84 Ranger Rebuild
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84 Ranger Rebuild
I have an 84 Ranger that I am restoring. I am starting on the mechanicals first. I have replaced the 2.3 l 4 cyl, the carter carb, ignition module, distributor pickup coil, cap and rotor, ignition coil and plug wires. The truck has been on the road for a year. I have used Ames Oil since the beginning. Recently I have been running Amoco Ultimate exclusively. Now to the problem. This engine has fouled the plugs, most noticeably number 4 cyl, since the beginning. The fouling is not oil, It is a brownish gray that looks like lime deposits from water. I have gone thru a set of Motorcraft Platinum, Bosch Plus 4 Platinum, and now a set of regular Autolites with the same result. The fouling is always located at the firing tip not up in the body of the plug. When the plugs are new the engine runs perfectly, no sign of a miss or hesitation. The last set of plugs I replaced 2 weeks ago. I drove the truck 1000 miles in 4 days and at the end of that trip it started missing again. And yes the number 4 plug was fouled again.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Mason Caldwell
Any help would be greatly appreciated
Mason Caldwell
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84 Ranger Rebuild
Mason, I think you are describing ash deposits. They are made up of either burnt oil or fuel additives. You can change fuel brands and see if that helps, also go to a higher heat range plug.
However, since # 4 is worse, I think that either that cylinder may just run cooler naturally, (in which a hotter range plug may help), or the valve guide seals are worn and are worse in that cylinder. My guess is worn seals. Hope some of this helps. Don
"Nothing lasts forever except natural stone and old Ford trucks." (Willie Nelson)
However, since # 4 is worse, I think that either that cylinder may just run cooler naturally, (in which a hotter range plug may help), or the valve guide seals are worn and are worse in that cylinder. My guess is worn seals. Hope some of this helps. Don
"Nothing lasts forever except natural stone and old Ford trucks." (Willie Nelson)
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84 Ranger Rebuild
Thank you very much for the quick response. I used Citgo regular from 7-11 for a long time, first 6-8 months of this problem. When fuel deposits where mentioned by the supply house where I bought my parts I changed over to Amoco Ultimate and have had the same problem. In my Ranger manual there is a picture of plug problems and this does resemble the one labled "ash deposits" as you suggest. The engine is a remanufactured long block that has 10-12 thousand miles on it. Just yesterday another friend mentioned that no. 4 cylinder on 2.3 Liter Fords is known to him to run cold. He suggested a replacement of plug wires. Also I have been running Ames Oil synthetic in this engine since about 500 miles after I installed the engine. He further suggested that this would lengthen the break-in period considerably. So I am going to change the synthetic oil for a petroleum based oil and run that for about 3000 miles and I will try your suggestion of getting a hotter plug.
Thank you again for your time,
Mason Caldwell
Thank you again for your time,
Mason Caldwell
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Joined: Apr 2001
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84 Ranger Rebuild
Hey, dad.
Glad to see you've finally found this. I figured you might could use it with your t/s 'ing. glad to see it has helped.
Has A FORD Drivin You Lately?
When the Beast realizes it only has a 4-cyl, we're gonna have probs!
Glad to see you've finally found this. I figured you might could use it with your t/s 'ing. glad to see it has helped.
Has A FORD Drivin You Lately?
When the Beast realizes it only has a 4-cyl, we're gonna have probs!
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