Yet another Ranger problem

[Guest]

Hello all,
Today I started checking over the latest buy, a '98, 2.3, 5 sp, standard cab with a 167k.
The truck runs pretty good, but it has what almost feels like a crossfire when coming off an idle. This is very profound when the engine is cold. Once the engine reaches temperature the stumble is just about gone.

Its sounds almost like the engine is trying to reverse direction. A real gnarly sound that I sure don't want to repeat to many times.

The scanner shows nothing out of the norm. (Scrap on Solus)

One of the coils was after market, so I traded out the coils for known to be good coils, this changed nothing.

The coolant sensors, and the TPS are working normally. IAC has no issues.

Crank and Cam sensors? Who knows, the scanner doesn't show any information on what those sensors are doing.

I'm baffled. Anyone ever run across anything like this? Anyone feel that the crank or cam sensors might be the cause?

The truck is stock, right down to the gas cap and the radio, and all of the wiring, including the plug wires, looks to be in very good condition.

Thanks for any ideas.

 

[dasfinc]

Just an FYI, thats the 2.5, I owned one and had a similar issue *Bad hard to trace Misfire*

I did a full tune up (plugs, wires, and both coils) and the problem still existed. Found out it had a bad/sticking injector, from my reading, this is fairly common for the 2.5.

Regardless a tune up is cheap, and if you just bought it, you might as well.

 

[Guest]

Just an FYI, thats the 2.5, I owned one and had a similar issue *Bad hard to trace Misfire*

I did a full tune up (plugs, wires, and both coils) and the problem still existed. Found out it had a bad/sticking injector, from my reading, this is fairly common for the 2.5.

Regardless a tune up is cheap, and if you just bought it, you might as well.

Thanks for the reply,

A tune up was my first thought as well, even bought all the parts. But after going through a couple of cold starts with it, it just seemed like another problem. I mean this thing has 2 sets of plugs and wires, surely half would still be working. (not sure why any 4 cylinder car engine needed 8 plugs, other than to sell more parts)

The TPS became a focal point because the stumble happened as soon as the throttle was opened, but the TPS sweeps fine. Even though, I still have doubts about the TPS and will check it out on the scope to make sure.

This stumble is not like any I've ever encountered. Most times an engine will spit, or cough and continue on. This one has a violent reaction where what sounds like predetonation can be heard, and concerns of the belt breaking, or slipping come to mind.

At times, when the throttle is held just off of idle,(12-14k rpm) the engine will hold there, but mis really badly. This happens only after the engine reaches temperature. Before it reaches temp, there's a dead spot between idle and like 2k where it goes into this stumble mode. When its first started, it has to run until the temp reaches about 100f before it will take any throttle.
I'll check the injectors, but if the injectors have a problem, wouldn't the engine just stall, or is there a chance this is a reaction to lack of fuel?

Ya know, now that I think about it, the sound is a little simular to an engine running out of fuel. But if lack of fuel is the problem, the harshness is a bit extreme, to say the least.


Thanks for the heads up on the 2.5, I thought the 2.5 was first used in '99, but the Rangers are a new venture to me, so I still have a great deal to learn as to what was done when.

Guess I'll need to check what was changed as far as the injectors, and the fuel system in general are concerned if the 2.5 has issues that the 2.3 didn't have.

Thanks again.

 

[dasfinc]

Ya know, now that I think about it, the sound is a little simular to an engine running out of fuel. But if lack of fuel is the problem, the harshness is a bit extreme, to say the least.


Thanks for the heads up on the 2.5, I thought the 2.5 was first used in '99, but the Rangers are a new venture to me, so I still have a great deal to learn as to what was done when.

Guess I'll need to check what was changed as far as the injectors, and the fuel system in general are concerned if the 2.5 has issues that the 2.3 didn't have.

Thanks again.

The "Dual Spark" was for efficiency if I recall correctly (To get a more complete burn)

If one set of plugs/wires has issues, it will cause some bizarre issues.

Ditto for the injectors, if one is working fine, and then sticks open or closed for a cycle or 2, it can create some nasty vibration, especially since its a BIG displacement 4 cylinder that is fairly primitive design.

I found the perminent solution for my truck was to put a V-8 in it

Crash course in Rangers:

93-97 had 2.3 OHV motors, (1995 was the interior re-design)

98-00 was a face lift, and 2.5 OHV motors.

01 was another face lift. (and sometime between 2001 and 2006 they switched to the Duratech 2.3 OHC motor)

*Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong on any of that*

 

[Guest]

The "Dual Spark" was for efficiency if I recall correctly (To get a more complete burn)

If one set of plugs/wires has issues, it will cause some bizarre issues.

Ditto for the injectors, if one is working fine, and then sticks open or closed for a cycle or 2, it can create some nasty vibration, especially since its a BIG displacement 4 cylinder that is fairly primitive design.

I found the perminent solution for my truck was to put a V-8 in it

Crash course in Rangers:

93-97 had 2.3 OHV motors, (1995 was the interior re-design)

98-00 was a face lift, and 2.5 OHV motors.

01 was another face lift. (and sometime between 2001 and 2006 they switched to the Duratech 2.3 OHC motor)

*Anyone can correct me if I'm wrong on any of that*

LOL on the V8. Been there, done that kind of stuff many years ago.

The problem with a V8 these days is the cost of running one. With fuel @ $5.00 a gallon here, anything that gets less than 20 mpg is just about being given away.

Thanks for the heads up on the year changes, I wasn't to far off on the start of the 2.5.

 

[Guest]

Update,
After having this on the back burner for a couple of weeks while I tried to work out in my mind what was wrong with the truck, I finally decided it had to be the TPS. I drove the truck on a 45 mile trip the other day, and the truck ran worse the more I drove it. Kicking back, stalling, coughing, etc. I disconnected the TPS and it improved quite a bit, but still has some misfiring. So I put in a new TPS. So far it seems to be running better, but still not perfect. I've only let it run a few minutes since the new TPS was installed. My thought at this point is the ECM is relearning, or I hope it is anyway.

I'll know more in the next few days.