• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

ASE or Ford Tech HELP needed please


lorenambrose

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 24, 2009
Messages
144
City
Norfolk, VA
Vehicle Year
2003
Transmission
Automatic
Below is the recorded data from a 2003 Ford Ranger Edge 3.0 FFV V6 2wd. The truck seems to run great but idles like crap. The idle is rough and seems to have a miss. This data is after new Autolite APP103 (factory equivellant) sparkplugs, Autolite Professional wires, Cleaned MAF, Coil is 2 months old and was also metered out OK, seafoam thru vac line prior to plug change, and I have run Gumout Complete Fuel System Cleaner for two consecutive tanks.


I can not find any vacuum leaks and the vacuum holds a pretty steady 18-18.5 in/hg. The upper intake gaskets were recently changed and made no difference at all.


The battery and alternator are also new.


ALL the data is at idle with the engine up to operating temp and the transmission in park.


Recorded Data

MIL STATUS OFF
ABSLT TPS % 17.2
ENG SPEED RPM 729
CALC LOAD % 19.2
MAF FLOW GR/SE 4.26
COOLANT F 190
IAT F 69
IGN ADVANCE DE 18.0
ST FTRM1 % -1.0
LT FTRM1 % -1.0
ST FTRM2 % 0.8
LT FTRM2 % -3.4
VEH SPEED MPH 0
FUEL SYS 1 CLSD
FUEL SYS 2 N/A
O2S11 V 0.100
ST FTRM11 % 0.0
O2S12 V 0.605
O2S21 V 0.075
ST FTRM21 % 0.0
MIL DIST mi 0
OBD2 STAT CA

Frame 0 Time 0.0


MIL STATUS OFF
ABSLT TPS % 17.2
ENG SPEED RPM 716
CALC LOAD % 19.6
MAF FLOW GR/SE 4.20
COOLANT F 190
IAT F 69
IGN ADVANCE DE 18.0
ST FTRM1 % -2.2
LT FTRM1 % -1.0
ST FTRM2 % 0.0
LT FTRM2 % -2.2
VEH SPEED MPH 0
FUEL SYS 1 CLSD
FUEL SYS 2 N/A
O2S11 V 0.085
ST FTRM11 % 0.8
O2S12 V 0.605
O2S21 V 0.175
ST FTRM21 % 0.0
MIL DIST mi 0
OBD2 STAT CA

Frame 1 Time 0.9


MIL STATUS OFF
ABSLT TPS % 17.2
ENG SPEED RPM 703
CALC LOAD % 19.6
MAF FLOW GR/SE 4.26
COOLANT F 190
IAT F 69
IGN ADVANCE DE 18.0
ST FTRM1 % -3.4
LT FTRM1 % -1.0
ST FTRM2 % 0.7
LT FTRM2 % -3.4
VEH SPEED MPH 0
FUEL SYS 1 CLSD
FUEL SYS 2 N/A
O2S11 V 0.095
ST FTRM11 % 0.0
O2S12 V 0.600
O2S21 V 0.610
ST FTRM21 % 0.8
MIL DIST mi 0
OBD2 STAT CA

Frame 2 Time 1.6


MIL STATUS OFF
ABSLT TPS % 17.2
ENG SPEED RPM 717
CALC LOAD % 19.6
MAF FLOW GR/SE 4.20
COOLANT F 190
IAT F 69
IGN ADVANCE DE 18.0
ST FTRM1 % 0.0
LT FTRM1 % -1.0
ST FTRM2 % -2.2
LT FTRM2 % -3.4
VEH SPEED MPH 0
FUEL SYS 1 CLSD
FUEL SYS 2 N/A
O2S11 V 0.665
ST FTRM11 % -1.0
O2S12 V 0.600
O2S21 V 0.660
ST FTRM21 % 0.0
MIL DIST mi 0
OBD2 STAT CA

Frame 3 Time 2.3


MIL STATUS OFF
ABSLT TPS % 17.2
ENG SPEED RPM 722
CALC LOAD % 19.6
MAF FLOW GR/SE 4.26
COOLANT F 192
IAT F 69
IGN ADVANCE DE 18.0
ST FTRM1 % 0.8
LT FTRM1 % -2.2
ST FTRM2 % 0.7
LT FTRM2 % -3.4
VEH SPEED MPH 0
FUEL SYS 1 CLSD
FUEL SYS 2 N/A
O2S11 V 0.080
ST FTRM11 % 0.7
O2S12 V 0.600
O2S21 V 0.665
ST FTRM21 % 0.8
MIL DIST mi 0
OBD2 STAT CA

Frame 4 Time 3.0


MIL STATUS OFF
ABSLT TPS % 17.2
ENG SPEED RPM 707
CALC LOAD % 19.6
MAF FLOW GR/SE 4.26
COOLANT F 192
IAT F 69
IGN ADVANCE DE 18.0
ST FTRM1 % -3.4
LT FTRM1 % -1.0
ST FTRM2 % 0.0
LT FTRM2 % -3.4
VEH SPEED MPH 0
FUEL SYS 1 CLSD
FUEL SYS 2 N/A
O2S11 V 0.135
ST FTRM11 % 0.0
O2S12 V 0.600
O2S21 V 0.090
ST FTRM21 % 0.7
MIL DIST mi 0
OBD2 STAT CA
 
You have a difference / fluctuation of 26 rpm over 3 seconds, I would try a couple of things, 1 clean the Idle air control although it seems its doing a decent job, 2. try to isolate the miss, either unplug a wire or injector on each cylinder with it running, no noticeable difference is going to tell you what cylinder the miss is happening in. Cant really say there is anything seriously wrong with the data you have.

JP02XLT
 
Here are some other recent test results:


2003 Ranger 3.0l flex. 54000 miles.

Idle vacuum 18in.

Compression

cyl1 161
cyl2 156
cyl3 160
cyl4 160
cyl5 146
cyl6 165


According to the specs that FORD puts out, this is passing. But, It sure looks a little off.
 
Last edited:
You have a difference / fluctuation of 26 rpm over 3 seconds, I would try a couple of things, 1 clean the Idle air control although it seems its doing a decent job, 2. try to isolate the miss, either unplug a wire or injector on each cylinder with it running, no noticeable difference is going to tell you what cylinder the miss is happening in. Cant really say there is anything seriously wrong with the data you have.

JP02XLT


I also have cleaned the IAC valve and still nothing.
 
Here are some other recent test results:


2003 Ranger 3.0l flex. 54000 miles.

Idle vacuum 18in.

Compression

cyl1 161
cyl2 156
cyl3 160
cyl4 160
cyl5 146
cyl6 165


According to the specs that FORD puts out, this is passing. But, It sure looks a little off.

why does cyl5 have a lower compression than the others which is weird cause cyl6 is at 165 while next to it cyl5 only has 146? something doesnt seem right to me. if its not bad and it doesnt die at idle i would just go on and leave it be and go back and check the cyl5 at your next oil change cause its the lowest one and if there is a problem it will either get lower or stay the same. dont know much about rangers but look at that i would say your idle problem is right there cyl5. it might pass for ford but not with me if they all were close to that then thats one thing but thats to low when all the others dont go as low as 156. either a valve isnt closing all the way or stuck open or the rings are worn out. id just keep my eye on that
 
why does cyl5 have a lower compression than the others which is weird cause cyl6 is at 165 while next to it cyl5 only has 146? something doesnt seem right to me. if its not bad and it doesnt die at idle i would just go on and leave it be and go back and check the cyl5 at your next oil change cause its the lowest one and if there is a problem it will either get lower or stay the same. dont know much about rangers but look at that i would say your idle problem is right there cyl5. it might pass for ford but not with me if they all were close to that then thats one thing but thats to low when all the others dont go as low as 156. either a valve isnt closing all the way or stuck open or the rings are worn out. id just keep my eye on that



This engine was massively overheated and driven till it died. The upper radiator hose came off the thermostat housing and dumped the coolant. It was dark and rainey so I could not see it and the temp guage did not rise due to the fact the coolant was gone. The head gaskets were replaced and the heads repaired at a machine shop, all under warranty by the Ford dealer.

I suspect the rings or cylinder walls are coked up or damaged.
 
Last edited:
it doesnt sound like its a bad leak but that low of compression compared to the others makes me believe that is the cause of your bad idle. you might want to tear into the motor and have the block cleaned and rehoned
 
it doesnt sound like its a bad leak but that low of compression compared to the others makes me believe that is the cause of your bad idle. you might want to tear into the motor and have the block cleaned and rehoned
why? i thought 100 psi was bad cylinder compression or any thing with greater then 20% difference the 165 maybe carbon buildup also. also a little oil in 146psi cylinder during a compression test will rule out if it is the rings if the psi comes up or a valve seal or valve if it dont.

i am wondering if there is a intake leak of some kind or if the maf was messed up
 
Last edited:
I have seen this before
your tps should be 5 to 10% max at idle, check your cable and or retard your tps.

also your fuel trim learn is neg. but not by much, have you uped the lbs. on the injectors or pump?

ho2s bank 1, sensor 2 seems to stay at 0.6-- volts when was the last time they where tested and or replaced???

With cyl.5 at 146psi. you should do a leak down test and a block test.
 
Well this morning it was off to the dealership. They are doing a power balance as well as a mechaincal compression and vacuum analysis. I will find out tommorrow what the results of the tests are.

Here is the compression numbers from 1 month ago:

Compression

cyl1 161
cyl2 156
cyl3 160
cyl4 160
cyl5 146
cyl6 165

The dealer did say the misfire test came up positive for cylinders 2 and 5. The two lowest cylinders. We will see what the new compression numbers are tommorrow. So far that is all they did. I don't know when they got it in to the shop to start work. They did do all the standard computer checks and that is where we're at now.
 
I have seen this before
your tps should be 5 to 10% max at idle, check your cable and or retard your tps.

also your fuel trim learn is neg. but not by much, have you uped the lbs. on the injectors or pump?

ho2s bank 1, sensor 2 seems to stay at 0.6-- volts when was the last time they where tested and or replaced???

With cyl.5 at 146psi. you should do a leak down test and a block test.


I replaced the TPS but no difference. Throttle cable is not binding or holding it open. TPS is not adjustable.

Got it back from the dealership and was told nothing was wrong. All readings including mechanical compression check and power balance are in spec. Maybe they just idle a little rough. When you give it gas it goes like a bat out of hell. So could just be the nature of the beast.

I was told the fuel trim readings specifically were excellent, so I don't know. They said it was definately not running rich.

They did put in new plugs at no charge, just to rule that out. AGSF-32FM. Those are what they said were called for, but that is different than the owners manual, AGSF22PP.

I suppose I will just drive it and keep an eye on things.
 
Here are the latest snapshot of numbers. I just got it back from the dealership and again I was told everything was normal. I have been tracking the coolant level for two months and the truck does NOT loose a drop and the temps are rock steady.

I have changed the following recently:

1. Camshaft Position Synchro and Sensor
2. MAF Sensor
3. Both upstream O2 Sensors.

Readings taken at idle and at operating temp.

MIL STATUS OFF
ABSLT TPS % 18.0
ENG SPEED RPM 808
CALC LOAD % 16.4
MAF FLOW GR/SE 4.98
COOLANT F 190
IAT F 96
IGN ADVANCE DE 18.0
ST FTRM1 % 1.5
LT FTRM1 % -4.6
ST FTRM2 % -1.0
LT FTRM2 % -5.1
VEH SPEED MPH 0
FUEL SYS 1 CLSD
FUEL SYS 2 N/A
O2S11 V 0.095
ST FTRM11 % 3.1
O2S12 V 0.765
O2S21 V 0.695
ST FTRM21 % -3.4
MIL DIST mi 0
OBD2 STAT CA

Here in a clip of the exhaust I took today. It sounds normal to me. Sorry about the audio quality, but this is the only video camera I have.


PICT0001.flv video by lorenambrose - Photobucket
 
THIS MAY HELP ANSWER QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

Here is the data and work done so far:

2003 Ford Ranger Edge 3.0l V6 FFV 2WD with 5 speed 5R44E Automatic Transmission.
**62500 Miles on the vehicle

NO CKECK ENGINE LIGHT

1. Recent compression check numbers:

cyl1 161
cyl2 156
cyl3 160
cyl4 160
cyl5 146
cyl6 165

2. Vacuum check:

18.5" and steady

3. Fuel Pressure check:

a. ~40psi with key on engine off
b. 60psi with engine running (Needle on gauge does vibrate)
c. Leak down test:
- Fuel psi drops from 60 to 50 when engine is shut off and holds steady
- Pressure drops ~12 psi in 30 minutes


I have changed or had the dealer change the following:

1. Coil Pack
2. Plug wires = Autolite premium
3. Plugs = Autolite Extreme Performance XP104 gapped to .045"
4. Upper Intake Gaskets
5. Heads and Head Gaskets due to an overheated engine.
6. TPS (throttle position sensor)
7. IAC (idle air control) valve
8. Fuel Filter
9. Camshaft Position Synchro and Sensor
10. MAF Sensor
11. Both Upstream O2 sensors

I have performed the following recent maintenance:

1. Oil and filter = Valvoline Maxlife 5W-30 w/ Motorcraft filter
2. Seafoam through the brake booster hose twice in the last month
3. 3 tanks of Shell 87 with Techron or Gumout w/ Regain fuel system cleaner
4. Winn’s fuel system service = same as seafoaming in reality
5. Cleaned MAF with CRC MAF cleaner
6. Quick smoke check through the Brake Booster revealed no obvious vacuum leaks.
7. Sent oil sample from last oil change to Blackstone for analysis. Blackstone report found nothing.



Well at any rate, you can't say I am one of those guys that posts something like:

"Hey, my truck idles funny, can you tell me what's wrong?"

I am trying to give as much useful data as possible.

THIS MISFIRE-LIKE ROUGH IDLE IS GOING TO BE THE DEATH OF ME.
 
Last edited:
Off the top of my head.
Is the rough idle when it is in Park/Neutral or in gear or both? These engines have a slight shake at idle in park due to emission regulations.
One mans shake is another mans rock crusher

When the cam position sensor and syncro was replaced was the CORRECT alignment tool used?
Have you had the Injector Flow Tested? Even If the flow test passes the spray pattern could be bad. Remove injector rails with injectors attached, place pill bottles over the injectors then have someone turn over engine and look at spray pattern and for dripping while sitting.
Remove and plug all vacuum hoses to engine,including brake booster and hose to evap vapor management valve.
Remove EGR valve and block off ports. Could be a slight leak in valve.
Check for the correct PCV. some PCV's flow at different rates.

Yes I see that the recorded data shows normal. Clear KAM and make new recordings cold (just after the O2 sensors start switching) and when the engine warms up.

When the heads were repaired several questions come to mind. were the heads machined and if so was the intake side done also? This could cause the intake gaskets to leak on the bottom side of the intake. were the valve stems ground to compensate for head machining and valve job? Valves could be slightly open due to lack of clearance. A cylinder leak down test will show if and where any leaks are.
 
Last edited:
Off the top of my head.
Is the rough idle when it is in Park/Neutral or in gear or both? These engines have a slight shake at idle in park due to emission regulations.
One mans shake is another mans rock crusher

When the cam position sensor and syncro was replaced was the CORRECT alignment tool used?
Have you had the Injector Flow Tested? Even If the flow test passes the spray pattern could be bad. Remove injector rails with injectors attached, place pill bottles over the injectors then have someone turn over engine and look at spray pattern and for dripping while sitting.
Remove and plug all vacuum hoses to engine,including brake booster and hose to evap vapor management valve.
Remove EGR valve and block off ports. Could be a slight leak in valve.
Check for the correct PCV. some PCV's flow at different rates.

Yes I see that the recorded data shows normal. Clear KAM and make new recordings cold (just after the O2 sensors start switching) and when the engine warms up.

When the heads were repaired several questions come to mind. were the heads machined and if so was the intake side done also? This could cause the intake gaskets to leak on the bottom side of the intake. were the valve stems ground to compensate for head machining and valve job? Valves could be slightly open due to lack of clearance. A cylinder leak down test will show if and where any leaks are.


The Head work is as follows:

1. Hydro test - Pressure test cooling system / water jacket
2. CBN - PCB resurface gasket surface - check RA surface finish w/Profilometer.
3. Clean and machine valves and seats, set valve height, set spring pressure.
4. Install new valve seals
5. New freeze plugs
6. Ream heads and install new valve guides.

I was in the shop when the synchro was installed and it was done correctly.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

TRS Events

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Ranger Adventure Video

TRS Merchandise

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Sponsors


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Sponsored Ad

Back
Top