The problem:

bought a 2004 Ranger truck and after two days it started to hickup, or stall or die while driving, then because the truck is manual, just start up and keep running. It was the strangest thing.

I gave it to a shop, and after checking the electrical, the ignition, the fuel system, the drive train, and ten hours of troubleshooting, they came up without an answer. So they gave me the truck back with apologies.

Answer, a few days after taking it back:

I had told the shop that it had been sitting for 6 months, May till January, but when I told a mechanic friend a bit later, he still suggested 2 bottles of gas line antifreeze in the tank, before the next tank fill. I did that, and there was some improvement.

Next, When I replaced the balding tires with new Nokian Winter tires, the tire shop, (Kal Tire), told me that the air cleaner was incredibly dirty, and asked me if I would like them to replace it, ($21). I said yes, thinking that it might just do the trick, as no one in the forums I read, had mentioned it.

Success!

No hickup or stalling and it has not died since.


I hope this helps anyone with a similar unfindable similar problem.


Longhand

 

Shocked that it took a shop 10 hours to diagnose your truck and they some how missed a dirty air filter o.o

I guess anyone can work in a shop these days heh.
Glad you got the hiccups worked out!

 

I have never had a tire shop pop my hood to change the tires. Did you ask them to look at it or something? Is it a tire shop/garage? I would take the dirty air filter back to the shop and ask them if they checked it. Thanks for posting your experience.

 

I know, I thought it was strange, but they checked most of the truck as per their service procedures. They gave me a report on the brakes for instance when they changed the tires. That and they checked the Air cleaner, which they suggested I have them replace it, which I did, and reported the muffler was good and the muffler system was good, and I am not sure what else, but I sure was thankful that they replaced the air filter, as it seemed to fix the stalling / dying problem I was having.

They are Kal Tire in Edmonton, but they have shops all over Western Canada as far as I know. Here is a yelp review on them:


Kal Tire

Kal Tire - Edmonton, AB | Yelp




Longhand

 

This is why I treat every used car/truck I buy as if it has never had any maintenance done to it. Chances are that's a pretty accurate assumption. Also, before troubleshooting anything, make sure the basics are good. Seemingly complicated problems can have very simple (and therefore easy to overlook) solutions. Learned that one more than once. Your post serves as yet another reminder. Thanks for letting us know the outcome.

I can see how the first shop missed this. The second shop found a solution to a problem they didn't know existed and weren't looking to solve. I change my air filter usually before the recommended period and have never had one that was even close to being clogged. Given that kind of history, it would be very low on my suspect list. Everyone changes their filters like I do, right? And I've seen troubleshooting steps in the factory manuals that don't even mention the simple stuff. Two and a half hours into the troubleshooting procedure for my Honda that wouldn't start, I said, "Screw this" and pulled the plugs. I found one wet with coolant. This wasn't even something in the troubleshooting procedure.

Most tire shops are looking for other business, so it doesn't seem too odd that they looked under the hood. Not as odd as the body shop that had popped my hood and lost my oil filler cap. All the body work they did was on the rear bumper and the rear quarter panel so why would they need to open the hood?

 

Honestly, I cannot see why the first shop missed this.
In elementary school we learn that fire is made up of 3 things.
Air, Fuel, and an ignition source.
In high school we learn that an internal combustion engine needs 3 things to operate.
Air, Fuel, and Spark

I myself forget to change my air filter now and then sure, but then, I am not changing them on a weekly basis. But when you work in an automotive repair shop, and someone comes to you with engine problems, you always check these 3 major things first. Air, Fuel and Spark.

They checked for Fuel? They checked for Spark? Why didn't they check for air? If they were diagnosing it for 10 hours, surly they want to find SOMETHING wrong with it so they can make some money right? Like you said even the tire shops are itching to make a dime here and there and do curtsy checks like these often.

Most people who work in as a mechanic get there 2 ways. Either they go to school to become certified OR they start from the bottom and work their way up changing oil, air filters, and tires, building experience.

I understand this was a small over site on the shops behalf, and an air filter isn't much to make a stink about. No one is perfect but they had the vehicle for 10 hours, I just cant see how any mechanic would miss that.

 

These things happen. The shop was certain that it was a binding drivetrain component, and that was the thing that they got hooked on. Also, they are a good young shop, so I am certain this will be chocked up to experience. You mentioned the primary aspects of the engine, best things to check first. Remember too, that it was also old gas that had condensation in it.

Thanks for your post; it was some good advice you gave, that I will remember, believe me.



Longhand