Evening
Been awhile since I've been able to post but I've got a serious issue with my 2006 Ranger XLT 4L V6.
So last night about 2 miles from home my check engine light started flashing likenit was a at a rave and my engine wasn't acting right, also had the STRONG odor of raw gas, no other lights from the dash, no fluods leaking, oil was good n nothing in radiator but coolant. Was able to baby it to my current home but all my tools are in storage so had to wait to get my ODB scanner to see what's up. Scan came back as 'cylinder #3 missfire' & 'O2 sensor reading rich'.
Go cylinder #3 spark plug out and it were fouled bad. Got ride to the store and got a whole new set. Got back n got'em changed and fired ut up, idle still rough and check engine started flashing again and white cloud coming from exhaust pipe and STRONG odor of gas. Check and now have 'multiple missfire', 'cylinder #2 missfire' and 'cylinder #3 missfire'.
Shut it down go and double check ALL spark plug wires are connected and TRY to start, get about a turn n a half then starter spin. Try again and the engine won't even turn over. "Great I've seized the engine!" Was abke to put a socket on the crankshaft pully and manually turn the engine over "whew didn't seize the engine", did this a couple of times and tried to start, was rough but eventually it fired up, still idling rough and again check engine light flashing, while it was running I pulled one plug wire at a time from the coilpack to see/feel the lighting and there was spark for the 3 I pulled, didn't affect engine idle.
Run codes and 'cylinder #3 missfire', so now that the engine is w as rmed up I pulled out my ohm meter and started checking wire resistance. Cylinders #1, #2 were at .012, #3 was .011 and #5 was .009.
I've figured that the raw gas is due to cylinder #3 not burning and just pushing gas into the exhaust.

So to the brass tacks, do I invest in a new set of wires?
Or could it be the injector being stuck open and just flooding the cylinder?
No when I originally pulled the #3 plug fuel did not spill out. Haven't pulled #3 again due to it being May in Arizona and had to take a break.
I'm going on the assumption that the engine wouldn't start after a short run do to "hydraulic lock in cylinder #3", my manually turning the engine over cleared this and allowed the engine to start.

Thanks for any and all hints and suggestions, they are greatly appreciated.

 

Could be a fouled injector. Listen to it with a stethoscope, or fashion one from some tubing, long screwdriver, wooden dowel, one end on the injector, the other to your ear & see if it sounds different than the others.
Have you been having problems, or did this come about suddenly after some event, like buying gas at a out of the way station, or while a tanker was off loading?

 

Pawpaw,
This is a sudden event, only use name brand fuel.
The more I think on it I fear it's an injector that is stuck open allowing the fuel pump to flood cylinder #3 and sending raw fuel oit the tail pipe.

 

Lets think about tis some more. Anything not consumed in the cylinder combustion chambers gets eaten by the cat converter, so it'll over heat if its run very long with a acting out injector/s, or misfiring plug, or plug wire, so you need to get this put right without delay, or you'll need a new cat converter too!!!!

EDIT: If you have, or can come by a inductive timing light, you'll be able to monitor cyl #3, or any other suspects, for lack of spark by watching the light to see if its blink is steady, or erratic, without disconnecting them & cause a misfire that dumps more fuel that the cat has to eat. When we pull a plug wire loose with the engine running, it also over stresses the coil pack & wires electrically, not good practice.

 

So how hard is it to remove the injectors on a 4L V6 OHC?
I've seen a couple of Google ppst that say it's as simple as depressurize the fuel rail, remove the fuel rail bolts and pull the injectors out. Others saying I need to teardown the ENTIRE top end of my engine.
Which is it??

Thanks again

 

I don't know as I've not had to remove my fuel injectors for service & my engine is the pushrod 4.0L & yours is the OHC 4.0L, so maybe a member having one & reading this thread that's pulled their fuel injectors, will chime in & enlighten us on how difficult it is.

 

I was able to replace #2 injector without pulling everything apart, there were some choice words but wasn't the end of the world. Injector #3 being a bit farther back may be another story. Big thing is use an air hose to blow out as much debris as possible from that low spot the injectors are in before pulling the injector because it's difficult to get in there with your hand. Also make sure you get the o-rings out of the intake and fuel rail, sometimes they stick.

Good luck

 

So I was going to attempt to replace the suspected bad injector but as I was looking over my engine and planning my strategy I realized I was in over my head. The majority of my tools are in storage and I wasn't confident in my skills. Got ahold of my boss to inform him of my situation and he suggested his mechanic (being going to him for 20 years), got my truck 'flatbeded' over to the mechanic. Had to wait a day for him to get to it, was unable to start my truck, starter wouldn't turn the engine over just grind, he dropped my starter and found that the gear was toast and what he could see of the flywheel was damaged. So to start off I needed to replace the starter and flywheel. Got that accomplished and was able to continue with the injector issue. Turns out I had 2 of 3 injectors one bank 1 that were leaking, replaced all 3 cause it just makes sense. Truck starts and runs like it should.
What appears to have happened is the injectors failed over time, until that Saturday I'd never had a problem with my truck not starting (even with blown head gaskets). As the injectors slowly failed they were causing a hydrolic lock which forced the starter to exert more n more torque to the flywheel wearing both out prematurely, this was actually the "lucky"/less expensive out come as many times a hodro-locked engine bends rids or breaks pistons.

 

2 weeks ago when all this came to ahead I was able to change 5 of 6 of my spark plugs, #1 just wasn't having it. I'd asked for the repair shop to change this plug, left the new plug in the cup holder, but it never made it to the work order. So this last Saturday I had the choice 1) let sleeping dogs lye or 2) finish the unfinished business. Decided to finish replacing the last spark plug and OFCOURSE it freaking broke off. Yep full blown panic sets in, and expletives were verbalize. Got a ride to the AutoZone and pocked up an easy-out set, spark plug thread chaser and the thread repair kit. Removed the airbox, collant/washer reservoir and inner wheel well so I could "attack" the issue more directly. Then I hit YouTube and found a video that said "if you can get the center electrode out in 1 piece you can the use a #5 easy-out to get the threads out, with the proper application of heat and penetrant". Score I got the electrode out in 1 piece, used a shop vac to suck out any debris and moved ahead with the easy-out. That P.O.S. wasn't going to go easily. Went to Lowe's and picked up a small torch to apply heat, and attempted to remove using a 10mm socket on the easy-out and a 1/2" ratchet, broke 3 10mm sockets. Then I reread an article on this process and it informed me to use a 7/16" - 3/8" socket BACKWARDS on the easy out with the ratchet. After applying heat and only getting maybe an 8th of a turn 5pm rolled by and I gave up for the night, hosed it down with penetrate oil and walked away. Sunday morning got back at it, oiled it up a couple of times during the night and applied heat first thing. FINALLY it decided to give in and I was victorious, git the P.O.S. out. Visual inspection showed the thresds were still there. Greased up the thread chasers and chased me some threads. Cleaned up the grease with carb cleaner and the shop vac n threads still looked good. Proceeded to apply copious amounts of tune-up grease to the new plug attached the wire and turned it on. Plug didn't blow out and engine is running fine. Reassembled my truck, refilled the reservoirs and I'm back to where I was Friday night.

 

Good to hear you finally got this puppy running. Seeing as how 2 of 3 injectors in bank one were leaking was anything checked on cyl bank-2 injectors??? As the cat converter has had to process all that runny nose injector fuel & that'll cause the cat converter to over heat, melt down internally, was exhaust back pressure tested also??? If not I'd do that too, following scenario 14 here. How to Use and Interpret a Vacuum Gauge