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- Joined
- Jan 12, 2026
- Messages
- 1
- Points
- 1
- City
- Orting
- State - Country
- OR - USA
- Vehicle Year
- 1990
- Vehicle
- Ford Ranger
- Drive
- 2WD
- Engine
- 2.9 V6
- Transmission
- Manual
- Total Lift
- NA
- Total Drop
- NA
- Tire Size
- 227/70/14
Hi guys I needed to post a thread I'm at a loss., after trying everything I can think of it's time to call for help from y'all.
I have a 1990 Ford Ranger XLT with the 2.9l, 5 speed 2wd. I got it not running and replaced the engine. And it's been such a pain trying to get the kinks worked out.
Problem; Truck hesitating and stuttering under load or acceleration. It feels like it's starving for fuel pressure. Happens when accelerating & usually starts noticably bucking when just shifting into higher gear. It's intermittent and sometimes it barely does it at all and other times it's throwing a complete fit. The higher the gear and lower the RPM / greater the load the worse it gets. Sometimes it's better to "ease" into throttle or back off for a second hold at 3k RPM and then floor it. Never seems to happen at WOT in 1st and 2nd gear. After I do some work it will drive 100% perfect and I'll think I fixed it and then it relapses after a day or two. heat soak and engine temp don't have noticable effect. Sometimes I notice the engine has much better power, throttle response, and overall performance (not hesitating) then I'll drive it later or next day and it's bad again.
ITS DRIVING ME CRAZY AND STEALING MY LIFE lol all the time and $ going into this seemingly simple issue.
No check engine light
Only codes were for TPS and I replaced it with no joy
I replaced the plug wires,
spark plugs with OEM ones gapped to .44
new dizzy cap and rotor
Timed with timing light to 10° BTDC
Tried swapping out distributor with a spare
All grounds verified, sanded to bare metal or replaced
Inertia switch tested normal
Replaced fuel filter
Replaced CTS and coolant flush
No vacuum leaks
Replaced IACV
Replaced TPS
Good battery
MAP sensor checked out
New Injector O-rings
FPR not leaking gas
Removed O2 sensor and drove to check for clogged Cat. (Only time it ever threw a CEL when unplugged)
Some things about the truck;
previous owner scrapped stock air box and ducting & installed a "Hot air" intake cone filter.
No EGR on this year, no MAF either.
The alternator has been changed to a different type I guess I'm not sure, the P.O. did that and hardwired it to harness without a pigtail.
Has the original Catalytic converter with side exit
It's not a misfire
ive removed the AC belt since it doesn't work anyway.
*The fuel filler neck is really dry rotted and cracked. I actyhad to cut a couple inches off the end that mounts to tank just to keep driving it. Definitely doesn't hold vacuum pressure. But no CEL I would think that a fuel system without a seal would be my problem but internet says no.
Also the EECM had the classic fried capacitors which I replaced with ones with the same ratings and higher max temp. But possibly I did a bad job soldering...
All this trial and error and ups and downs of improvements and relapses making me second guess everything.
Any help would be amazing.thank you
I have a 1990 Ford Ranger XLT with the 2.9l, 5 speed 2wd. I got it not running and replaced the engine. And it's been such a pain trying to get the kinks worked out.
Problem; Truck hesitating and stuttering under load or acceleration. It feels like it's starving for fuel pressure. Happens when accelerating & usually starts noticably bucking when just shifting into higher gear. It's intermittent and sometimes it barely does it at all and other times it's throwing a complete fit. The higher the gear and lower the RPM / greater the load the worse it gets. Sometimes it's better to "ease" into throttle or back off for a second hold at 3k RPM and then floor it. Never seems to happen at WOT in 1st and 2nd gear. After I do some work it will drive 100% perfect and I'll think I fixed it and then it relapses after a day or two. heat soak and engine temp don't have noticable effect. Sometimes I notice the engine has much better power, throttle response, and overall performance (not hesitating) then I'll drive it later or next day and it's bad again.
ITS DRIVING ME CRAZY AND STEALING MY LIFE lol all the time and $ going into this seemingly simple issue.
No check engine light
Only codes were for TPS and I replaced it with no joy
I replaced the plug wires,
spark plugs with OEM ones gapped to .44
new dizzy cap and rotor
Timed with timing light to 10° BTDC
Tried swapping out distributor with a spare
All grounds verified, sanded to bare metal or replaced
Inertia switch tested normal
Replaced fuel filter
Replaced CTS and coolant flush
No vacuum leaks
Replaced IACV
Replaced TPS
Good battery
MAP sensor checked out
New Injector O-rings
FPR not leaking gas
Removed O2 sensor and drove to check for clogged Cat. (Only time it ever threw a CEL when unplugged)
Some things about the truck;
previous owner scrapped stock air box and ducting & installed a "Hot air" intake cone filter.
No EGR on this year, no MAF either.
The alternator has been changed to a different type I guess I'm not sure, the P.O. did that and hardwired it to harness without a pigtail.
Has the original Catalytic converter with side exit
It's not a misfire
ive removed the AC belt since it doesn't work anyway.
*The fuel filler neck is really dry rotted and cracked. I actyhad to cut a couple inches off the end that mounts to tank just to keep driving it. Definitely doesn't hold vacuum pressure. But no CEL I would think that a fuel system without a seal would be my problem but internet says no.
Also the EECM had the classic fried capacitors which I replaced with ones with the same ratings and higher max temp. But possibly I did a bad job soldering...
All this trial and error and ups and downs of improvements and relapses making me second guess everything.
Any help would be amazing.thank you
