Bucking frequently now even at low RPMs

[william wixon]

2005 2 Wheel Dr. 3 L Ranger “Edge“. For a long time it seems to misfire while I am driving at highway speeds. It lurches. To me it seems like one or two pistons didn’t fire and then it resumes normal operation. It was completely random. After a while, I think I started to realize there was a correlation between accelerating and this lurch. I didn’t do anything about it. I kept telling myself I was gonna do something about it, but it wasn’t a big enough problem to motivate me. Now it seems to be bucking stuttering at low speed acceleration. It’s distressing because I don’t wanna have the engine die in the middle of nowhere and have to get towed. I ask this question once before, but nobody replied. What the hell is causing this low speed acceleration bucking stuttering problem?! Terrified! I don’t want to have to take it into the shop!

 

[pjtoledo]

tell us about your plugs & plug wires.
how old are they?

reset the connector on the coil pack, spray cleaner on the contacts and reset it 5+ times to scrape the contacts clean.

clean the MAF sensor, use the correct cleaner and be careful because it's fragile.

 

[pentode]

+1 on the plugs and wires. I've had 2 things cause misfires on my '05 3.0. One was very worn out plugs. The other, and I have no idea how common this is, was that my coil pack was cracked. You couldn't see it where it was mounted but when flipped upside down you could see the whole thing was split in two. Something to double check anyway.

 

[SenorNoob]

How long since the fuel filter was changed? Full tune-up?

 

[william wixon]

I’m sorry, but I do not know how to reset the coil pack and what cleaner do you recommend? “reset the connector”, I’m sorry I’m not sure, if you don’t mean, take the plug wires off and put them back on.
There are no codes

 

[william wixon]

How long since the fuel filter was changed? Full tune-up?

When I got under the truck to spray fluid film, I was very surprised at how recently I did change the fuel filter, but I do not remember off the top of my head, but it was recently.

 

[william wixon]

+1 on the plugs and wires. I've had 2 things cause misfires on my '05 3.0. One was very worn out plugs. The other, and I have no idea how common this is, was that my coil pack was cracked. You couldn't see it where it was mounted but when flipped upside down you could see the whole thing was split in two. Something to double check anyway.

WOW! That would be very frustrating to try to diagnose. I was shocked and embarrassed at how badly my plugs were worn when I replaced them recently, ashamed.
!

 

[william wixon]

2005 2 Wheel Dr. 3 L Ranger “Edge“. For a long time it seems to misfire while I am driving at highway speeds. It lurches. To me it seems like one or two pistons didn’t fire and then it resumes normal operation. It was completely random. After a while, I think I started to realize there was a correlation between accelerating and this lurch. I didn’t do anything about it. I kept telling myself I was gonna do something about it, but it wasn’t a big enough problem to motivate me. Now it seems to be bucking stuttering at low speed acceleration. It’s distressing because I don’t wanna have the engine die in the middle of nowhere and have to get towed. I ask this question once before, but nobody replied. What the hell is causing this low speed acceleration bucking stuttering problem?! Terrified! I don’t want to have to take it into the shop!

I forgot to mention in my original message there are no codes being thrown.

 

[william wixon]

+1 on the plugs and wires. I've had 2 things cause misfires on my '05 3.0. One was very worn out plugs. The other, and I have no idea how common this is, was that my coil pack was cracked. You couldn't see it where it was mounted but when flipped upside down you could see the whole thing was split in two. Something to double check anyway.

That’s funny because this did happen on a very wet, rainyhumid day. For some reason, my fan belt squeals on very humid days and that was happening that day.

 

[william wixon]

How long since the fuel filter was changed? Full tune-up?

What does a full tune-up entail? I absolutely do not trust mechanics I try to do all my work myself. (just recently I was having electrical issue and the guy at the dealer told me a whole bunch of stuff they did on the truck and when I inspected (removed) a component it had never been touched (cobwebs, and pieces of straw inside the cover) He was telling me that this job usually costs $800 and he was giving me a HUGE break by charging me $500. He was getting extremely ruffled when I started asking a lot of questions “ do you think I am lying to you!!, turns out he absolutely was) The only thing that I could see that they did was put electrical tape on the wire going to the fuel cut off switch.)(I absolutely do not trust mechanics.)

 

[SenorNoob]

Fuel, air , and oil filters. Spark plugs and wires. Clean MAF sensor. Extereme case might need new upstream O2 sensors. Distributor cap and button if those apply to your year.

 

[JoshT]

tell us about your plugs & plug wires.
how old are they?

You never told us how old they are, or I missed it it if you did. I really don't care about the age/miles but th y are d finitely wear item that need replacing.

One of your replies sounds like the plugs were done. Did you do wires at the same time? Plug wire will deteriorate and still appear fine. The insulation breaks down and allows the magic sparks to escape. Rain and high humidity make them act.out even more.

 

[william wixon]

tell us about your plugs & plug wires.
how old are they?

reset the connector on the coil pack, spray cleaner on the contacts and reset it 5+ times to scrape the contacts clean.

clean the MAF sensor, use the correct cleaner and be careful because it's fragile.

Sorry, I’m still catching up. I NEVER would have assumed that Google AI would know what resetting the coil pack is.
“To reset the ignition system after replacing a coil pack on a 2005 Ford Ranger,
disconnect the negative battery cable for 10-15 minutes to clear PCM codes, then turn the ignition key to the ON position (without starting) for 10 minutes to re-synchronize the anti-theft system. If a check engine light persists, use an OBDII scanner to clear the codes. “

 

[william wixon]

You never told us how old they are, or I missed it it if you did. I really don't care about the age/miles but th y are d finitely wear item that need replacing.

One of your replies sounds like the plugs were done. Did you do wires at the same time? Plug wire will deteriorate and still appear fine. The insulation breaks down and allows the magic sparks to escape. Rain and high humidity make them act.out even more.

thank you, yeah that’s a great suggestion. I really should have replaced the plug wires. I assumed they were fine like you said they look fine They are about due for a replacement.

 

[william wixon]

Fuel, air , and oil filters. Spark plugs and wires. Clean MAF sensor. Extereme case might need new upstream O2 sensors. Distributor cap and button if those apply to your year.

Thank you very much! If the air cleaner was changed recently, the spark plugs were changed recently. I never put new spark plug wires, and I have no idea how to clean a mass airflow sensor. I removed it a while ago at the suggestion of someone for another issue I was having and when I looked at it, I was like oh my God no! I had no clue how to interact with that thing and certainly not how to clean it. A very scary, mysterious electronic device.