OK, my ranger is a 94 xlt with a 2.3 5sp. A few days ago, I changed the oil, oil filter, and changed the air filter too. I usually use 5w30, but i went to 10w30, no reason why I changed, just did. I use the cheap FRAM oil filters in it, and i replaced a crunky old K&N Ail Filter with an STP 0.99 cent filter. Shifting looked like this before the change...
1>2@15MPH
2>3@25MPH
3>4@35MPH
4>5@55MPH
Since the change, my truck struggles up hills, takes off very slow and has developed a strange noise. Shifting now is...
1>2@25MPH
2>3@40MPH
3>4@50MPH
4>5@65MPH
I wouldn't complain, but I used to drive about 80-85 miles on $5 in gas. Now I am lucky to get 50-60. Any ideas what the problem could be? Is it the OIL?? And the noise is only when I am shifting, once I am depressing the cluth. It sounds like a loose belt, but I am not sure. Any opinions out there?

 

Welcome to the 2.3L game. Lack of power and always trying to find some. How many miles on the truck? It may not be a bad idea to change the plugs and wires if the milage is up there and it has not been done before. When changing the 8 plugs be sure to get the gaskets for the intake manifold. You will need to take it off to get to the plugs.

What kind of noise is it making?

 

I changed the plugs on mine and didn't remove the intake.
Ok first don't use the fram filter get a motorcraft. The oil maybe be part of that problem thicker oil uses more gas (so I have heard). The K&N filters are reuseable and flow more air than stp and that may be some of your problem. However I don't have the K&N and use 10w30 and I think we are about the same on milage so If you go back to your old setup and it makes a differance let me know and I will try it also.

 

chris is right. no need to remove intake. never use Fram oil filters they are crap. they are more harm then good. as for oil, for this time of the year(colder) depending on where you live, you should use a thinner oil, Motorcraft 5w-30 for cooler/colder weather, 10w-30 for warmer/hotter weather. maybe change the fuel filter too.

 

oh and remember... you get what you pay for.

 

116,000 Miles. The noise just kind of sounds like a loose belt or something, only when I am just taking off from 1st or in reverse.

 

changing he belt won't hurt anything it's probaly over due for one.
That does sound like your noise problem look on the back if it is real glazed up just change it. It might be time to get the timing belt change as well.

 

I always use Fram on everything i have and have never had any problems. The '79 F-250 has 270,000 on it, the '89 merc grand marquis has right at 100k, and my 99 ranger has 64k. All are still running great (except the solenoid on the F-250 is shot) Sometimes you have to start it with a screw driver.

 

if i am not mistaken, not long ago there was a post with a website that tested many different oil filters and fram did poorly. they said small pieces of paper came loose in it and caused problems. I can't remember who posted or when though.

 

after your engine gets warmed up, the oil should act like a 30 wt anyway right? i'd clean out the k&N and put it back in, remember to charge it with oil, you can get a k&N Recharge kit, and the filters have a 1million mile warranty on them, at least mine did, and use a motorcraft oil filter, I'm thinkin it might have been the 99ct filter, probably sufficating your engine. The K&N's have alot better flow, at least the display made it seem that way. There was a ball in a tube, with a hose on one end, sucking in air, and on the other there was a space for a filter, either a K&N or a cheapy, when you put in the cheapy the vacume wouldnt suck the ball up, put in the K&N it went right to the top of the tube.

 

El Con I think the stuff you hear on fram is pure BS. The goldwing motorcycle guys say the same thing and repeat the same stories of filters comming apart etc. To date since I'vr been reading stuff on the internet there has not been 1 documented case of failure due to an oil filter that I am aware of.

You can cut filters apart everyday and that will no0t tell ya anything. Only microscopic oil analysis will give any conclusive results and that is in a test situation. I use fram and have for years, even on my motorcycles (yamaha and a goldwing).

The same thing you refer to about fram can be said about K&N, I have read reports where the engines wear faster due to insufficient filtering from the K&N.

So as a result use what makes ya comfortable and don't try to talk folks out of a product without 1st hand information. BTW I called fram and there was a filter failure on a racing motorcycle due to poor manuf from an overseas vendor. High oil pressures are the rule in racing engines i beleive and that is why the filter CAME OFF the bike, not an internal failure. The tech at fram also confirmed that if an engine fails due to one of their products, they will R&R the engine or affected components.


Now as to the original post, change everything, plugs, all filters, maybe wires if its been awhile. A clean OEM replacement filter will not cause running problems, and oil will not influence a warm engine unless it is a straight weight. Run some cleaner thru the fuel system, you could actually have injector problems that just now surfaced!

Hank

 

hank first of all i have dealt with fram filters first hand with poor results. I got nearly exact same result as below

here is an exerpt from the website i was talking about earlier http://www.scuderiaciriani.com/rx7/oil_filter_study/

"Years ago Fram was a quality filter manufacturer. Now their standard filter (the radioactive-orange cans) is one of the worst out there. These filters are manufactured by Allied Signal, Inc. Please do not buy these filters. By boycotting it, we may be able to cause some change. I have personally had one if these filters fail and actually cause engine damage due to bits of paper and glue floating around in the engine.

For some inside dirt on Fram filters, see this email from an Allied Signal production engineer.



Fram Extra Guard PH8A


This filter cartridge has a small outside diameter with a rather low filter element surface area (193 sqin), and features cardboard end caps that are glued in place. The rubber anti-drainback valve seals against the cardboard and easily leaks, causing dirty oil to drain back into the pan. If you have a noisy valve train at startup, this filter is likely the cause. The bypass valves are plastic and are sometimes not molded correctly, which allows them to leak all the time, but they often leak anyway. The backplate has smaller and fewer oil inlet holes, which may restrict flow, and is made of thin material.

The telltale signs for a Fram Extra Guard are: It has 8 small holes for the oil inlet and a thin, cheap-looking backplate, and is currently stamped with a “2Y”. There are 5 very small crimps holding the gasket in place. If you look into the center hole all the way to the top of the filter, you will see a kind of “button” in the end cap of the cartridge (which looks like it's made of metal from there). This is the plastic bypass valve. "

I have had very similar experiences to this w/ the exeption to the paper and glue as far as i know. It definatly wouldn't surprise me that it would come apart like that, it is so cheaply made-cardboard and glue for endcaps, give me a break. My truck performed the worst it has ever performed while the fram filter was on it. Once i switched back to motorcraft things were back to normal. i HAVE had first hand experience with them and i recommend anything but fram.

 

I ran a bottle of F.I. Cleaner thru, NO LUCK...same crappy mpg...i changed the plugs and wires, and still no luck...

 

Try some Marvels mystery oil. Worth a shot, its about 4 bucks a qt at wally world, and you never know, dump 4oz/10 gallons in the gas tanks and put the rest in the crank case, and see what happens. fixed our minivan, and helped my gas mileage

 

I always THOUGHT fram filters were good, But from now on i guess ill use something else. What is the size of filter my 4.0 ranger takes in motorcraft sizes? It is a PH8A in fram.