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Fix for 2.9L Intermentant Bad Running - Throttle Linkage


jbawild1

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2013
Messages
8
Vehicle Year
1986
Transmission
Automatic
I have an 86 4X4 2.9 Ranger and it has what seems to be a not so rare problem of running rough while at highway speed and/or acceleration for a little while them run good again and have black stuff blow out of the tail pipe. I have been looking for possible solutions as I would eliminate different pieces in the fuel, ignition and vacuum systems. I found a posting on Ford Ranger Forum that have a possible fix that was different and logical, a loose throttle linkage.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/2-9-liter-tech/39806-1986-missing-bucking-solved.html

Check out this link to the post, the guy posted photos, diagrams and a video to help explain it. There is a bar on the throttle linkage opposite of the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) that can get worn and cause "slack" in the throttle body. As the truck is running the slack in the linkage and throttle body allows for vibration and that sends crazy signals to the controller which then will send the wrong air/fuel mix to the motor and cause the engine to run rough. It is difficult to explain where the bar is so the posting on the other forum site is important to read.
I found that mine have a plastic bar on the linkage with a lot of slack, luckily my donor truck in the back yard had a metal one and after swapping them it is already running better. I am sure that finding a replacement can be difficult so if you have a metal bar, a hammer can be used to help reform the mounting holes to tighten it up. Also a spring could be used or I used mechanics wire to help, yeah I went redneck with some wire. Mine is running better and will use sea foam to help it more.
 
Wow, that sounds too simple.
My 88 Ranger has been driving me MAD with symptoms that defy explaination.

I think you have the answer.

I'll ship you a case of beer if it works.:icon_cheers:
 
That's interesting and worth noting! Thanks for posting this!
 
Last edited:
If you read his later replies it only eliminated the bucking, he says his still had the black smoke and lose of power problem so he gave up.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk
 

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