Good morning, everyone. I bought an old, beautiful Ranger '90 truck (reads 271259, assuming it's rolled over since the second-to-last digit is the one that reads single miles, [27125.9, so over 125k miles on it?] a couple months ago and have been working hard to fix it. It came with a defective ICM, has not received appropiate maintenance in almost two years, and has "dry" looking tires. The good points about it are the recent (5 years old) paint job, and the transmission repair it got 4 years ago.

Therefore, I humbly ask for your tips and feedback on how to restore it to proper working condition. I am very new to vehicle maintenance, but I haven't had many issues handling most things myself and I like to play hard-working DIY-guy. Some things, of course, I'll let my (trustworthy) mechanic handle, but I'd like to take care of everything I can. This said:

The actual issues:
Occasional (2-4 per month) stalls (Used to happen more often, cleaning the CKP sensor connector and others has helped)
Engaging the reverse gear causes a nasty "kick" and metallic sound 50% of the time (fixed temporarily with the recent trans fluid change, but happens again)
Lack of power (partially fixed, again, apparently)

What has been FIXED:
Vehicle greatly slows down and gets really sluggish after a while on the highway on overdrive (fixed with a trans fluid change, apparently the old fluid was losing viscosity at high temps)
Vehicle has very little power and there's a constant Check Engine Light (ICM was defective, it was replaced with a Duralast F138)
Air and fuel filters have been replaced
Fuel pump sometimes not working (fixed by cleaning all relay plugs/pins/connectors with WD-40, removing that with isopropyl alcohol, and coating everything in new dielectric grease before reconnecting)
Engine sometimes smokes for a while when engine's cold in the morning (12º C temp or so, seems to have been mostly fixed with a bottle of Rislone 2-part engine repair additive; also improved engine power)
CM DTC code 41 (Seems fixed, some of the little black hoses [vacuum?] were a bit loose due to me working on the engine)

What needs to be done, as far as I know:
Change engine oil (I don't know what would be most appropiate as many have told me different things about it, will elaborate below)
Change sparkplugs and possibly, their cables (Mechanic will take care of this, I have no idea how to calibrate sparkplugs)
Check the horn switch (suspect that the part with springs that connects with the contact rings on the steering wheel might be broken)
Check what caused a CM DTC 14 this morning (probably loose cables, the lower connector on the ICM is broken and doesn't snap in place, might tie it or replace the connector, and keep cleaning all the plugs/pins)

About the oil:
There are MANY conflicting opinions and tips I've got on this. The label under the hood says to use 5W-30 oil. Previous owner used 10W-40 oil on the last change he took care of almost two years ago (too long ago, right?). Autozone workers and mechanic say that 5W-30 is too thin for the old engine, and the former claimed synthetic oil is only for new or repaired engines. That I should use 20W-50 (Autozone!) or 15W-40/40 monograde (mechanic) instead. A friend, versed in vehicle maintenance, says that 5W-30 should be fine since that's what the engine was designed for, and that 5W-30 high-mileage would be probably overkill since 125k miles isn't "high mileage"; also, that thicker oil would probably rob the engine of some power. I'm still very conflicted and don't know what would be best, though my instinct tells me that 5W-30 high-mileage might be best.

About the DTC 14/stalls:
Mechanic suspected the stalls/engine not starting at times was caused by the Duralast ICM, since the engine sometimes would not get fuel and there would be no spark on the main coil, so he sent me to RMA it; no dice, kept stalling/not turning on. After cleaning the fuel relay connector and confirming the pump was still working but there was no spark, I turned my attention to the CKP sensor. I do not have the appropiate tools to remove that cover and the timing belt to access the CKP sensor, so I just cleaned the connectors, which helped: I had no other stalls until I added the Rislone engine repair additive (happened twice in 5 days when I was braking at 500 RPM while backing up/parking) but it would start right back up with no problems. This morning, however, the engine stalled and would not start again, only crank. Battery was getting a bit low, so I asked for some help to move it, and checked for a spark. It started right back up, so I checked the EEC diagnostic test codes (KOEO test), and got a CM 14 (PIP was erratic), and a CM 41 (Engine ran lean for more than 15 seconds, old code from before since I haven't reset the memory, hasn't happened again while driving).

Sorry for the long post, and again, thank you so much for taking the time for even only reading this. Personally, I feel strongly about this truck because, despite being old and requiring so much maintenance, I enjoy working on it, driving it, and I think it's a small and quaint/pretty truck, perfect for my transportation needs. Thus, I'm really grateful to everyone who wishes to help.

Kind regards.

 

Apologies, I forgot to add: Previous owner left 17-inch rims on the truck with 215/60 tires. The tires are old and somewhat dry, and one of them has been punctured twice. The owner of the last tire shop I visited to fix the last puncture told me the 17-inch wheels are mostly for "show" and that they're not the best for turning on highways, that I should go back to 15 inch rims. Any opinions? Thanks again.

 

I would suggest using 5w-30 per the Ford specification.
Keep an eye on the consumption, if you have to top off before you have to do an oil change, then switch to the next level of visicosity 10w-40 if you consider the consumption to be excessive,
It shold not be with only 125,000 miles, I would expect it to be at 225,000 miles, which might be your correct mileage, there's no way of telling.


Switch to 15's better mileage and less strain on the engine drivetrain.


Save up for a new transmission, or just get a new (used) truck, because you have transmission failure.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I'll do the oil change ASAP, throwing in a motor flush beforehand and using 5W-30 high mileage (if available) first and check the oil consumption. The oil in it right now, 10W-40 has not gone down at all, at least in the last three months.
Excuse my ignorance, but what did you mean by this? (the 15's)

Is there no way to have the transmission repaired? The other gears change smoothly, and overall, the rest of the truck is in a pretty good shape. The thing back in June at the highway happened when I used the overdrive, I had to let it cool off a couple times before driving the last leg on drive. Upon arrival, the gears were indeed getting stuck, but the trans fluid change solved all those problems and I made it back with no issues since.

Again, thanks a lot for the help.

 

Quick update, for those interested:

After hearing some noise in the timing belt area (a slapping sound consistent with something stuck on that belt), I finally gave up on DIY for now and took it to the mechanic. Apparently, according to him, the "kick" when the reverse gear is engaged (which happens sometimes with the other gears but not often) may have been caused by something in the differential, so he was gonna open it up this weekend. I'll find out today what happens with that. He was also gonna try a different CKP sensor to see if that stops the stalling / not starting problem.

I'll make changing the oil and having the sparkplugs changed a priority. After that, I'll test the truck on the highway again, and see if the Rislone motor repair additive did help. Might add another dose with the new oil just to be sure. Might have the engine looked at if I cant' still run it at the speeds needed for toll highways.

I was lookign at another thread where someone is having trouble with the PATS in their third generation Ranger. I don't suppose a PATS is present in the '90 model?

Kind regards, and thanks for reading.

 

Update:

We may have found the cause of the whole stalling/not starting problem. The CKP sensor has been grinding against something, so much that it's lost 1mm of the plastic encasement on that side. Mechanic says that it must have been heating up due to the friction and that caused the intermittent failure. So, as a heads up to anyone having a similar problem, always make sure your CKP sensor is installed correctly.

 

Welcome to FTE.
Which engine & tranny does this puppy have????

 

Thank you for the welcome. The engine is a 2.3L I4 Lima LL23 engine, 8 sparkplugs. Transmission is the A4LD if I'm not mistaken (overdrive takes it into 4th gear). I'm picking it up today from the mechanic's, had the CKP sensor replaced and the differential looked at.

He said there's some wear at the planetary gears (I think, not sure how to translate the term from spanish) and at the "bolt", which is causing the kick (there more "juggle" in it than it should due to said wear).

Overall, it's coming along nicely. There's smaller details to be taken care of, but I think it's in pretty good shape given how it is likely it has over 200,000 miles (according to the mechanic). I plan to keep it until there's no more parts for it.

I'll keep visiting this site and learning. Hopefully, someday, I can help someone else with whatever knowledge I may acquire.

 

Since you seem to like servicing your vehicle & turning your own wrenches, be sure to visit the "Tech Info" thread atop this forums thread index page, for some good wrench turning & maintenance info.
I'd reconsider using after market engine oil additives, as any fully formulated engine oils that say in writing they meet Fords specifications, don't need any help.
Who knows whats in the after market additives, nor in what quantity, or if they're compatible with our oil additive package. They aren't tested to, nor have to meet Any specification & not one vehicle mfgr world wide specifies their use in the crankcase.
Oil can only hold so much of any additive, add more & they can come out of suspension, settle out & cause all sorts of mischief.
What are you trying to do in the engine????

 

The truck's exhaust was letting out visible smoke in cold mornings. The oil level wasn't going noticeably down, but I was still concerned. My mechanic had me buy and use an oil stabilizer to solve that until next oil change, and I went for the Rislone additive. It helped, and also, increased the engine's power a bit. That's the reason for me to use the oil additive. However...

I'm changing the oil and filter no later than next monday (as the oil is VERY old, almost two years, previous owners were horrible concerning mandatory maintenance). I had been holding off on this because of the many diverging opinions I've gotten everywhere. I've settled for either mineral 10W-40 (same kind as the current oil), or Mobil 5W-30 (found at autozone), and keep an eye on any possible oil consumption as per g_k50 's suggestion. Going to use a 5-minute motor flush to help remove any possible sludge leftovers, then keep a watchful eye on the oil level.

 

I'd not add a flush if you don't know the type & amount of the engine innards deposit loading, from as you say the previous owners not being attentive to scheduled maintenance.
Mobil 5w-30 would be closer to the viscosity originally specified for your engine than a 10W-40 & with winter cold temps coming on, the top end would likely appreciate you not using a 10W-40.
API SN/GF-5 oils like Mobil Special, or Special 5K, or any of their synthetic recipes will have plenty of detergency to slowly & more safely tidy up a dirty engine. You don't want to cut too much loose too quick & clog up something important!!!!
Consider applying the cost of the flush product to a higher quality oil & filter.

 

The flush was already purchased. However, your tip sounds much more reasonable, and I don't mind not using the flush. Lots of people over here think that it is mandatory to use thicker oil in older engines, despite the label, and they also claim Synthetic oil is only for new engines, or repaired ones. That's mexican mechanics for you (no racism intended, I am a mexican, in Mexico). I don't live in a cold place (lowest temp should be close to 45 F, highest 90), so that must have helped the 10W-40 to not cause a mess.

Thank you for your valuable input. Right now, the next step is troubleshooting a DTC continuous memory code 41 (Fuel too lean) that the mechanic's work left. Last time I got that, I checked all of the small black hoses (vacuum, if I recall correctly) and that fixed it. Did the same last night, but still got the code this morning.

I don't think I can manage the sparkplug change on my own, because of the calibration requirements. Probably will go for at least double platinum or preferably, iridium platinum. After that, it's mostly a matter of fidning out what's left to do from what regular servicing calls for.

 

OK, good feedback, so lets think about this some more.
Since you live in warm/hot country, with mild winter temps, you could get by with a 10W-30, but the 5W-30 will pump easier/faster, to do a good fast lube job on the top end over head cam, on cold starts, which it'll likely appreciate & you'll have the protection of a 30wt at operating temperatures, which your engine was originally designed to use. Ford specifies 5W-20 since 2001 for most of its engines, but we don't know if your's has consumption problems from wear, or stuck piston rings from poor scheduled maintenance.
SO, with a little more info the forum might be able to make more informed suggestions for you to consider.

If you come to have some consumption problems, you could choose a 5W-30 whose 100C viscosity is thicker/toward the high end of the 30 weight viscosity range & still stay in spec viscosity wise & maybe improve consumption if that becomes a problem.

You can view the VOA = Virgin Oil Analysis of many brands of oil on the PQIA = Petroleum Quality Institute of America web site here The Petroleum Quality Institute of America, to look at the virgin oils properties your interested in, like a higher operating temp/100C viscosity, to choose one that has a higher number & look at the oils high temperature NOACK % evaporation figure, to select one with a lower % evaporation number & maybe help consumption some that way, as there are considerable differences in various oils NOACK % evaporation figure, that can add up to most of a qt., over an extended oil change interval, so merely choosing one with a Lower NOACK % evaporation can cut consumption from evaporation & in your warm operating condition, that could add up.
Lower NOACK oils usually make use of better quality base oils too, so are more stable to stand up better under hot operating conditions, not oxidizing as quickly, so their viscosity doesn't change as much & they don't make as many deposits, all good things. So, with just a little reading research, we can make some informed decisions before we purchase & are more likely to have a better out come.

I recently did this on the Wife's Neon, that suddenly began to consume oil between changes, that it had never done before. I had recently changed brands from Mobil Special, that the Dealer had been using, to Havoline, after their API SN/GF-5 recipe came out a few years ago, & it began to use oil immediately after using the SN recipe Havoline. I suspected its NOACK % evaporation had gone up & checking the PQIA web site VOA NOACK figure, sure enough it had gone up to 15.5 % & at that % evaporation figure a 5qt sump could loose .775% of a qt/a little over 3/4 of a qt, just because of evaporation alone & that's about what its consumption was.

SO I began another search on PQIA for a reasonably priced lower NOACK 5W-30 engine oil & found it in Valvolene MaxLife High Mileage Semi-Synthetic 5W-30, which measured at 10.7% NOACK & sure enough, the Neon consumption went down with its first use.
So I just changed it again back in May this year & will change it again in Dec & we'll see if consumption improves any more.
More thoughts for consideration, let us know how it goes.

 

((Duplicate post))

 

Greetings. It's been a while, some hard times have delayed my plans to keep repairing the '90 Ranger, so I haven't been running it more than once or twice a week.

However, last night while checking fluid levels I noticed two of my sparkplug wires were swapped on the coils after my last visit to the mechanic's:
(Note: sides mean which side of the engine the wires go to)

Passenger side coil pack: ------------------- Engine:
(connector from ICM)
Two -- One ------------------------------------- Four / 4
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Three / 3
Three -- 4 --------------------------------------- Two / 2
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One / 1
Driver side coil pack:

Four - 3
1 - - - 2
(Connector from ICM)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Front of truck/engine

Yep. Both sparkplug wires for the fourth cylinder were swapped. I fixed that, and went to grab my Haynes repair manual for 1983 thru 1992 Ranger & Bronco II. The diagram for the coil pack connection there, however, looks quite different for a 2.3 L engine:

"Right" coil pack: _____ Engine: _____ "Left" coil pack:
2 - 1 ___________________ 4 ____________ 3 - 2
3 - 4 __________________ 3 ____________ 4 - 1
______________________ 2
______________________ 1 _______ V Front of engine

This was very confusing, so I started googling around for a better connection diagram. Couldn't find any that matched my coil packs' locations, until I noticed a setup for a mustang. Not sure if I can link to the image as I'm not a paid member (yet), but basically, "View A" matched my current (fixed) setup, but it has another setup:

Passenger side coil pack: ------------------- Engine:
(connector from ICM)
Three -- One ------------------------------------- Four / 4
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Three / 3
Two ---- Four ------------------------------------ Two / 2
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - One / 1
Driver side coil pack:

4 - - - 2
1 - - - 3
(Connector from ICM)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Front of truck/engine

Tried it briefly, and my truck started MUCH faster. It seemed to accelerate/roar better, but I have yet to test it. There is also a third setup suggestion that looked sketchy, but, my question is:

Which is the correct way to connect the sparkplugs? Just in case my mechanic or his helpers did mess up. Also, thank you so much in advance for all the help. I will definitely contribute to keeping this site up.