My 86 Ranger 2.9 has little power and is hard to start a good part of the time (but has never let me down). When it runs, the exhause smells rich and gets poor gas milage.

It's only has 75K miles because most of it's life it sat in a garage and was only taken out on the weekends until five years ago when I got it from my father-in-law. Even back then, it always was (when it had 60k), it did always run right and was hard to start.

Any ideas? I love my little truck with my son at the driving age, I'd like to get it running better.

 

I'd start by pulling trouble codes (On an '86 you don't have a Check engine light to tell you when the computer sees a problem. You just have to pull the codes to find out). See if that tells you anything. Then check the fuel pressure and the spark plugs and wires. Then make sure the air filter, the throttle body, and IAC valve are clean.

 

Could be a bad Oxygen sensor that caused yout CAT to clog up....... just fixed the same problem on my 1987 Super Cab 4x4 2.9l

 

Also, pull the vacuum line off the back of the fuel pressure regulator. If the vac line smells like gas, it's likely that your FPR is shot. Once the diaphragm in the FPR goes, it puts gas into the intake manifold via the vacuum line (causing the rich-running condition), and the fuel pressure will then be low (causing a loss of power).