header and cat. glowing red hot

[bowser90]

i have a 1996 ranger 2.3 and the header and cat. are glowing red hot along with a massive drop in mpg. From about 25 mpg to about 10 mpg. Sometimes it wants to not move at all until i rev it up to 3000 rpm and slowly let the clutch out. please help need to get truck running right within the next few months.

 

[Ranger44]

It's running VERY rich.

Any other symptoms?

Could be the ECT or even a very bad HOS2.

 

[Timj]

your cat could be clogged or you could be getting un burned fuel in the cat which is getting burned off in the cat causing it to get hot and turn red. hit the cat with your palm (when its not red hot lol) and see if it rattles , also check spark plugs wires and coil packs bc u could be not getting spark to one or more of the cylinders causing un burned fuel. other things could be causing it but those are the first things that would be good to check and also see if ur getting a full flow of exhaust out the tail pipe but be careful bc if u get your cat to hot it will melt and they aren't cheap.

 

[bowser90]

i know they arnt cheap lol i just had that one put on about 3 weeks ago and the truck did not move for a week and a half of that. i just changed the wires and have accel coil packs (about 8 months old) aswell. i have a straight pipe from the cat back right now soon to change. there are no other symptoms that i know of. what are ECT and HOS2? i also just replaced the front o2 sensor.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

+1 on a tune up run a compression check and run the codes. put your hand over the tail pipe and have someone give it gas if the pressure dont change much real fast the exhaust system needs to be looked at. I was talking to a guy had a similar problem and he had a fouled plug new plugs and wires can never hurt along with a cap and rotor or coil if your distributorless. Do the preventative maint first then troubleshoot from there.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

ECT engine coolant temp sensor and oxygen sensor

 

[modelageek]

could a bad fuel pressure regulator be causing an excess fuel issue?

 

[bowser90]

i did run a compresion check and the 2nd cylinder was at about 80 psi while the other 3 were at 130 psi.

 

[gcfishguy]

Not sure if this is common knowledge, but not many people knew about it unless they actually read their owner's manual/warranty book. (The most widely available yet least-read book aside from the bible)
Quite a while ago manufactures started covering cats, ecu's, and tcu's under an emmission warranty. (a bunch of other stuff that most people don't know about too...see list in the link below)
I worked for GM, so can't say for sure on when Ford started or what the time/mileage is for a 96, but it's likely 8 years/80,000 miles. That's what it is now.
I know GM's was similar when I was still there, and that's been over 10 years now.


I have heard of TONS of people who have no idea about the emmissions warranty and never called the dealer when their ECU or cat packed it in after their 'bumper to bumper' factory warranty period and paid through the nose for a cat or ECU when it would likely have been covered...

May not help you at all, but then again, it might...you or someone else...


Here's the details on the 2010 models:

http://www.fordvehicles.com/trucks/ranger/2010/warranty/emissions-warranty/

Happy Friday.

<><


<< Was typing while you were posting your compression test results>> If the cat ends up being hosed due to #2 dumping raw fuel into it, they might just cover it...

Anyway....good luck.

 

[Timj]

checking fuel pressure would be good

 

[bowser90]

ok i will do that when i got a day off work this week and see what thats at

 

[modelageek]

bowser90......... you are a novice here so I will go easy on ya, however next time you have an issue post all the pertinent info on the first post. the compression test and the fact that the CAT is 3 weeks old belong on the first post

 

[modelageek]

ok i will do that when i got a day off work this week and see what thats at

when you do the fuel pressure test you have to do a variety of them if you don't know how, ask and someone will tell you how!

 

[modelageek]

i did run a compresion check and the 2nd cylinder was at about 80 psi while the other 3 were at 130 psi.

I have a very good grasp on the peripheral parts of our trucks, however I dont know hardly anything about the engines themselves. That being said. I do believe the the compression is suppose to be over 100 and within about 15psi of each other. did you do the compression test with oil in the cylinder to see if it was the rings?. Could a bad exhaust valve be leaking fuel into the exhaust and causing the headers and cats to heat up?

 

[Duane867]

Sounds like the cat is clogged up to me... I know you said it was changed for a new one but those are tell tale signs if ever there were any....