Hi I have a 2000 ranger 4x4 4.0l
It starts jerking in the 3rd gear and up and it gets worse as the gears changes
If it in higher rpm it doesn't do it as much I don't know what could be the problem it's been a rcuring problem please help

 

Did the problem come about slowly over time, or suddenly after some event????
Right now without more clues, it kinda sounds like an under load spark blow out, or spark related misfire problem. Do you have a CEL lit???? If so, run this puppy by your favorite autoparts store for a no cost computer trouble code scan & post up All code Numbers, as they can offer up good trouble shooting clues.

All that said, have a look at your spark plugs condition, no carbon fouling, chips, or cracks in the ceramic insulators & spark gap is set to spec. Make sure the plug wires insulation & boots are in good condition & the end to end resistance is in spec, they are securely fastened on both ends & there are no signs of carbon tracking/electrical break down inside both end wire boots, or on the spark plugs internal & external ceramic insulator.

If all that checks out ok, raise the hood at night & with the engine at warm idle look for an arcs & sparks light show. Maybe consider a wet down test of the coil pack & spark plug wires, with a spray bottle of water to see if you can induce sparks, or hear a change in idle.

If no joy, unbolt & raise the coil pack & run the engine looking for arcs underneath, spray it with water too, as our coil packs are known to crack on the bottom side & arc to ground.

If still no joy, use or rig a stethoscope & have a listen to each fuel injector to determine if one sounds different than the others, or if you have a valve thats sticking/tapping.

Some trouble shooting thoughts for consideration, let us know what you find.

 

Sounds like a lean stumble to me, check fuel pressure and repair any exhaust leaks upstream of the forward O2 sensors.

 

I had the problem since I bought the damn thing it started to get worse so I changed the plugs and it stopped except when wet outside I could feel it a but
I changed the tranny a week ago and I had problems with the tranny (stalled in reverse (automatic)), it showed no codes but was jerking to
I opened up the tranny FCC solenoid was broken changed it and now I can back up ok but jerking still happening still no codes in tranny but I did check the ecu
I know there is some codes up in there but don't know what they are since I have to pay to get them
I did some trouble smoothing like pawpaw said this morning so here is the results
I ohmed the spark plug wires and 2 check out at 11k so I changed me I had spares that were at 6k but it didn't changed nothing
So I took of the wire one by one while engine running to see if it was working (don't know if it tells something) they all get sparks from the coils and the engine drops si plugs are still good at idle and the plugs overheated cause they are white/yellowish color
Now it seems worse from 3rd and up it sputters/jerks even in high rpm but is worse when in low rpms
Please help I don't have a trusted mechanic so I do it my self

 

OK, good feedabck. The clue about the under load miss being worse when its wet outside is a good clue & smacks of an electrical break down some where in the high voltage secondary ignition. Could be any of the things I listed in my previous post about the wires insulation being damaged, or carbon tracking inside the wire boots, or along the plug ceramics, or the ceramics being damaged, or coilpack cracks, so it seems to me a wet down test & or a look under hood after dark with the engine at warm idle, for an arcs & sparks light show is in order.

I once had a random under load stumble/cut out, that was a Lot worse in the wet, on my then new 99 Ranger 4.0L, that with those clues, the Dealer Tech found with a wet down test to be caused by a cracked external ceramic insulator on the #6 spark plug. Their lead Tech had recently replaced the plugs trying to trouble shoot another problem & must have cracked #6 while installing the new plug. Anyway, they found the miss/cut out using the wet down test & a new plug fixed the problem.

So try the wet down test with a spray bottle of water, one wire at a time at night if need be & see if you can isolate the problem. Let us know how it goes.

 

Seeing as how you like to perform your own trouble shooting & turn your own wrenches & knowing you have trouble codes in the engine controller/computer & scanning to get them would help narrow down your trouble shoot, but if you have to pay Big Bucks to have the vehicle scanned for those trouble codes, maybe consider investing in something like an inexpensive ELM scantool in this thread. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-scantool.html

It'll scan All of the vehicles controllers, not just the engine controller & its only about $25 in round numbers & using it with the FORScan freeware, is a very powerful & inexpensive scantool for your electronic tool box & could pay for itself helping you find & fix this problem!!!!!
I just did this back in Dec 2013, trouble shooting an ABS problem & the ELM led me back to the problem part (rear ABS speed sensor) that I had put lower down on my suspect list after a trouble shooting test drive that showed the ABS speed sensor driven speed-o working fine. Sure enough the rear speed sensor was open circuit, as the ELM suspected!!!! Repalced the speed sensor, fixed the ABS problem so I could get the vehicle state inspection done. The ELM paid for itself in its first trouble shoot, as I was going to have to pony up Big Bucks to have a brake shop scan the ABS/GEM controller for trouble codes!!!!

 

So it's done I ordered one elm-327 for 23$ free shipping that amazing thanks the cheapest mechanic I could find was 30$ to read my computer so it's cheaper and I can do it has much has I want thanks a lot for the info
When I get the codes I will post them

 

That sounds like a plan. Go to the FORScan website here FORScan Home & poke around to familiarize yourself with their software, so your ready to install & use it on your viewing device. Which verison of the ELM scantool did you opt for, a wired, or wireless/wifi/or blue tooth???? I opted for the WiFi version to my laptop router, am using FORScan & it works fine from at least 40 feet away from the vehicle.

 

I bought the wifi one that works with iPhone and iPad since I got both it will be pretty handy to have thanks for the advice can't wait to go try it out

 

Hi me again since I'm waiting for my scanner I tought I might as well post if something new comes up with my truck
I started it this morning and I think there was 1 cylinder that wasn't working cause it was stumbling at idle and the exhaust smelled weird I think it was fuel not burning or something not sure
the o/d button wasn't working well it was cause the light came on but the gears wasn't changing cause I wanted to make it stop studdering at low rpm I gave it more gas to change gear and after that it worked and then stopped and I parked it I will change all my plugs and wires (plugs are all white/yellowish) anyways but I will post all my codes when it get the scanner
I'll keep y'all posted

 

You may have more than one problem, so would be best to wait for the scan tool & any clues it can provide, then with those clues perform a through trouble shoot, Before beginning to throw parts at the problem.

If the current plugs & wires have 75K miles or more on them, are the OEM plugs, they likely need to be replaced, BUT its recommended you do so with the specified OEM/Motorcraft or Autolite finewire iridium enhanced center electrode with platinum pad sidewire design plugs. If your also replacing the plug wires, also consider using OEM/Motorcraft, as they also are of good quality & both OEM items are designed to take the Double work load our waste spark ignition system puts on them.

If your not going to replace the plug wires, at least use your multimeter to measure their end to end resistance & make sure their insulation & boots on Both ends are undamaged & no carbon tracking inside. End to end resistance should be something like 2K ohms/inch of length, 30K ohms max, no matter the wire length.

 

Hi me again I didn't get my lev yet but I changed every plug and the 4th cyl. Plug was dead I changed it and voila it doesn't jerk anymore I'll be posting my check engine codes so I can fix the damn thing

 

OK, good feedback & to hear you got joy trouble shooting the miss as being a bad spark plug. Will be interesting to hear what the trouble codes are. You likely have some for the cyl that was missing/had the bad plug, maybe a air/fuel mixture code too, so post up All trouble code Numbers you find when you finally get yout ELM scantool.