What the heck is happening to my Ranger?

[eye95]

I have a 1991 with the Mazda engine in it.(original set up) it has 377,000 miles on it with no oil leaks. Manual. When i get up to 50 mmiles per hour all of the sudden there is no reaction from the gas pedal and the vehicle starts slowing down and eventually stalling. It only happens at speed. I can zip around town and it never happen but once i hit the highway it happens. Ichanged the fuel filter and sprayed the air intake plus tried to read the computer with a light. i was lost on that...What i do to keep from having to pull over is pop start it while im moving. It slowly catches up but it's not really drivable now.. what the heck...

 

[mikepotts]

mazda engine??? is it a diesel? if not, it either aint a mazda engine, or it aint original.

 

[RobbieD]

A $25~$35 code reader would be a great investment right about now (don't sweat it- I can't read a damn blinking light, either, to pull the codes). Throwing parts at it and praying ain't the best way to go. Look at the basics first; it sounds like either an ignition or fuel delivery component is going south. If you can check the codes, and if it is a problem that throws a code, you'll be in much better shape to get it going. Sounds like you might have the 2.3L four banger, but let us know which engine it is. And, welcome to the site; there's a ton of helpful people here.

 

[Mark_88]

That is exactly what would happen to my Tempo...turned out the fuel pump was going south...it would start, run, idle, and pick up speed without any problems...once I got on the highway and drove for a bit (mind you I did get over 50mph) it would suddenly loose all power and I'd have to coast off to the side of the road...

Happened mostly in warm weather though...

 

[superdave1984]

Fuel pressure regulator.

 

[pocket-rocket]

Fuel pressure regulator.

Are the Fords like the GM ones where if it is bad you can pull the vac line off and smell the line to see if there is fuel in it?

 

[Bryan22]

that's one way, if theres fuel in the vac line it's deffinitely bad, but if there isnt fuel in the hose, that still dosen't mean it's good. do a fuel pressure test to be sure if it's a fuel related problem.

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

That engine ain't a mazda. If it's a 4 cylinder, it's the 2.3L OHC Ford design built in Lima, OH. If it's a V6, it's either the ford 2.9L cologne, ford 3.0L volcan, or the ford 4.0L cologne. None of these engines have anything to do with mazda. The manual transmissions were all mazdas, but never any engines except for a diesel option back in the 80s.

Your problem sounds like a fuel pump to mee. I found it easier to pull the bed than drop the fuel tank to get at the fuel pump.

 

[fordboi415]

I would check the fuel pressure b4 pulling the fuel pump

 

[Mark_88]

You might actually get good readings because the engine does run...it just custs out sporadically...if you could rig a fuel pressure guage so that you could see it when this happens you might find the pressure drops off suddenly for no other reason...that would be the fuel pump...