Bad Miss

[PlumCrazy]

I have a 94 Ranger with the 2.3 8 plug head. My question is, can one bad plug cause a miss? I know the first cylinder is the culprit, because if I unplug the injector there is no change but if I unplug any of the other cylinders the truck almost dies. The injestor is ticking so I know it works, and I know the wires and coil packs are good. I pulled the plugs on the first cylinder and found that one is fouled (driverside). Im thinking its either a bad plug or the injector is pluged up.
One plug is supposed to be the primary plug and the other is just there to make sure any left overs get burnt up, right? Which plug is the primary one?

-plumcrazy

 

[Bill G]

Your front coil pack is the primary but only on start up. Both coils fire at the same time the rest of the time. Pull the exhaust side plug and look at it also. Better yet pull them all and take a look. If your injector wasn't supplying fuel the plug would be white in color from running lean. It probably would have the electrode melted also.

 

[PlumCrazy]

Pulled the plugs, They are all a little bit white except the the first cylinder on the the intake side, it is black. I put new plugs in the first cylinder and it still misses. I know it is getting spark now, so is the injector plugged up? If it was then why would the plug be black?

-plumcrazy

 

[PlumCrazy]

If the cylinder wasn't getting spark then if I pullled the plug after it has been running, it would be wet with fuel, right?

-plumcrazy

 

[PlumCrazy]

Pulled the swapped my injectors with an old set and the problem went away. The injectors were less than 6 months old, so I am thinking that a peice of crud made it past the filter and plugged it. I can't see anything down in the screen in the injector though.

Is there a good way to test an injector?

-plumcrazy

 

[Bill G]

You are correct that if you were not getting spark your plug would be wet with fuel. It could also be the injector was hanging open and would flood the cylinder. I would lean more towards a weak plug/plug wire then a plugged up injector.

Glad you got it sorted out.