Need to fix this ASAP.

[shr3dd3r 09]

Whatever it is hope I figure it out before tomorrow, because I have to drive 400 miles. It will die on me 50 or 60 times, maybe more if I have to drive it that far.

 

[HAPPY+RANGER+GUY]

rental

Better go with a rental or a kind friend to loan you something to drive.

 

[doorgunner]

Does it have a remote start...my daughters suv started doing the same thing when it was a year old...

dealer unplugged remote start harness....vehicle hasn't stalled in a year...

Father-in-law's ford sploder did same thing when engine warmed up....was broken wire INSIDE plastic insulation at connector...we had to literally twist wires going into connector to get it to stall....amazed that we found it!

I'd rather unwrap a dead skunk from a tie-rod than troubleshoot an electrical problem!

 

[shr3dd3r 09]

Does it have a remote start...my daughters suv started doing the same thing when it was a year old...

dealer unplugged remote start harness....vehicle hasn't stalled in a year...

Father-in-law's ford sploder did same thing when engine warmed up....was broken wire INSIDE plastic insulation at connector...we had to literally twist wires going into connector to get it to stall....amazed that we found it!

I'd rather unwrap a dead skunk from a tie-rod than troubleshoot an electrical problem!

No remote start. I am really confused why the problem fixed itself and then showed up again 3 months later. Almost everything that has to do with fuel delivery, spark, ignition, etc. was replaced the first time this happened....and then after I replaced the canister purge valve solenoid the problem disappeared instantly....until now. The only reason I replaced that was because I had nothing else to replace!

Any clues I can get now would be helpful, because after work I am going to have to do my best to fix it ASAP.

 

[HAPPY+RANGER+GUY]

You may have a wire barely hanging on to underside of the fuse and relay box. This has been a problem for some people in the past. Makes contact part of the time but loses it every once in a while long enough to monkey wrench the operation.

 

[HAPPY+RANGER+GUY]

connections

If you haven't already....I would open up all those decent size electrical plugs in the engine compartment and look for corrosion...good cleaning and mate them back up. Pull the plug off the ECM also and make sure it's all in tact and mate back up. Follow that by moving into the cab area, under dash etc.

 

[shr3dd3r 09]

You may have a wire barely hanging on to underside of the fuse and relay box. This has been a problem for some people in the past. Makes contact part of the time but loses it every once in a while long enough to monkey wrench the operation.

You know, now that you mention that. The purge valve is pretty close to the relay box, and when I replaced it I unhooked the battery cables from the box and moved some cables out of the way. In doing so I may have inadvertently jiggled the right wire back into place...

I'll check on that when I get home. Thanks.

Keep feeding me ideas, I need things to check!

 

[shr3dd3r 09]

If you haven't already....I would open up all those decent size electrical plugs in the engine compartment and look for corrosion...good cleaning and mate them back up. Pull the plug off the ECM also and make sure it's all in tact and mate back up. Follow that by moving into the cab area, under dash etc.

I'll do it. I have a bottle of MAF cleaner. That should do the trick for the electrical connectors.

 

[shr3dd3r 09]

Cleaned every connector I could possibly get to:

PCM
Alternator
IAC
Battery Terminals
MAFS
CAM Sensor
Cleaned Relay box terminals and leads
Fuel pump connector
Transmission harness connector
Vent Solenoid connector
Purge Valve
Throttle position sensor
Plenty of others...

However, I did not find a single damaged wire...

Battery is disconnected now for a complete pcm reset. I'll get it on the road later tonight when there is less traffic and see if it still wants to hesitate/die.

I'll let you know what I find out.

 

[shr3dd3r 09]

Well now it won't stay running at all. It will start every now and then but die almost immediately....so I am going absolutely nowhere. Maybe the connectors aren't all dry yet. I swear this thing is about to be put in storage and made into a project over the next few years. If I'm going to spend money on it I may as well put it to good use instead of having to fix little issues here and there. I'll go out and buy a little car to drive around in the meantime until I can do this whole 5.0 swap again with all remanufactured parts and a new wring harness.

I guess everyone takes a gamble on putting a "new" engine in their truck, but man this thing has not ran well for longer than a month at a time without me having to throw at least $300.00 at it to keep it running. It has been an absolute nightmare for the last 8 months straight.

There is honestly not much left on this thing to replace aside from the engine itself....again. The old 3.0 was starting to give me trouble, so I put this 5.0 in and now I have even more trouble. It goes from running like a champ to dying randomly, then it magically fixes itself and the process repeats. If it does not start in the morning it's going to have a tarp thrown over it and be left to sit until I have the time and funds to start this process over.

In the meantime I'll be trying to explain to my fiance why I can't make it to our wedding shower tomorrow....

 

[HAPPY+RANGER+GUY]

LOL...I hope your fiancé finds this to be an acceptable excuse for not coming!

Seriously though...sorry you're having so much trouble with this truck, these trials can be a bummer. Life's full of peaks and valleys, you have to experience the valleys in order to fully appreciate those peaks when they finally DO come around.

 

[shr3dd3r 09]

LOL...I hope your fiancé finds this to be an acceptable excuse for not coming!

Seriously though...sorry you're having so much trouble with this truck, these trials can be a bummer. Life's full of peaks and valleys, you have to experience the valleys in order to fully appreciate those peaks when they finally DO come around.

Very true. I honestly think the best thing for me to do is just make it a long term project truck, and get a new daily driver until I can get it fixed up again. I have no intention of getting rid of it, I'm too attached to it!

I'd say a new wiring harness and swapping all the relays and fuses would do the trick, but I'm not going to tackle that just yet.

Thanks for the help, but sadly I think the Ranger is going to be put on the shelf for the time being.

 

[Demi_II]

Very true. I honestly think the best thing for me to do is just make it a long term project truck, and get a new daily driver until I can get it fixed up again. I have no intention of getting rid of it, I'm too attached to it!

I'd say a new wiring harness and swapping all the relays and fuses would do the trick, but I'm not going to tackle that just yet.

Thanks for the help, but sadly I think the Ranger is going to be put on the shelf for the time being.

Man whenever I start feeling that way, I walk away for a few days and think. Then something will hit me (usually on the can or in the shower) and I get excited again. Stay positive. You will figure it out. I had something kind of similar and it ended up being a big hole in my exhaust mani. It was freaking out the O2 sensor and adding fuel a bunch of fuel. Easy way to check (and smart people back me up as I am new to this truck) is to unhook the battery and allow it to reset the computer/ learned fuel trims and see if it works well for a while. That could point you to a failing o2 or a leak. Just throwing out ideas.