got a couple questions...

[poweranger84]

i know yall have probably been asked these questions, but i gotta know.

TRUCK-1986 RANGER STX 2.9 5SPEED

1. bout 1 or 2 times a week im havin to refill the radiator. when i take the cap off there is no fluid in the radiator. no leaks tho...?

2. i use to be able to have the speedo wraped around to where it was hittin against the trip odometer while turnin bout 4000 rpms. but latly i can barley get it to 85. and when i finally get there its redlinin.

3. every now and then the truck will buck. its random, but normally in 1st, 2nd and 5th and when im in a hurry to get somewhere.

all these have me confused. any one who know anything bout these problems???

 

[Sunk]

Does the exhaust smell sweet or look white? I'd check to see what the oil looks like also. The coolant is going somewhere.

 

[poweranger84]

nah no smoke, and i just did an oil change last week. no coolant in the old oil. checked the oil this afternoon and it was still clean.

 

[azhrei]

I have an 87 2.9 and found my coolant leaking out of the heater core... I would also check all the hoses it could just be a small drip! and the bucking... I found the only time it didn't do that is when I ran premium for a tank! do you use the same gas station? or different ones? and if so than try to notice if truck runs different than another after a particular station... last plug and wire change? and what about fuel injectors have they been cleaned?


Paul

 

[poweranger84]

the plugs and wires and were changed not too long ago, but im gonna do it again on saturday mornin. i have no idea about the injectors, but every couple tanks i put in a bottle of lucas fuel system cleaner.
i use different stations, but where ever i go itll do the same. its been gettin worse and worse latley.

 

[Psychopete]

the plugs and wires and were changed not too long ago, but im gonna do it again on saturday mornin. i have no idea about the injectors, but every couple tanks i put in a bottle of lucas fuel system cleaner.
i use different stations, but where ever i go itll do the same. its been gettin worse and worse latley.

How empty is it when you check it? Having to fill 1 or 2 times a week is a LOT more than just a small drip. If it's your heater core, at that rate, your carpet would be soaked. I check my coolant maybe every 6 months "just to be sure", and I've never had to top it off. What you describe by intervals is what I was facing when I had a cracked head.

If it were me, I would get it in a garage with a clean floor, put a piece of card board under the truck, and use a pressure tester to get the system under pressure constantly, until the source of the leak was identified.

As far as your engine, it could be a magnitude of problems. It sounds like you abuse the shit out of it, which ultimately breaks stuff. Since you have an '86 pulling codes would be a simple start. That and checking your vacuum with a gauge, that will tell you a lot of the overall condition of the engine's internals.

Pete

 

[low_five]

a water pump thats starting to go bad will weep coolant when hot and may not be noticed.

 

[poweranger84]

found the coolant leak. radiator had a hole in it. guess all the coolant was commin out when i was drivin. so it woundnt leak while parked.

 

[poweranger84]

alright...today was hell.
woke up this afternoon, went to go pick up my girl freind, and the truck faught me to crank, and then the whole 25 mile trip to my girlfreinds house, everytime i got off the gas it would want to shut off. the only way i could keep it runnin was to keep revin the motor. then i went to advance and the battery died. its floodin out really bad. put a new battery in it and it struggled to make the 2 miles home.

 

[IMenriched]

alright...today was hell.
woke up this afternoon, went to go pick up my girl freind, and the truck faught me to crank, and then the whole 25 mile trip to my girlfreinds house, everytime i got off the gas it would want to shut off. the only way i could keep it runnin was to keep revin the motor. then i went to advance and the battery died. its floodin out really bad. put a new battery in it and it struggled to make the 2 miles home.

If it is flooding/over fueling as you drive....then...it can be a few things.
and it might be a combination of things, meaning it might not just be 1 thing wrong.

1st would be to check the codes. They can steer you in a direction to correct the problem...and save $$$ on parts.


but few things to check...or look into.

~check the FPR (fuel pressure regulator)...a quick check is to pull the little vacuum line off the back of the FPR... notice if fuel drips out, (this vacuum line should be dry)...if you do have fuel coming out...the FPR is shot. but just because it is dry won't mean that it is good either.

~on the same thought check the fuel pressure. it can help tell you if you fuel pumps are ok.

~also have the ignition module checked (aka TFI)....it is on the back of the distriutor, ($7 dollor wrench need to remove), most parts stores will check these for free once removed.

~check the TPS (throttle position sensor)

~check the O2 sensor

If it is not over fueling then replace the fuel filter... while you're at it replace the air filter. shucks a good tune up...meaning plugs, wires, cap rotor

 

[poweranger84]

eh... this truck is not doin too good. pulled the plugs that i put in last weekend, oil soaked. i also have oil drippin out of the intake. the heater core case caught fire bout an hour ago....
would me puttin a new muffler on it make the piston rings blow??

 

[Psychopete]

No, unless you did something really wrong in the process. Driving it like a "race truck" would be my first guess.

I really don't know what to tell you. That thing is a threat to everyone around it and including yourself.

Your truck is a death trap. I am going to flat out tell you that you need to have someone with more experience help you before you kill someone.

Only do what you can handle, otherwise it's best left to someone who knows their shit.

Pete

 

[poweranger84]

yea. its parked now. bout to get an escort to be my d.d. till i can get a the money for the parts truck.

will a 3.8L V6 bolt up to the Toyo Koygo??

 

[BlackBII]

will a 3.8L V6 bolt up to the Toyo Koygo??

Different bellhousing bolt pattern..Sorry.

 

[poweranger84]

what all will start messing up when the fuel pressure regulator goes out?