Bought used 2.3, tuned it up, now it misses?

[macx]

Recently bought a 93 2.3 4 cyl 5 speed cheap as a backup.

Saw it had been neglected - no servicing done for quite some time. But with 75k miles figured the main components were probly still OK. (Gonna do ALL fluids incl steering and brakes & trans / diff) Oh, have to pull the trans cuz the rear main seal leaks pretty good. Somehow or other, there was no leak under it when I crawled under and checked it out. Hmmmm -

When I tried it out, it started and ran smoothly and responded to the throttle with no problems, also ran Ok on the 25 mile trip home.

Put in new regular Autolite plugs, old ones (splitfires) looked OK actually, no bad deposits at least - wires etc seemed OK. Found a bad vacuum leak on the driver side in a hose attached to a good sized metal nipple coming out of the bottom of the intake, fixed that with new hose. Also changed fuel filter.

Installed a new radiator instead of trying to get the crud cleaned out of the old one, also a new T-stat, t-stat housing (old one corroded pretty bad) and lower hose. Before, it would barely get above the lowest line on temp, when I removed the T-stat it was stuck open with crud. Drained the engine, incl the block, put in radiator flush and water and went to drive it.

Immediately noted it bucked and surged pretty bad when I gave it throttle when I started out. Engine was cold, but it hadn't done that before. Idles fine, went up on fast idle and settled down to regular idle like it should. Steady speed at normal street speed is fine, but what would cause the bucking and surging when I step on it? It got a better when it warmed up, but still had to go easy on the throttle. And even with the new 192 T-stat
it didn't get even up TO the lower mark on the temp gauge in nearly 10 miles of town driving, lites, etc.

I'll check that vac line again, make sure it didn't come off.

Where's the engine temp sensor? With a new stat and cleaner fluid in a
new radiator and the block flushed, it should come up to temp fairly quickly shouldn't it?

I've worked on EEC-IV systems quite a bit, just on a 5.0.

My oem manuals came today, I'll dig into them, too.

But am really concerned about the surging - that shouldn't be happening -
also the failure to come up to temp.

Thanks for any tips / insights / experience and what to check!

 

[scotts90ranger]

I'd start off with pulling the codes as it's easy and sometimes helps greatly.

What did you gap the plugs to? with standard they should be .045". Also, did you get the plug wires in the right order?

After pulling the codes, disconnect the negative battery terminal and touch it to the positive then reconnect it, this will reset the computer's learning stuff so you can start from scratch.

 

[bblatch69]

Prob should do a timing belt too. It's odd its doing that. I thought you were supposed to run double platnums in those too. I know I did in my old b2300

 

[scotts90ranger]

it'll run just fine on good ol autolite 764's, but the problem showed up after the tune up from what the OP is saying otherwise I would have mentioned the timing belt too

 

[macx]

Well - heh heh -

First it does run so much better with the plug wires on correctly.
BUT would you believe my factory oem manual has it wrong?!

That's the first thing I checked cuz I did have a nagging doubt about the
driver side. The coils don't have any markings on them like the manual says,
so drew out a diagram from the manual and went and checked.

WAY off from the oem manual! So rather than start pulling wires etc I went
online and found some posts on here about that. That looked better - they
matched except for the front two on the driver side.

This is just a backup vehicle for cold / stormy weather, so didn't feel I need
the platinum plugs etc. Did gap them at .044".

And then one other "little" thing that probly had the most impact on it -
I had reinstalled the air tube from the MA to the throttle body but had
forgotten to tighten the clamps.

MY but it runs nice now! :-/

Pretty near had to be something I screwed up cuz it ran at least decently
before I messed with it.

Thanks for the ideas tho!

 

[Will]

You are saying the factory manual had the firing order wrong?

Bullshit.

 

[macx]

You are saying the factory manual had the firing order wrong?

Bullshit.

Well, Mr Nice Guy, here's your BS back at ya' -

In the Tech Library under 4 cyl troubleshooting in THIS FORUM it shows
what turned out to be the correct wiring for my 93 2.3 4 cyl.

Front to back, inside to outside (left to right), this is what it shows

3 1
2 4

4 2
1 3

My oem Ford manual, Copyright 1992 by Ford Motor Company
titled "1993 Aerostar, Ranger, Explorer
Powertrain/Drivetrain Service Manual"
( is THAT oem enuf for you? )

it shows this on page 03-07B-10

2 1
3 4

4 3
1 2

So sorry, but that looks different to me.

Any MORE BS smart guy?