Ranger misfire

[Todd5854]

Hi I'm not sure why my last post got deleted. Or maybe it never went up for some reason. If this is somehow posted in the wrong section someone please PM me.

I have a '99 Ranger, with the 2.5 liter in it. I recently changed the spark plugs and wires... anyone who knows this engine knows that there's an easy side and a not so easy side. I did the easy side, gapped the plugs (I was instructed to gap them, says our friend who has had 3 Rangers) and put anti-seize on. changed the wires to an OEM spec set. (Advance auto tried to give me a makeshift set..never going there again) It ran fine after I put the one side in. I could give it some throttle and I could feel a bit of response, for the first time ever... Then next week I dropped it off at a shop, where someone else did the other side. They did the plugs, and wires for the other side. He also changed the fuel filter, I couldn't get it out myself.

But ever since this happened, its been misfiring. Whenever I give it gas to accelerate, it misfires and backfires like a machine gun. Sometimes the check engine light starts blinking and I can smell smoke. I can never see smoke, though.

Can anyone help me out? I've spent more money than I'd like on system cleaners and so far they fixed other things, but not the misfires. I might actually be able to drive the truck normally again after this for a while. The vehicle has 216,500 miles by the way. Thanks for any and all help.

Todd

 

[scotts90ranger]

check the side you didn't do to make sure the wires are going to the right cylinders... 1-4 is printed on the coil, sounds like they mixed up the wires...

 

[Duane867]

Take it back to the shop and ask them to fix what they did.

 

[Todd5854]

check the side you didn't do to make sure the wires are going to the right cylinders... 1-4 is printed on the coil, sounds like they mixed up the wires...

I looked up the firing order, on this website.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/FiringOrder.html

Traced the wires back to each side, it checked out fine. I'll check again though.

What if I took one off at a time on the side they did, to see if it even makes a difference? Would that be a good idea?

And if its not fixed, I will definitely take it back and make it their problem. We have gone there before for state inspection. Only because I don't think a chain store would pass it.

I appreciate the responses for this tired vehicle.

 

[red85]

Any time a check engine light flashes, you need to STOP DRIVING. It's indicating a catalyst damaging problem by flashing. Definitely take it back to the shop that did the last bit of work on it. They are responsible for their labour and they will likely take it back in immediately and find the problem. Have you pulled the codes on it yet? It sounds to me like you're having an ignition problem with either one coil dying or something to do with the plugs that were installed. Make sure they are what OE recommends. Bosch Platinums are not a great choice. Also have them check you fuel pressure at the rail. It should be 40-45 psi IIRC. They may have damaged a line removing the filter.

Phil

 

[Todd5854]

Any time a check engine light flashes, you need to STOP DRIVING. It's indicating a catalyst damaging problem by flashing. Definitely take it back to the shop that did the last bit of work on it. They are responsible for their labour and they will likely take it back in immediately and find the problem. Have you pulled the codes on it yet? It sounds to me like you're having an ignition problem with either one coil dying or something to do with the plugs that were installed. Make sure they are what OE recommends. Bosch Platinums are not a great choice. Also have them check you fuel pressure at the rail. It should be 40-45 psi IIRC. They may have damaged a line removing the filter.

Phil

Actually I just did what I said I would do in my above post. I took the plugs off from the distributor cap one at a time, to see a spark, and/or if it made a difference. The color is brown and the tips are blue, if that matters. Three plugs on the passenger side have NO spark between the DIS and the wire. Does this automatically mean a bad coil pack? What else can I investigate? Besides fuel pressure as you said. If no solution is found for free, I'll just take it back to them and see what they can do for me.

 

[red85]

Sounds like a bad coil. If it's firing 1 of 4, then it's getting a signal. Swap the coils and see if the misfire follows the bad coilpack.

 

[Duane867]

Your 2.5L uses a distributorless ignition set up.
You have a camshaft position sensor and a crank shaft position sensor feeding information to the computer which tells the coils when to fire. ( much more complicated then that and more things are involved as well but you get the idea )

Did you perform the spark test on both coil packs ?

 

[Todd5854]

Your 2.5L uses a distributorless ignition set up.
You have a camshaft position sensor and a crank shaft position sensor feeding information to the computer which tells the coils when to fire. ( much more complicated then that and more things are involved as well but you get the idea )

Did you perform the spark test on both coil packs ?

On all 8 of the plugs I tried the coil packs. 3 out of 4 on the passenger side have no spark. I didn't get to swap coil packs and see what happens. I'm doing that today, though.

What if we switch around the coil packs and there's still no spark?

 

[Duane867]

More then likely wont happen.
If the coil fired on the exhaust side and you switch it to the intake side or viseversa
a working coil is a working coil. It will work in either position. If spark came and went on either side I would say its not a coil pack its a sensor or something else causing intermitten no spark condition. Crank sensors will do that I think. but since it seems to be only on one side I would say its a coil pack.

 

[Todd5854]

More then likely wont happen.
If the coil fired on the exhaust side and you switch it to the intake side or viseversa
a working coil is a working coil. It will work in either position. If spark came and went on either side I would say its not a coil pack its a sensor or something else causing intermitten no spark condition. Crank sensors will do that I think. but since it seems to be only on one side I would say its a coil pack.

I switched the coils, and the problem pack was on the other side. We bought new coils, and would just return them if they didn't fix the problem. Oddly enough, they did fix the problem. So far I've been about 50 miles no misfires. Tried with AC on and off, up big hills too. Idle is better and hesitation is back to the way it used to be. My father said it had a bit of hesitation from the day he bought it.

Now to fix that whole 4 cylinder problem...

Although its working now, is there anything else I should check or replace? Tune up did include the PCV valve by the way.

 

[Duane867]

was it a factory Ford pcv or an auto parts store special ?
I'm going with autozone special...
Hit the Ford dealer and buy an OEM pcv valve.
Reason being is most after market pcv valves are poorly made and allow to much air to blow by bringing oil with it. Ergo..oil consumption via shotty pcv valve. 4 cylinders are especially prone for this. It will cost a little more from the dealer but you will have the correct bore and air flow and wont have to worry about oil consumption through the pcv valve.

Explain the hesitation your truck has ?

 

[RedRyder97]

Misfire at first excelerations

So I`m at this same point. New timing belt,plugs(8),pvc,oil.It starts right up and even accelerates after that first little part of stepping on the gas pedal. But it mis fires even a little back fire or pop under the hood .After reading your earlier posts . How did you check the plugs sparking or not . Or do you think replacing the coil packs is going to fix my problem. Im just not sure how to check the spark per wire or per pack. If this is the problem. The truck runs great after that first little acceleration though. Thanks . Closing in on 200k

 

[Todd5854]

So I`m at this same point. New timing belt,plugs(8),pvc,oil.It starts right up and even accelerates after that first little part of stepping on the gas pedal. But it mis fires even a little back fire or pop under the hood .After reading your earlier posts . How did you check the plugs sparking or not . Or do you think replacing the coil packs is going to fix my problem. Im just not sure how to check the spark per wire or per pack. If this is the problem. The truck runs great after that first little acceleration though. Thanks . Closing in on 200k

Here's how I diagnosed it. A random nice man told me this at work. (I'm working at a Kmart through high school.)

With the truck running, take off the spark plugs from the coil one at a time. Make sure only one is unplugged at a time. Take one off and keep it near the coil. There should be a spark. If not, remember which one it is. For me there were three bad coils on one coil pack, all on the passenger side. For you if they are also on the same side, switch the coil packs. If the problem is now on the other side, its your coils. If its still the other side, I'm not sure. Someone above mentioned something about crankshaft position sensors. I actually tested the resistance of the wires with a volt meter, but the wires were fine. Try the coil packs first and let me know what happens.

was it a factory Ford pcv or an auto parts store special ?
I'm going with autozone special...
Hit the Ford dealer and buy an OEM pcv valve.
Reason being is most after market pcv valves are poorly made and allow to much air to blow by bringing oil with it. Ergo..oil consumption via shotty pcv valve. 4 cylinders are especially prone for this. It will cost a little more from the dealer but you will have the correct bore and air flow and wont have to worry about oil consumption through the pcv valve.

Explain the hesitation your truck has ?

I'll try to buy a Ford valve. You are right, the valve just sits in there, you literally can lift it off with one finger. There was also a large amount of oil resting on top of the opening from the last valve. One of these days I may try and clean it.

The hesitation is momentary. When you hit the gas pedal nothing happens for a split second. My dad claims it was like this from the day he bought it. He might be rationalizing it (he does this with EVERYTHING) but it doesn't seem to be problematic. The more gas you give it the more the hesitation is. Could it be the injectors a bit slow maybe? When it was misfiring we thought the fuel injectors were going.

 

[Ranger Kip]

After reading the title, all I can say is aim better XD haha jk

Try looking at your FI system, might be causing it to choke out every once in a while.