89 Ranger 2.3L Clanking noise while accelerating...HELP!
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: CALI
89 Ranger 2.3L Clanking noise while accelerating...HELP!
I am a new owner of a 1989 Ranger. I was lucky enough to receive it from a friend for $100 and I am looking into putting some money into it to fix it up. I have been having problems the first day I got it. First, while accelerating the truck would sputter...Almost like misfiring...Now there is a LOUD clanking noise that sounds like it is coming from the front of the truck on the passenger side...It only happens when I accelerate past like 10 mph or so...Can anyone help!?
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,237
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From: Belleville, Ontario
Ask your buddy about all the tune-up parts. How old, what brand, etc.
If the engine is chugging, then it could shake external things loose. Is the truck an auto trans? You might be able to make the noise occur by putting the truck in gear and HOLD THE BRAKES REAL HARD while you give it some gas. You should chalk the wheels or chain the truck to a tree if you have to to keep it from moving. If you can do this SAFELY, then you can have somebody looking/listening at the engine.
Hopefully you understand that this proceedure could be very dangerous if not performed properly.
If the engine is chugging, then it could shake external things loose. Is the truck an auto trans? You might be able to make the noise occur by putting the truck in gear and HOLD THE BRAKES REAL HARD while you give it some gas. You should chalk the wheels or chain the truck to a tree if you have to to keep it from moving. If you can do this SAFELY, then you can have somebody looking/listening at the engine.
Hopefully you understand that this proceedure could be very dangerous if not performed properly.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,436
Likes: 117
From: Virginia
I am not too sure of the noise you are hearing, that fan/shroud suggestion was good. Might want to check the exhaust/manifold/cat too (my 4 banger is on the passenger's side). As for the sputtering, could be a damaged distributor rotor. I have also seen cars spit and sputter with a cracked cap, or old/damaged plug wires. Also check that ignition coil on the fender well near the distributor (if your truck is equiped with that)
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: CALI
I appreciate both of your suggestions...The car is manual...We just replaced the rotor/cap yesterday and put a new positive battery cable on. The car is still making the clanking noise. He seems to think that it is the exhaust manifold.
G2IC_Wraith - I will check into all of your suggestions on the Ignition coil & damaged plugged wires...
G2IC_Wraith - I will check into all of your suggestions on the Ignition coil & damaged plugged wires...
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Elder User
Joined: Nov 2003
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the cat
not the meow but the converter they can make a lot of racket when they go out. Happened on our van
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New User
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Sounds like your exhaust is broken off the head bud. Take a look at passenger side of your engine on a dark day. Have a buddy shine a flashlight up the side of the engine from below. If you see light between the exhaust manifold and the head you've got a problem. Couldn't say how serious until you get into it.
Cheapest possible alternative would be to get a set of easyouts and drill the broken bolts then back them out. It's kind of a hit and miss thing tho.
Might have to replace the head. Daunting task, and not cheap.
But you never know, it's more likely that the exhaust pipe has broken somewhere between the manifold and the cat.
Good luck.
Cheapest possible alternative would be to get a set of easyouts and drill the broken bolts then back them out. It's kind of a hit and miss thing tho.
Might have to replace the head. Daunting task, and not cheap.
But you never know, it's more likely that the exhaust pipe has broken somewhere between the manifold and the cat.
Good luck.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,436
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From: Virginia
imasupernova - I hope this will help you, but I don't think it will be good news. I have broken, damaged/destroyed and replaced 7+ catylitic converters in 3 cars. In a few of this cases thay made alot of noise and also would not pass emissions. I have never seen the inside myself, but the sales rep said the way the cat is made is that there is a "brick" of material that exhaust gas passes over and through to remove the bad stuff. This "brick" came apart in at least 2 of my bad cats, and bounced around inside there like crazy. It made ALOT of noise, and it wouldn not pass essisions like that either.
If you have a leak in your exhaust manifold I don't think that would cause you to fail emissions. If anything, I would think that would help.
From all the symptoms you have listed, the cat sounds like the problem. And they do stink like crazy when they are bad. There are lots of possibilities but this is my best estimate. If there is something loose/broken, a rubber mallet and some well placed taps should reveal them.
If you have a leak in your exhaust manifold I don't think that would cause you to fail emissions. If anything, I would think that would help.
From all the symptoms you have listed, the cat sounds like the problem. And they do stink like crazy when they are bad. There are lots of possibilities but this is my best estimate. If there is something loose/broken, a rubber mallet and some well placed taps should reveal them.
Last edited by G2IC_Wraith; May 3, 2004 at 07:20 PM.
Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 10,562
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From: South Jersey
An exhaust leak near (up or down stream) the O2 will draw air in and cause the O2 to read lean, then the ECU will try to correct by adding fuel to the mixture, causing a rich conidtion that the O2 doesn't know about.