Ok, i'm sorry, i know trucks are for power not for speed, but i pulled up to a light on a very deserted 4 lane highway, next to my buddy in his taurus, i beat him off the start, but then around 45 mph he started catching up to me, and then killed me. He said he didnt floor it off the start, and i did. Either he is lying, or thats the reason why i beat him off the start. Then on a deserted 4 laner, one of my buddies in his stupid 90' toyota celica decided he wanted to race, so we did and it was pretty well even up to about 60, then he killed me. I know the gear ratios make it so i will always lose in the long run, but i was wondering what the best bang for your buck performance part is to increase the acceleration of the truck, aside from stripping it all down and putting light weight parts on it. Also i was wondering if bad o2 sensors (or ones that have 110k on them) and a 180 degree thermostat (instead of the 195 degree one) would make the truck not accelerate as fast, due to too rich of a air/fuel mixture. right now in winter i'm getting somewhere around 12mpg, and maybe 14-15 when its warm out. This doenst sound like very good gas mileage to me.

Also wondering with 235/75 R15 tires, on dry level pavement, no sand, water, snow, or brakes, if you can spin the tires, On the rare occasions that i floor the ranger, it wont even chirp the tires the least bit, i was wondering if thats just somthing rangers cant do, or if theres something wrong thats not letting the engine reach its full potential

I have a high flow intake (see gallery) and fake dual exhaust (1 pipe through cat, muffler, then y's out into two and out the rear), thats about the only performance stuff i have, also wondering how much tuned headers and true dual exhaust would help me out.... and what else, such as chips, and other performance stuff like that. Also would a larger throttle body impact gas mileage very bad? Thanks to anyone and everyone who answers this post.

 

That gas mileage seems low but it depends on the type of driving you do, I get bad mileage but that because its not warmed up most of the time.

My 2000 3.0 SC can break the one rear tire loose once in a while.

Keep in mind that your truck is not very areo compared to a car and this would affect you at higher speeds.

 

do you think if the engine wasnt warming up, or only warming up to 180, instead of 195, the pcm would give a heavier mixture because it thinks the engine isnt warmed up yet, and also what about 02 sensors, the truck has 110k on it, think its time to replace for prevenative maintainence? and is there any special trick to do it, besides getting out a wrench and taking it off, someone told me you should get it glowing hot with a torch, otherwise it will break off in the pipe, and thats about the only time i've ever heard that one, i usually hear "soak them overnight with some liquid wrench" thanks for your help ken!

 

I don't think a 180 would cause to much of a difference in mileage. The O2s are old but I can't say for sure they would improve your mileage, it can depend so much on your driving. I have heard, soak them and try to take them out warm, not hotor cold.

 

My 4.0gets over 18 MPG. I havent figured it out exactly yet b/c i havent filled up the tank yet, but at 1000 miles thats about what i get and i drive it pretty hard. Mine will melt the tires if i let it. Ken has a 3.0 which doesnt have quite as much kick. Mine will light em up on pavement, concrete, dirt. I think something is definitely wrong. Have you done a tune up?

 

yeah, new plugs, wires, oil change just recently, new bat, new starter, new fuel filter. I think it seems to be its getting too much gas, because its like its a little bit sluggish, i'll step on it, it'll wind up, then after it gets up in rpms it'll just take off and go pretty good. It idles fine and drives just fine, but bad gas mileage and a little sluggish, I really dont drive it all that bad either, i mean i give it the nuts every once in a while, but rarely because i want to see how good of gas milage i can get. Even with a tank of all trips to mankato (town about 10 miles away) it still gets about 12.5 mpg. I think i'll start with the hotter thermostat and maybe some new 02 sensors this summer when i get some money, cause i hear they're like 50 bucks a shot.

 

I just replaced the stat in mine last week. It was only $5 for the seal and thermostat. Th o2 sensor is what costs. Try resetting the computer also. All you do is disconnect the battery for about 15 mins. then let it idle for 10 mins after so it can relearn the engine. Hope some of this helps.

 

yeah, where'd you get your stat? mine cost about 7 bucks with a seal at advanced auto, i got the 192-195 degree one. which was a bit more than the 180 degree. I picked up an oil pressure gauge cause my dummy one wasnt working anymore. As i was reading the instructions on how to put it in, it said that if the computer uses the sending unit for on either the coolant or oil (universal directions) to check with the dealer because it may mess with performance. Well, my oil gauge and my coolant gauge both read on the "N" does the computer use those gauges for the mixture, in other words, does it see that the oil pressure and the coolant temp is low, therefore thinking the engine's cold and giving it more gas in the air fuel mixture? or are those sending units used for the insturment panel only?

 

Peter,

The Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor detects the temperature of engine coolant and supplies the information to the PCM.

The PCM uses this input from the ECT to:

(1) determine whether to operate in open loop (i.e., using no feedback from sensors) or closed loop (feedback);

(2) help determine air/fuel mixture (while operating in closed loop).

In addition, according to the applicable electrical schematic from my '94 Ford Manual, the ECT also functions as a temperature sending unit on the '93-94 year 4.0L motor (as opposed to my '98 4.0L which has a seperate temperature sending unit).

So, if the ECT and its related circuits are functioning properly, then the reading on the temperature guage on your truck is directly related to how your computer is controlling the air/fuel mixture .

 

Ok, so my engine temp gauge always reads right below the "N" on normal, and the computer sees the engine isnt fully warmed up, I wonder if my truck is operating in open loop, that would explain the bad gas milage wouldnt it. I hope there not expensive. Thanks for sharing your knowlege rockledge, it was very useful. What about the oil pressure, cause i bought an actual oil pressure gauge, and was wondering if i can just disconnect the old sending unit and plug in the new gauge, or if i have to hook them together with a tee or somthing. Thanks again rockledge and everyone else

 

I was looking on the auto zone website, and it recomends buying some kind of "switch" for 5.99 along with the coolant temperature sensor for 14.99. What is the switch? Do i even need it? thanks

 

Hi Peter,

I looked at the Ford Manual again and found another schematic which contradicts what I posted before about your Ranger not having a seperate coolant temperature sending unit (the "switch"). I also checked Haynes Manual and it clearly references a seperate switch, as well. So, I am more inclined to think now that maybe your '94 Ranger 4.0L DOES have a seperate temperature switch just like my '98, and that is what you found in the AutoZone catalog.

But, everything else I posted about the ECT is correct. So you should still keep it in mind if you are having fuel mixture problems.

 

have you tired cleaning your mass air flow sensor? Do you know if the engine pings at all? If the MAF is dirty the motor dosent think there as much air flowing into the engine as there really is, and will cause the motor to lean out if you do a search for MAF it should come up with something on cleaning it.

 

Good suggestion regarding cleaning the MAF.

- Cleaning Your MAF Sensor -

P.S. Peter, has your motor had a tuneup recently? Fuel and air filters, plugs, etc?

 

yeah, new wires, new plugs (may have gotten a little messed up when thermostat went out, i remember pulling one and it had white carbon stuff on it (not good)), new air intake, pcv valve, fuel filter, oil change like 100 miles ago, new thermostat (180 degree, going to put in a 192-195 and see if it fixes the temp gauge). otherwise its gota bout 110 k on it and been runing fine for the 10k we owned it. Also one of the mechanics at the ford dealership owned it before us, so i'm assuming it had regular maintainence done to it. i'm wonderin about that k&n filter oil getting in the maf, i should check it out. the only problem is its so cold out and i dont have a garage to work on the truck, unless i take it to a friends house and do it there. or maybe theres nothing wrong at all, and i'm just wanting too much out of the 4.0. I have 3.23 gears it think, what do you have 99xlt4.04x4?