misfire after putting motor back together

[samx227]

so i cracked a head on my 1990 ranger, 4.0 ohv
i went and picked up a motor out of a 97 not realizing i couldnt use it because everything was obd2 and the flywheel bolt pattern was 8 instead of 6 bolts like mine was. so i just took the heads from the 97 and put them on my 90 block and put everthing back together with fresh gaskets. also used the oil pan from the 97 block which kinda gave me a fit when putting it on my block but it worked. would i run into any probs putting these heads on my block? it runs, just not well, almost like only half the motor is running. and i have a loud knock around 2500-3000 rpm. also if i pull the spark plug wires off the passenger side bank it makes no difference in the way the motor idles. there is spark i know the wires are good, and the plugs were new out of my old motor, maybe had 1000 miles on them
i also cant figure out where the vacuum lines went because they all broke and the diagram under the hood honestly doesnt help me out lol
only vacuum lines that are hooked up are the one to my fpr and brake booster. all the others are capped off for now.
im going to compression test and fuel pressure test it today as a start

any and all help/suggestions are appreciated

 

[RonD]

Check the firing order at the plug and coil, then check it again.

Engine
<123
<456

Coil
<123
<564
^^

Oil pan not going on reads a bit like oil pick up might be wrong??
so no oil pressure and the "knocking" !!!

 

[samx227]

okay so put the firing order right now it doesnt wanna fire up at all
this thing is really throwing me off...

and as for the knocking you might be right. although everything seemed exactl the same when i had the motors sitting there side by side lol, any idea why the oil pan would be different?

 

[samx227]

also odd to me that the firing order on the coil is like that ...

 

[RonD]

I GOOFED UP on the above firing order!!

4.0l info page here:
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/4_0_Page.shtml

4.0l use distributorless ignition system.
It also uses a "waste spark" system, this means the 6 cylinders are sparked by 3 coils in one "pack".
Firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6.
On any multi-cylinder engine the firing order is based on cylinder "pairs".
To balance the engine the pistons and rods are run in matched "pairs"

On the 4.0l the matched "pairs" are:
1-5
2-6
3-4

Look familiar(I got it wrong on above post!)

<1|2|3
<5|6|4

So 1 and 5 spark plugs are on the same coil and fire at the same time, but only one of the cylinder will have fuel in it, the other will be on the exhaust stroke, the spark may burn off some unburnt fuel but basically it is a "wasted spark", hence the name "waste spark system".

And 2 and 6
and 3 and 4

So firing order
1-4-2
5-3-6

 

[samx227]

looked really odd.. haha
well back to running again. still misfiring and when i drive there is just no power at all. almost like the timing is fully retarded.
compression is
130 160
125 155
135 155
buddies at work say that these readings should be okay and that they are not causing the misfire
starting to think this is a fuel issue.. long with vacuum lines so im gonna try my best to get the vacuum lines together
dont have a feul pressure tester here at work so will have to rent one from the auto parts store and check fuel pressure.
anything to add to check next?

 

[RonD]

Numbers not OK.
Passenger side looks like head gasket didn't seal well if it is new.
Or valve train on that side has a problem.

Driver's side is more normal, my '94 4.0l with 300,000 is 160-170psi across all 6 cylinders, with cold compression test.

What you want to see is less than a 10% difference in a compression test.
Your Drivers side average is 157
passenger side average is 130

16psi would be the most difference you would want to see, you have 27psi and it's on one whole bank.

Technically a cylinder should fire if compression is above 110psi, but cold start with rich mix it may not

I would pull the valve cover on that bank and then check each cylinders valves when both are closed, you should be able to spin the push rod with your fingers, it should be tight but turnable.

Did you use the '97 rockers or '90 rockers?

I thought they were the same from 1990 to 2000, but not sure.

 

[samx227]

okay, yeah gaskets are new.
should i maybe try retorquing the rocker arm bolts?
ill check that out tomorrow then. thanks for your help RonD i appreciate it
ill let you know what i find!

 

[samx227]

i used 97 rockers.

 

[samx227]

also spark plugs are showing signs of running real rich..

 

[samx227]

Pulled injector clips on passenger side bank (was a b****) and nothing about the idle changed....pulled one that I could get to on the driver side bank and truck almost died. Checked power at the pass side bank injectors and there is almost 13 volts...what the hell is going on? Lol

 

[samx227]

anyone else have any other suggestions? still having the same issue

 

[cp2295]

You checked that the passenger side plugs are getting a spark? could be the coil, i'm pretty sure (not positive) that one side of the pack gets power from 1 wire, the other power from the other wire. Could be that the coil is just shot on one side and therefore not sparking the passenger bank, or spark is weak. i would check voltage at the coil, make sure you don't short it though (i did accidentally once!)

 

[cp2295]

also you said the spark plugs are showing rich. That could be a sign of weak spark, not burning the fuel fully. I would change the plugs and wires if you haven't already, and if that doesn't fix it change the coil pack.

$0.80 each on rockauto right now for motorcraft copper plugs!

 

[samx227]

Yes both sides are getting spark. The wires and plugs probably have like 1000 miles on Em lol
How would I go about checking the voltage of the coil? Without shocking myself as well lol
Also pulled these codes from it today
41-system lean -fuel control
63-tps sensor sig low....(went through hot tank at work on accident) lol
66-maf sig low, but the other day it came off while engine running probably why the code is there