little click and I am able to pull it a tiny bit (1/4 inch) further and all is well again. I have tried looking to see where it's coming from and what is holding it open but I can't seem to find it and it's not happening all the time so I only get the once in a blue moon to trouble shoot it! Any ideas?

Second: This may be related to the first but I have no idea. Almost every time I drive the check engine light is off at first then after a little bit it comes on. Once that happens the idle changes slightly. Now the idle drops a tiny bit and will surge slightly not alot but just a bit. If I shut the truck off and start it right back up then it's all good again and in a little bit it happens all over again?

Last one... When pushing the clutch in to shift, the rpm doesn't drop right away it takes a second... I'm not on the gas or any thing but if I just suddenly push in the clutch to shift or what ever the motor revs up slightly and then starts to drop like it should?

So I'm thinking for #1 that maybe the idle air control is getting stuck? or maybe the throttle position sensor is jamming? I don't even know how they work on these things as I have never had to work on any... never had any problems from my 2.9's in the past! Now if those are the issues that could maybe be a faulty sensor causing number 2 and 3? But how can I check the codes while the truck runs with out shutting it off first? Everything I have read says to shut truck off first, hook up, then start it.. but when that happens the check engine light turns off? Ok this is more then long enough and I hope you guys have some ideas and I have given you enough info.

Oh and I have shot WD in the throttle cable, graphite, and the cable moves easily so it's not the cable... or so I think? If I need to move this just let me know and I will!

Thanks for any input boys...

Oh and this forum has so much tech on RBV's it blew me away! It reminds me of the toyota forum on pirate! Nice job guys!

P.s. This is a double post in general but I can't delete that one? Sorry for cluttering things up!

 

[4x4junkie]

8.8s are not all that unusual on '90s 2.9 trucks (if it has 3.55 gears, guaranteed it's the 8.8)

Your throttle sticking thing does sound like something in the cable. Have you checked under the dash to see if something is getting hung up under there maybe (or maybe something with the pedal itself)?

The 2nd two could potentially be from the IAC valve. Pull it off and clean it good with some non-residue contact cleaner (R/C car electric motor cleaner works good too, if you happen to have some).

As for codes, the ECM should store the codes even if you shut off the engine or if the light goes off. The only way you'd lose them is by disconnecting the battery or clearing them manually (the codes will also clear themselves after something like 50 warm-up cycles if the fault hasn't occurred again).
If you have a manual for it, it should say something about reading the codes first without starting the engine, then tells you to start it and it will give you yet another set of codes.


Welcome to TRS!

 

[PipeDreams]

Right on thanks... I JUST figured out my throttle sticking problem!!! It was my cruise cable getting dislodged from the bracket at the throttle body. Every time I pushed the pedal it would come out of the bracket. Some times is would line up and fall back in and once in a while it wouldn't causing it to stick!

Well good to know I don't have some messed up odd truck. Everything I had found on here never mentioned the 2.9's with a 8.8 so I'm pumped I actually got one!

I do actually have alot of RC stuff as I'm an avid crawler and used to be huge in to monster trucks! I just picked up some throttle body cleaner yesterday... that should work hey?

Good to know the codes are stored... the guy I got it from mentioned he changed the O2 sensor in it and didn't clear the code so maybe I'll check them quick this week and see if that's true! Thanks for the input man I really appreciate it!