Hi All
Anyone know a decent hand held IDS for ford Ranger or just ford in general ...been searching the net but it would drive me nuts looking at all of them wow.....My coder gives me different codes everytime I use it ....itI am using a foxwell.....also a icarsoft .....but they have all kinds of other makes ...and the codes only match a few of the factory shop manual


Thank all

 

Which model of the above diagnostic tools are you using, that seem to be yielding various codes??? Is what you have just a code reader, or a full up scan tool????

Where are you on the previous 4 threads problems back in Oct, Nov, Dec 2019 you've ask about but are still open, sludge in engine, late cam timing, inertia switch problem, no compression on cyl bank-1, you were contemplating rebuild, or engine swap, as any one of these problems if never put right could be causing intermittent codes to come & go that aren't a code reader, or scan tool problem, they just report what the ECM says hurts.

EDIT: If you just want another scan tool option, maybe consider a ELM & running FORScan diagnostic freeware on the viewing device of choice as discussed here https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-scantool.html, as this diagnostic software is targeted for Fords, so can access all of the vehicle computer / controllers for trouble code clues & can put up our choice of available sensor PID's on the viewing device dashboard, in our choice of display form, for our trouble shoot observation.

SO, some feedback input on where the vehicle is on the previous posted problems, might help the forum suggest the next best steps in your trouble shoot.

 

Yes that's me with the problems back in the fall...I'm in Maine and I have no garage to work on my truck So I was waiting for the weather to get better.....what I need to do is to scrap the whole thing and start over ....I took it to a shop they said I had a blown head gasket .....however I really don't think they lifted the hood......I taped the seam and it was never broke so that tells me they never opened the hood....I purchased a factory workshop manual recently for a 04 ranger.....with all the specs and how toos ......it hasn't started since November So as it stands right now it hardly cranks ........And I am going to start over from the beginning
So any help on how to start on it would be a great help ....I'm 60 miles from anything that resembles a decent auto shop

 

Easy a ELM327 and TorquePro will get you almost everything you need for under 25.00. Add Forscan and a usb (must have ms can switch) adapter for 30.00 and you are covered.

 

Use your smart battery charger to get the battery Fully charged, after checking the electrolyte level & topping it up with Distilled water, so it covers all of the plates.
Then scan for trouble codes & post up All pending, or set trouble code Clue Numbers, as they can help focus a trouble shoot.
We are to work & put right the Lowest code numbers First, then work our way up the list

Not likely that a blown head gasket would affect All bank-1 cylinders, unless all the head bolts are loose. Now if the ohc timing chain tension is mucked up, such that the cam timing is way off, such that the valves aren't completely closing on the compression stroke.

Remember you had a late cam timing code P0025 for cyl bank Two back in Dec 2019 here https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...a-switchs.html I know this isn't cyl bank one, but maybe you, or the garage have bank one & two location confused. Anyway you've posted a trouble code that suggests something is going on with that cyl bank that could muck up a compression reading on All cylinders on that bank. So I'd consider beginning a compression test on that bank & see how it goes. Or, if one of your above posted scan tools will perform a "cylinder balance test", or you can borrow one that will, do that as its quicker & easier & can point out a particular cylinder to begin further trouble shooting.

More thoughts for consideration, let us know how it goes.

 

I will do that after this storm .....I'll post the codes on here ....I have a v6 4.0l sohc in my 2004 ranger

 

Hi everyone Im back ..I am going to start on my Ranger I pulled a called that seems troubling its 1383 code ..its a constant code after clearing the codes this one pops up also other codes P0025,C1300,P0005,,P0034,P0014,P0073,P1800 Now either my scanner is junk or this truck has issues ,,,,,,Any Help would be appreciated .....

 

You have a couple of cam timing codes, so post the results of your cylinder balance tests

 

Going to do that asap ...Have a short that is killing my battery when i try and start it ...it cranks but will not start .. rpm does not move a hair ...i installed a new crank and cam sensor .Now it move some but not where its suppose to be ..but there is a short in my line ..code says open circuit in fuel so i am going to check everything 2morrow


Thanks pawpaw

 

If you've not used your smart battery charger to Slowly recharge the battery at a Low rate, like say 4-6 amps as suggested earlier, do that so the battery has as deep a recharge as it'll take & is outputting proper operating Under Load voltage to the vehicle systems, like the ECM, your code reader, the fuel pump, etc.
If the vehicle has been setting unused since last fall, with the battery hooked up, parasitic loads, like ECM memory & the clock parasitic loads have likely drained it & the plates may be heavily sulfated, so it may not be recoverable, or may not take a deep enough recharge to pass a electrical load test.

Many times low under load battery or alternator voltage can cause phantom problems that come & go. So get the battery & alternator output put right & checked out under load, Then begin your rescan for trouble code clues & again as suggested earlier, we're to work & put right the Lowest trouble code clues First & work our way up the list.

If recharging the battery & making sure the alternator & battery pass their Electrical Load test & the fuel system code P0005 is still there, check the in cabin inertia switch to make sure it's not tripped. Maybe thump it so it trips, (the little post atop the switch will pop up), then push it back down so it stays down, to reset it, so its making a New internal contact. If still no joy, try swapping the under hood power distribution box located fuel pump power relay, with a like known good one not needed to run the engine & let us know how it goes.
More beginning trouble shooting thoughts for consideration.

 

I bought a new battery ......had to put new terminal on positive side ..the battery is the original from 04 ...i am using a smart charger at 2 amps ..one issue i did find is that this truck was not serviced and from what the people did b4 i bought it was 1/2 azzed ..I took the original plugs out changed the coil pack ...wires...etc..even the fuse cover was not the original one ..it ran for awhile then misfired ,,,,no acceleration back fired and jumped ..huge vacuum leak .........basically a mess ..

will do thanks PawPaw