Well, I've been searching everywere in hopes of finding the answer to my question, and even more importantly a solution.
My Truck, 2 & 4WD 1986 Ford Ranger, 6Cyl. has recently taken a "dump" so to speak.
Two days ago, apon getting fuel, I continued on my route to work. All went well on the way there. Apon leaving work I started it up, and it began to have low power, much like when you get water in your fuel. Yesterday, I tried to start it up, and it took me about 10 minutes of cranking and messing with the throttle to get it to run and stay running. So, not thinking much of it, I drove it yet again to work (It's only a 10 min drive). This point those of you who're reading this are probably smacking yourself in the forehead saying "This dude is an idiot". I go to leave work, and spend about 15 minutes now trying to start said vehicle. This isn't good; I limp home. My father is the car "expert" in the family; I ask him to take a look at it when I get home. We go for a little ride, to the church and back, not far. 1/3 of a mile. It's acting up the entire way. We pull into the parking lot there, in which I have it floored to creep maybe 2 mph. It's misfiring, spark knocking and making all sorts of metalic clanking and pinging. I put it in park and let it try to idle. My father gets out. I notice vast amounts of smoke. I get out and take a look. As we both stare at amazement, we notice the ENTIRE exaust system. From the Catalytic Converter to atleast the muffler is an Molten orange, and the catalytic converter and gaskets are melting off with firey drips. The motor temperature gauge is reading slightly above normal, but it had reached such temperature VERY fast for this time of year in Michigan. So, long story short we made it home, in which I now have first and second gear out of 4 for some odd reason, and then let it cool. And now, to get it to run, we have to hold down the key and floor it. Otherwise it will not run.
As the story says, I am obviously an ignorant person when warning lights and signs say "Danger". My question to anyone who might know the answer; What could the possible damage be, what could have caused this issue, with both the motor, the exaust system, and the transmission?
More so, what can I do to fix this if possible?
If I posted in the wrong place or something, please let me know.
Hmmmm... Even with the gaskets blown/melted off? The "Head Mechanic" says it could be the ignition module, but all the same you've given me a starting place to look. If you guys have any other thoughts please let me know =).
Cats and exhaust glowing that bright is usually an indication that the engine is running really rich. Which is often a fuel delivery issue.
1st thing I'd do would be to pull the vacuum line to the fuel pressure regulator FPR and see if there's gas there. If, yes, then you have a bad FPR. 2nd thing I'd do would be to put a fuel pressure gauge on it.
Some problems with the ignition module (ICM) will leave codes in the computer. I'd start diagnosing a bad ICM by pulling codes from the computer.
Once you've got the fuel control back to normal, check the cat to make sure it isn't plugged.
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'87 Bronco II XLT 4x4 & '92 Explorer XLT 4x4 & '98 Chev Suburban K1500 SLT 4x4
Cats and exhaust glowing that bright is usually an indication that the engine is running really rich. Which is often a fuel delivery issue.
Today we pulled out the plugs to check if any damage was done to them, and all 6 were just soaked like crazy in fuel. I'm starting to wonder if the fuel I had gotten was bad, and just not igniting like it is supposed to?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrshorty
1st thing I'd do would be to pull the vacuum line to the fuel pressure regulator FPR and see if there's gas there. If, yes, then you have a bad FPR. 2nd thing I'd do would be to put a fuel pressure gauge on it.
That is definatly something I plan to do tomarrow, then!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrshorty
Some problems with the ignition module (ICM) will leave codes in the computer. I'd start diagnosing a bad ICM by pulling codes from the computer.
We replaced the Ignition module with a brand new one today; and that didn't make a single ounce of difference.
As mentioned above with the fuel, is it possible do you know to retard or advance the spark timing via distributor rotation or is it locked, and if so does anyone think that might work? The latest is that it nolonger runs while holding down the accelerator and holding down the key, for whatever reason..
My father keeps pointing at "electronic brain box" but I think that it'd be more sudden than a "over 2-3 day period". Can anyone confirm that?
You can adjust base timing by rotating the distributor, but I really doubt that's the problem. And PCM's don't go bad very often, so I wouldn't be pointing fingers at the computer just yet.
With that much fuel going into the cylinders, start by checking fuel delivery as suggested. Worry about the other stuff if/when fuel delivery has checked out as ok.
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'87 Bronco II XLT 4x4 & '92 Explorer XLT 4x4 & '98 Chev Suburban K1500 SLT 4x4
We just got back from checking the Vacuum line for gas, there was none in there. The FPR was changed about 3 years ago he told me. We don't have any sort of pressure gauge for it, so I will have to assume by it being new, that it's working properly =/.
He keeps wanting to point to the computer, because we previously had a heater-core leak. In which when the motor started to go, we lost the shifting in the transmission. I personally think it's something else that went wrong, but he refuses to believe that.
The computer's primary job is fuel control. So something wrong with the computer could easily effect mixture control. The difficulty is determining when the computer is bad. Most diagnostic trees use a "process of elimination" strategy to determine a bad PCM, which means you eliminate all other possible causes and, when nothing else could possibly be at fault, you replace the computer and see if that was it. I'm not one to recommend "guess and check" with the PCM without checking several other possibilities out.
If it's possible you got water on/near the PCM, it is conceivable that the PCM is fried. I could also envision a scenario where the PCM is still good, but the connections at the PCM are shorted out (possibly even shorting out the wires from the injectors causing the injectors to be stuck open). Such a scenario shouldn't be too hard to track down with a fuel pressure gauge, wiring diagram, and a voltmeter.
One note, the computer on your '86 Ranger has almost nothing to do with the transmission; only control the torque converter lockup clutch. Relating trouble shifting with the computer is a long stretch of the imagination in this case (there are plenty of other cases where the transmission is all electronically controlled where that could easily be true: this isn't one of them).
IMO, a fuel pressure gauge is an important diagnostic tool on these EFI engines. If you want to do your own diagnostics on these, I strongly suggest you find access to a fuel pressure gauge. Maybe a parts store near you will borrow or rent one. They aren't that expensive, a basic gauge that attaches to the Schrader valve on the fuel rail should easily cost <$50 (Harbor Freight claims to have one for <$10).
Assuming the FPr is working properly doesn't necessarily mean that there isn't something else wrong in fuel delivery.
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'87 Bronco II XLT 4x4 & '92 Explorer XLT 4x4 & '98 Chev Suburban K1500 SLT 4x4
More on the 2.9 fuel dump problem. As we limped home the engine would run then shut down and refire as if a wire was reconnected. The 4L trans is shifted electrically on 4x4 rangers.Remember this all happened after a huge rain storm and the truck sat out in it.Truck ran great before the rain hit.
More on the 2.9 fuel dump problem. As we limped home the engine would run then shut down and refire as if a wire was reconnected. The 4L trans is shifted electrically on 4x4 rangers.Remember this all happened after a huge rain storm and the truck sat out in it.Truck ran great before the rain hit.
That sounds more and more like an electrical problem. Still could be the PCM, but I'd focus first on the wiring/connectors to see if there's water where there shouldn't be.
You're right on the 4.0 L tranny from '95 up, which used the 4R55E and 5R55E. '90-'94, the 4.0 L tranny was the A4LD -- the same tranny as your '86 (with an electronically controlled 3-4 shift instead of the vacuum controlled 3-4 shift that your '86 uses). On the 4R55E/5R55E, electrical problems can really cause transmission shifting problems. On the A4LD, the effect would be minimal (only effecting 4th gear and TCC lockup).
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'87 Bronco II XLT 4x4 & '92 Explorer XLT 4x4 & '98 Chev Suburban K1500 SLT 4x4
Above message was posted by my Dad, whom is still apt to believe the brain box.
Needless to say, I'm starting to think that heater core leak caused it. We've taken a look at the brain box, and the entire box is corroded, along with the connector at the bottom.. He's persistant, but he wants to rule that out once and for all, so I'm letting him go for it.
i had a similar problem only mine would idle but soon as I touched the gas it would flood its self out, and sounded like the timing chian had skiped cog. I unbolted my cat and it started running fine.the sensors think the with no vaccuum (to much back pressure) the throttle is wide open and it tells the the computer to dump fuel. one other thing check you air cleaner this could cause the same effect. like having a choke on all the time
its very possible that something has shorted, and the injetors are just being hold open now. What you need to do is get an injector testlight, unplug an injector and plug the testlight in, and then attempt to crank the enigne. The light should blink rapidly, if it the light stays on, then something has shorted and the injectors are staying open. Have you tried pulilng the codes yet?
Unfortunatly I wan't able to repair it manually, so it was towed to the shop.
What they said had happened, was what I would guess, a deflector got crudded up and started to pinch off the exaust excape. It got hot and made the plate actually break off. So it covered the entire pipe itself. Thus causing the red hot glowing I got. That, which in turn caused the motor to entirely fry the spark-plugs, the entire distributor, the oil and ofcourse exaust gaskets. It fried some wires and the vaccuum lines to the tranny. It only ran when floored and key was on, since the computer was controlling the fuel injectors. It sputtered and whatnot because of the sparkplugs and cap being internally torched. Thanks for all of your help, guys!
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2.9 V6 Ford Ranger Engine trouble
