My first Ranger has a few engine problems - 2.3l

[McCormack090305]

I just bought a 95 Super Cab, it has the 2.3l 4 cylinder, 5 speed manual, only paid $600 for it, feel like I got a really good deal!

Anyways, I noticed a few things when I was driving it home. First off, this thing has absolutely no power whatsoever. I took the freeway home, and I had to fight to get it up to 60mph, and then I had to fight to keep it there. I've read a little about the cats getting plugged up and O2 sensor codes and stuff, but I don't know much about it all. She does have a pretty wonky exhaust setup on her.

Apparently, and I haven't got down to assess the situation, the stock exhaust was removed after the cat, and there is an exhaust pipe that comes off the cat and angles towards the passenger side, and then it has one of those 4-5" chrome canister ebay mufflers sticking out just in front of the rear passenger wheel. The PO also said that the O2 sensors were unplugged or removed, unclear which. I plan to address this when I get the money, but for now I need it to just run good, lol.

The only other major thing is the idle. There is no tach, but when I come to a stop, it seems to be idling at around 2500rpm, but if I sit at idle for about 30 seconds, it comes down to what feel/sounds like about 1000rpm. It does this whether its hot or cold. Also, after the idle comes down to normal, if I rev it up a little, it will stay at around 2500rpm again until it sits for about 30 seconds. My gut tells me this could be a simple intake leak or something, but again, I'm in the dark here.

Any help you guys can throw my way would be awesome!

 

[Hagan]

Sounds like a sketchy PO. Sometimes it isn't a good deal when you spend all your time/money on it...but if its what you can afford than so be it.

If the PO removed the cat then it shouldn't be a problem unless there is an o2 sensor before AND after the cat? (<-You said o2 sensor'S') Is there a CEL (check engine light) on?

I would look at the butterfly not closing all the way (carbon buildup) or possibly the throttle cable is sticking a little causing your high idle.

Good luck!

 

[McCormack090305]

No, the cat is still there, the whole weird exhaust behind that. I'm gonna replace it with a decent cat back system as soon as I can afford it.

Right now, I'm more worried about having no power than I am about the idle. The idle is more annoying than anything, but I wanna be able to drive the truck, and it's hard to go anywhere with as slow as it is, lol.

There is a check engine light. I plan on getting into Autozone once I get my registration and tags, they should be able to help figure that out.

 

[Mark_88]

Nice find...hope you can get it running better...

Did you check the air filter? If it's a bit hard on gas that could be all that's wrong with it...

Did you have an emission test done on it? If it passed emissions then there shouldn't be any codes...but no harm in checking...

How many miles on it...the exhaust may be causing some of the problems, but not necessarily...it could also depend on what you're used too...they are not the fastest trucks in the world...

Oh, and there is always the pedal mod...zip ties around a slack accelerator wire have given many owners more bang for their bucks than cold air intakes...

Oh, yeah, and welcome to TRS...

 

[McCormack090305]

I haven't checked or done anything yet. I bought it, drove it home, and there it has sat since yesterday. I'm sick, and it's raining and cold out, AND I don't have a garage to tinker in, so I have to wait until I can stay late at work and take it up there to work on it. Plus, I had to go get the title transferred and get my plates today on my lunch break today, so now I'm all legal.

I never thought of getting the exhaust gasses analyzed. Where could I go for that? Would any muffler shop have the equipment for that? I know we have an exchaust gas analyzer at work, but it's hooked up in our dyno room, and it's setup for motorcycles anyways.

The only other pickup I ever owned was a 1991 Nissan Pickup with a 2.2l 4 cylinder. It was actually a pretty quick little truck. I wasn't expecting my Ranger to be any faster than that, but out of all the cars I've ever owned (and I've had a LOT of vehicles) this is the absolute slowest one. It accelerates terribly, it took me probably a good half mile or so to even reach 60mph, and that was with the pedal to the floor through each gear. I can't imagine that it should be that slow, it's borderline not driveable, lol.

The first thing I am going to do when I get it up to work is change the oil, plugs, maybe plug wires, air filter, etc... The interior is also pretty nasty looking. Not the seats or carpet or anything, but somebody painted all the plastic dash trim this terrible shade of chrome/silver spraypaint, which was painted over top of gloss red, which was painted over top of gloss blue, and all 3 coats look like they were applied with a roller and are full of fingerprints and runs.

Anyways, I'll look into that stuff tomorrow. I'm off work, so maybe I can get a little running done.

 

[Mark_88]

Sounds good...but I'd suggest checking the gas pedal foir excess play...there is a quick fix for that and it has surprising results...and the air filter check...before you throw any parts into it...

Tune ups are always good, but depending on the mileage whether needed or not...the 2.3 is no street racer in stock config, but when you say fighting with it to stay at speed...that sounds like a stretched accelerator cable...happened to mine an when I threw on a few zip ties to take the slack out it made a big difference...

Keep us posted though...and let me know if you want to sell it...lol

 

[McCormack090305]

Well, I checked the air filter, it's like new. I also took some zip ties out with me to do the throttle mod, but it's already been done. I decided to run up to Autozone to get the codes checked out, and they found cylinder 2, 3, and 4 misfire, and an O2 sensor code. Also, when I walked out of the building with the sales guy, my janky-assed exhaust was hanging down almost touching the pavement.

I drove home like that, and the second I hit my driveway, the whole thing fell off from the cat backwards. This saved me a ton of trouble, because I didn't feel like getting down in the mud today to hack it off, which is what I was planning on doing anyways.


photo 1 by LittleTanRifle, on Flickr


photo 2 by LittleTanRifle, on Flickr


photo 3 by LittleTanRifle, on Flickr


photo 5 by LittleTanRifle, on Flickr


photo 4 by LittleTanRifle, on Flickr

The pic with the exhaust wrap and mechanic's wire is apparently all that was holding the cat to the downpipe, lol.

I took it around the block afterwards, and it actually did run a little better. I was able to use 5th gear finally! It's still pretty much a turd, though. I'm thinking now the issue may actually be not enough back pressure, as opposed to too much. I'm gonna get on my other computer, I have a couple links bookmarked, I need some more advice, lol...

 

[McCormack090305]

I'm thinking of doing something like this:

http://www.truckexhaustkits.com/thunderbolt-high-flow-metalic-catalytic-converter-2-5/

and...

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WLK-17653/

I want to use the dual outlets on the muffler to run a tailpipe out right in front of both rear wheels, and put a nice chrome tip on each of them, keeping them flush with the bed.

I'm not sure what size tubing these things use stock, but I was figuring that 2 1/4" or 2 1/2" would be alright. Anyone have any input?

I also don't want it to be ridiculously loud, but I do want a nice clean exhaust note, so I figure going with a chambered/baffle type muffler rather than a resonator type will be beneficial.

 

[Hagan]

Set something heavy on the gas pedal (so its floored) and go look at the butterfly. Make sure it open all the way.

And please don't do this while its running.

 

[Hagan]

IMO I wouldn't use anything bigger than 2.25" for a 4-cylinder. And someone needs to smack the previous owner of this truck!

 

[Mark_88]

Well, I checked the air filter, it's like new. I also took some zip ties out with me to do the throttle mod, but it's already been done. I decided to run up to Autozone to get the codes checked out, and they found cylinder 2, 3, and 4 misfire, and an O2 sensor code. Also, when I walked out of the building with the sales guy, my janky-assed exhaust was hanging down almost touching the pavement.

I drove home like that, and the second I hit my driveway, the whole thing fell off from the cat backwards. This saved me a ton of trouble, because I didn't feel like getting down in the mud today to hack it off, which is what I was planning on doing anyways.


photo 1 by LittleTanRifle, on Flickr


photo 2 by LittleTanRifle, on Flickr

Wow, lol...good thing it fell off on the driveway...you might have hurt yourself trying to remove it...

I guess the PO was trying to keep it running as best as possible...the throttle mod probably saved it from the bone yard though...lol...

If you're getting misfire then that should be corrected, hopefully, by a tune...and the back pressure certainly helps these engines...my exhaust just blew off from a bit of a backfire...lol...

IMO I wouldn't use anything bigger than 2.25" for a 4-cylinder. And someone needs to smack the previous owner of this truck!

Agreed...on both counts...

Unless you have some serious work done on the head going larger than that will decrease your back pressure again...the stock size is actually 2" Outside diameter on most of the pipe with 2 1/8th Inside Diameter for the connections...as I refreshed myself with a trip to fix my blown out muffler...

 

[McCormack090305]

to you guys, this is helping SO much!

As far as the misfires go, if it is actually misfiring, it's not noticeable. It runs really smooth and, aside from the lack of exhaust, the engine is very quiet, it's just really lacking power. I have a feeling it may just be an intermittent condition caused by the exhaust problems, but I'm still gonna give it a good tune-up, anyways.

And for the exhaust, should I go with the larger 2.25" piping, or just stick with the standard 2"? And do you think the high flow cat I linked to, and the Thrush muffler with the dual outlets is going to be a good option? I could find the same components in either 2" or 2.25" if so, but I need to get them ordered so I can get everything all welded up and hung.

I'm getting really anxious to drive it, but I don't wanna risk mucking it all up by running it how it is, I wanna address all known issues first.

 

[Mark_88]

Good idea to work out the bugs first...
EDIT: didn't see you need a cat too...

I deleted my first response...blackberry is not easy to edit...

I'd go with stock parts if possible...depends on where you order
from...if they can match the header flange and down pipe to the cat the high fllow might be better...

I prefer the stock setup...it goes all the way to the back of the truck and you get less smell...and no CO coming back to the cab...

I guess it's a matter of choice though...without mods on the engine, going over stock size isn't going to affect performance

 

[McCormack090305]

Yeah, the first link I posted is for a high flow cat, and the second was a chambered exhaust.

I do plan on eventually hogging out the heads a little, and doing this cam update that I keep reading about. I'm a Harley Davidson Tehnician, so I'm pretty comfortable working with engines and stuff, but I am really in the dark about a lot of car/truck specific things, such as the EGR, catalytic converters, MAF, Power Steering, stuff like that. I've always tried to fix my own vehicles, but I usually farm out the big stuff.

I figure for what this truck is, what I paid for it, and how easy it seems to be to work on, I'm just gonna jump in head first wherever possible. I've also been known to do some pretty magical things with metal and fiberglass, especially welding and stuff like that. I really wanna learn what's what, what works and what doesn't, and get my hands dirty in the meantime.

I'm gonna go ahead and order thhe 2.25" parts and get it all welded up. I think what you said about getting the exhaust smell in the cab is something I need to look out for. I hadn't thought about that at all. I still want the tailpipes to come out from either side, but maybe I will extend them over the axle and behind the rear wheels instead of in front of them.

 

[Mark_88]

Well, you've got some valuable skills, tools, and understanding that put you in a great position for doing mods...or anything you like...

I was looking at the stock tailpipe the other day and noticed there was probablly enough room to run two of them...but you'll need to get everything plugged in to see what you can do with it from the muffler back...shouldn't be too hard to work it out the way you want it...

Mine is carbed and I just blew open the stock muffler tith a bit of floodinf and, of course, my impatience...I manage to learn something new every time...lol

Have fun...they are great trucks to work on...with my 15" rims I don't need to jack it up to work on the oil or muffler...