I have a 2004 Ford Ranger 2wd with the 3.0l with auto transmission. I have owned the truck for 3 years. It had a 125,000 when I purchased it and now it has around 143,000 miles. It has never gave me any mechanical problems what so ever. I thought I could drive this truck anywhere. Today I was driving and at around 45mph it started to jerk pretty bad. I thought it was missing so I gassed it and it went right on. After I ran my errands I stopped by Walmart and picked up some Lucas Oil gas and fuel injector cleaner. I thought maybe I had got some bad gas. Well on the way home it did it again at around 45mph. I came to a complete stop and started driving it did it again at around 45mph. I also noticed that was right around it shifted into 3rd gear. I kept driving it around and it did not do it every time. It also seemed like it depended on the amount of gas you gave it whether or not it would cause it to act up.

I replaced all fluids and filters when I first got the truck including the transmission. I thought about changing the fuel filter to see if it would help. My mother had a new GM car years ago and it did almost the exact same thing. I thought it was the transmission. I took it to the GM dealer and it turned out to be a cracked spark plug.

If it was to be the transmission what could be wrong with it? It has always shifted perfectly. If it is not the transmission what could it be?

Any comments, thoughts, etc. would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
brc

 

It is probably misfire. It could be a bad wire, or spark plug, or a coil problem.

I have the same truck. I had the same problem. New plugs and wires, plus one of the coils that had some damage fixed it.

 

my 2000 ford ranger did the same thing. after I regapped the spark plugs the jerking went away.

 

If this problem began shortly after gassing up, then it's fairly safe to say that you got a load of gas with water in it. Been there, done that. If so, then I'd suggest you dump a very strong dose of Heet into it and run the tank wayyyy down before gassing up (at a different station). Remember, this water can freeze solid in your gas line and usually at an inconvenient time; as such this might be a motivator to take a long drive and get rid of it.

 

Thank you so much for response. That makes me feel better 😀. I can handle plugs and wires. I did change the plugs a few years back for just standard maintenance. They probably need changing again.

Thanks again

 

With the mileage on this puppy, lots of possibilities, so scan for trouble code clues & post up All code Numbers as they can help focus a trouble shoot.

With the miss being intermittent & occurring when the engine is at higher rpm & under load, I agree it sounds like a spark problem, but if the fuel filter hasn't been replaced in all these miles it could also be a fuel delivery problem figuring in too, so get the vehicle scanned for trouble codes & get the fuel filter changed, or perform a fuel pressure & delivery rate over time test to see how the fuel system is performing.

With the mileage on this puppy & its unknown past maintenance history, all of the scheduled maintenance replacement items are past due. It does sound like you've done some of the scheduled maintenance, with the fluid, filter & plug change after coming by the truck but your right, if the fuel filter hasn't been replaced in all that time its Way past due, as are the plug wires & O2 sensors if they haven't been tested or replaced & Motorcraft ignition parts are recommended as they have proven to be of good quality on my 94 Taurus 3.8L & 99 Ranger 4.0L which is due for its 90K scheduled maintenance replacement scenario.

 

Sorry, I have been down in my back and I am just now trying to fix my Ranger. I inspected the plug wires made sure they were on tight, made sure no critters had chewed through them, etc.

This Ranger had not been driven for about a month before it started acting up. According to the milage on the plugs and wires they are pretty new and when I replaced them I used Motorcraft.

SHOULD I BEGIN WITH REPLACING THE COIL. A new one at AutoZone is roughly $100.00. My Dad has a 2002 Mazda B300 0 which is a Ranger. The fuel pump Is out on it right now. Should I try testing that one on my 2004 Ranger to see it works.

Where would you start.

Thanks
brc

 

I hooked my scanner up before I did anything and no codes were detected. I didn't put anything on the truck at all. I just drove it down the road. It started acting up. I got on the gas pretty hard and a check engine light flashed but went off.

Check it with my scanner when I got back and it came back P0301 cylinder one misfire. Does that change the diagnosis?

 

I'd start as has been said, by scanning for trouble code clues & posting All code Numbers, before throwing parts at a unknown problem without any clues. Let the code clues guide your next trouble shooting steps.

If you have info that hasn't been posted, that causes you to suspect the coil pack, maybe consider trying a wet down test at idle After Dark, of each plug wire & the coil pack, with a spray bottle of water, while looking for a arcs & sparks electrical break down light show, from weak or damaged insulation. The coil pack is also known to crack unseen underneath, so maybe consider removing its fasteners & raise it up a little so you can also spritz it underneath to see if it'll show any arcs or sparks signs.

If your dads vehicle coil pack is the same as the one on your vehicle, swap it out if you'd rather do that than the wet down test. More thoughts for consideration, let us know what you find.

 

I see you posted info while I was typing the above reply. Well with the P0301 = Cyl-1 = passenger side front, maybe have a look at that plug & wire, maybe remove the plug for a internal & external inspection for carbon tracks, or cracked ceramics, or carbon fouling, or maybe wet with fuel, or oil. If all that looks ok reinstall the plug & try the after dark wet down test, while also listening & feeling for any idle speed or roughness while spritzing the plug wires one at a time & coil pack on top & underneath as suggested with a spray bottle of water.

 

Thank you so much for the reply. I have never heard of the wet down test before. I am typing all this stuff like I don't know my way around an engine. I do know about the external things. Now when it comes to working on the internal part of an engine I am not your guy.

I have been limited in what I can do for the past 4 months. It has to do with my pelvis and groin. I have been to my urologist, neurologist, and I am now waiting to see a neurosurgeon. All kinds of tests and scans but no relief and no answers.

I had been driving my F150. My girlfriend and I live about an hour away from my parents house. I have been staying with my parents because it is so much closer to my doctors. I went back home to visit last week end and decided to drive my Ranger back. It drove perfect the whole way back to my parents. I had a doctor's appointment the next day and it started acting up.

Now when you give it some gas at idle you can tell even by the exhaust noise it is missing. Just limited right now in what I can physically do. But it is my only way around back and forth to doctors appointments up here now.

 

Tomorrow I will take out the plugs one by one and examine them and the end of the plug wires. Then I will tackle the coil. I need to replace the fuel filter as well, but I don't think my body will let me right now.

 

My Dealer used the "wet down" test back in 02 when my 99 4.0L developed a Bad intermittent miss in a frog choking down pour on a slight up hill pull. It would go away for a mile or two on the flats then return when the rain picked up, or when going up a grade & the engine was loaded & was Really wimpy on power when it acted out. Gave the Dealer the details of it happening in a down pour & being Really wimpy on even a slight grade. The Tech decided to perform a wet down test & found #6 cylinder plug external ceramic insulator cracked. Ford just had the Dealer replace the heads, gaskets & install new plugs when we were chasing a coolant sipping problem that wouldn't go away, so guess he cracked #6 doing that. Anyway the wet down test enabled them to duplicate my failure scenario, find the bad part & fix the problem. Others on this forum have used it to find cracks in the coil pack potting & housing on top & underneath & others have found leaky plug wires this way. Doing it after dark makes it Much easier to see any break down. Adding a little salt to the water makes it more conductive & a more sensitive test, if you have doubts about the parts being tested, so keep that in mind if you think you need more sensitivity in the test. It's a rather easy test to perform, so shouldn't be too stressful on the back. Let us know what you find.

 

Well the verdict was the coil. I checked the plugs and they looked fine. Swapped the coil of my Dad's truck (it was the original Motorcraft coil). I took it for a test drive and it worked fine.

I do have to buy some new plugs wires. Two of the wires didn't want to fit snug on the new coil.

I want to say that you to everyone that responded and to this forum for never letting me down.

brc

 

Ok good trouble shooting feedback & to hear you finally got a trouble shooting test positive & seem to have a good grip on the problem.