Help. Loss of power top speed 55mph.

[DennisH]

As the title says my good old ranger has lost power when in 5th gear. I can't go over about 55-60 mph in 5th gear but can achieve about 70 in 4th. It's a 94 4x4 3.0. I know for sure it's not the clutch slipping because I just replaced it. It has something to do with the engine. It only gets 11 mpg. I aired the tires up, cleaned the air filter (K&N) and changed plugs and wires. Also changed the fan clutch because it locked up.

What else can I check or change to get the power back and mpg up?

A couple of my buddies suggested the catalytic converter was plugged. Something about a big screw driver and beating the $h!t out of the inside of it. Don't really know what they're talking about but it sounds free lol.

 

[Big Jim M]

The engine in your Ranger DEPENDS on a good running, clean catalytic converter to run well. If your engine isn't missing, I'd vote for a stopped up exhaust system also. Many times it is the muffler that stops up.
It is possible to drop the tail pipe and drive it once to see if that improves the top speed.
Whatever it is you do make sure to put the cat and all the ox sensors back in place.

Big JIm

 

[Original_Ranger84]

I would also possibly clean off the MAF sensor since your running a K&N. I do it with mine after I oil it just to be sure its not messing with anything.

 

[DennisH]

ok I'll try both of those suggestions. My ranger kind of took a beating this winter. Between this and a wheel bearing going out and now my fan for the heat doesn't work I'm on the verge of buying a new truck.

 

[cush]

ok I'll try both of those suggestions. My ranger kind of took a beating this winter. Between this and a wheel bearing going out and now my fan for the heat doesn't work I'm on the verge of buying a new truck.

i hear you dude. i get sweet deals on cars since i work at a dealer so im tempted every day. plus toyotas will run 300k+ with just regular mantinence

 

[pillen140]

This sounds retarded, but a couple weeks ago i was having trouble getting up to speed with it floored, could do highway speed in third, but after that it was a dog. thought something was seriously wrong because i was getting about 11-12mpg. then i went to pay my insurance one day and noticed my gas pedal was crooked. moved the floor mat back and my gas pedal fell off! the spot weld cracked and wouldnt allow me to step on the gas all the way. a couple self tappers fixed the problem and im back doing 80mph on the highway with 35's and 3.73's and a 3.0L, lol. not saying thats the problem, but id give a quick check.

 

[DennisH]

lol you know I thought about that and haven't checked it yet. My gas pedal was sticking open for a while but I'm pretty sure it was because the floor mat was in the way. I'll give it a quick check before I start tearing into things. I've already put two zip ties behind it because my cable was stretched and it helped at the time (about a year ago). Maybe one fell off. It's been so damn cold here that I haven't gotten around to mess with it yet. Thanks for the suggestion as dumb as it sounds it's really not lol.

 

[DennisH]

well I took the honey comb stuff out of the cat and it helped but only slightly. Plus now it's freekin loud. Is there anything else that I can do or check. I've already put new plugs and wires on it. Changed the fuel filter about a year or two ago. Could my injectors be plugged up? This is racking my brain and making me pissed off to say the least. I should just go get a new truck but don't want the extra bill every month. I wouldn't think that my engine is getting "tired" because it came on too fast. It just started when winter hit. Any other suggestions please.

 

[92danger]

Mine is doing pretty much the same thing. *bump to top* Maybe someone will see this and have some suggestions

 

[Luke94]

did this ever get figured out????? If so could someone let me know what the problem was

 

[Froggmann]

To the OP, have you pulled codes? Checked fuel pressure? Compression test?

 

[DennisH]

I realize this thread is about 4 years old, but I never did figure out what the problem is. And it'd still doing it. I parked the truck for about 3 years and have had two different trucks since. I'm getting this truck back on the road and going to use it to haul wood. Since I took the cats out, it smokes white smoke when I first start it up, but once the engine warms it completely goes away. So that's normal I would assume. It does leak some antifreeze from the front of the engine somewhere. Not a ton, just a couple drops on the shop floor after I park it. I parked it bc it wouldn't run right and just died. I check the plugs and the #1 plug blew the insulator off the inside by the electrode. I changed plugs and wires, cleaned maf, cleaned air filter, new fuel filter greased wheel bearings and new tires along with alot of other stuff I'm forgetting. I'm starting to think either the head gaskets are blown again or the muffler is plugged. Any suggestions?

 

[DennisH]

And yes, I did a compression test. All cylinders were between 135 and 150 psi. The antifreeze I think is coming out of the overflow tube by the rad cap.

 

[stmitch]

To me, a burned up electrode on the spark plug would indicate a lean condition on that cylinder. You may be getting too much air (caused by a leak), or not enough fuel (clogged injector). Either of those would probably cause a misfire though. Other than the loss of power in 5th gear, how does the truck run? Does it idle normally? Does it require more pedal to maintain speed or accelerate than usual?

 

[DennisH]

It runs pretty decent. Yeah it idles a little rough and shakes the truck some but it's always done that. Yeah, I've got to have the throttle smashed to accelerate. I know it's not a big engine, but to achieve 65mph you have to rap it out in 4th and when you shift into 5th have it pinned to maintain that speed. It's got a coolant leak between the timing cover now too.