Running on 3 cylinders

[Grapeman]

I have a 97 4-cylinder 5 speed. 116,000 miles. I recently purchased it. I have done a complete tune up, new timing belt, etc. The CEL comes on and say "misfire cylinder #1" We have changed out almost all the componets that could cause this. Still no help. What is does is sometimes it only fires on three cylinders. If you start it up, it will run fine, but if you rev it up, when it backs down to the idle position, it starts to mis-fire real bad....running on 3 cylinders. After a few monments it will clear up and run on 4 cylinders. I know it is a mechanical problem, because a few times when it has mis-fired so bad, it will die. When I go to restart it, it will turn over freely like the sparks plugs are removed. What I suspect is happening is that a valve(s) is hanging open on cylinder #1. I suspect the following: collapsed lifter, broken valve spring or something that would keep on of the valves open on an occasional basis. I have tried everything I can think of, short of pulling the valve cover/head. Does anyone have any ideas or have experienced something similiar to this?

 

[RangerFabWorks]

I have a 97 4-cylinder 5 speed. 116,000 miles. I recently purchased it. I have done a complete tune up, new timing belt, etc. The CEL comes on and say "misfire cylinder #1" We have changed out almost all the componets that could cause this. Still no help. What is does is sometimes it only fires on three cylinders. If you start it up, it will run fine, but if you rev it up, when it backs down to the idle position, it starts to mis-fire real bad....running on 3 cylinders. After a few monments it will clear up and run on 4 cylinders. I know it is a mechanical problem, because a few times when it has mis-fired so bad, it will die. When I go to restart it, it will turn over freely like the sparks plugs are removed. What I suspect is happening is that a valve(s) is hanging open on cylinder #1. I suspect the following: collapsed lifter, broken valve spring or something that would keep on of the valves open on an occasional basis. I have tried everything I can think of, short of pulling the valve cover/head. Does anyone have any ideas or have experienced something similiar to this?

sounds like a sticky fuel injector to me. take it to a shop and have the injectors cleaned. additives in the tank dont work as well. what they do is unhook the feed line form the gas tank and the return, and run the engine off a cleaner. when the can empties, the engine shuts off. this is the best way to clean the injectors. you could try seafoam but i dought it will make that much of an improvement

 

[Grapeman]

Thank you for your reply, however I have ruled out a bad fuel injector because that would not cause the motor to turn over freely(like the spark plugs being out or an open valve) as it sometimes does.

 

[dans92]

hello, i am having the same exact problem, except mine is on cylinder 2. however i have checked compression and its 125 on each cylinder, all tune up was done and new injectors. i have another engine im going to pull the head off that one and im going to pull the t/b and valve cover to see if it may be a worn cam lobe, weak/broken valve spring or misadjusted rocker. the other engine is in excelent shape. but yeah mine will idle fine but when you rev it and come back to idle it miss's, then other times it dont. so let me know what works for you and when i do some swapping ill try to repost what fixs mine.
btw, mines a 92 ranger but still should be identicle with the exception yours is obd2
daniel.

 

[powerwagon]

my 88 2.3 was runing on 3cyl when i got it. i did a compreshon leak down #1hade 145,#had 25,#3 had 65,#4 had 144 and every ex valve leaked. i tore it down and rebilt and did the machine work my self. terned out i had 3 cracked piston skirts. on my valve job i had to trim over 2 thousents of my ex valves to get the piting out and a 44 1/2 degre my seats got almost 4 thousents and 3 angle THAY WERE BERNT!

 

[johndeeregarner]

Heck, thats not as bad as mine. I was running on one (1) cylinder! talk about idling ruff! But I'm replacing the engine on mine, don't think you will have to do that on yours. ;D