I have posted on here before for the problems on my 1988 Ranger 2.3L, but I want to see if anyone has any new ideas.
The truck is still doing the same things as before, which is jerking and sputtering severely when I press the gas, runs fine for a second, and starts jerking again and sputtering. I also used 1/2 tank of gas to go 15 miles. It took me an hour to go those 15 miles because I had to keep pulling over. I have changed the spark plugs, fuel filter, air filter, fuel pressure regulator, O2 sensor, and cleaned the EGR valve. I wanted to pull the codes but for some reason my CEL doesn't come on at all, even at key on. I checked the bulbs and they are all good and I checked the fuses which were good as well. I finally got fed up and took it to a mechanic. He checked it on the computer and said the O2 sensor I had installed was bad. I brought a new one which he installed and then he changed the MAP on it as well. It sounded like it was running better, but after I stopped and filled up with gas, the jerking started just for a few seconds and then ran fine for a while. I drove it home and then later I took it out again. The jerking and sputtering is back but only for a few seconds at a time. I let it idle in the driveway and there is a very strong smell of gas coming from the truck. The truck actually died on me while idling which it has never done before and it took me a while to get it restarted. I can hear the fuel pump come on for about 2 seconds when I turn the key over. I also read somewhere that my truck is supposed to have a power distribution box in the engine bay with fuzes for things like fuel pump, etc, but I don't see anything at all. Could something as simple as timing cause this. I'm at a loss, please help. Thanks.

Billy

 

I'm not at all familiar with the '88 4-banger, but I'll give it a shot.

The fact that it sometimes takes 1/2 tank of gas to go 15 miles and stinks like gas when it's idling makes me think that there is an air/fuel ratio problem, i.e., the system is dumping excess fuel into the combustion chambers. Aside from the MAP sensor, two other sensors that are very important for calculating a/f ratios are the Engine Coolant Temperature sensor (ECT) and the Air Charge Temperature sensor (ACT). If your 2.3L has those sensors, you might want to check them out (and their wires and connectors).

Another thing to consider, sort of as a last resort, is trying out another EEC Control Module (from a junkyard). You are having issues with the EEC self-tests and they are a function of the Control Module. Obviously it has a lot to do with engine performance, as well. You ought to at least look over the harness connector.

HTH. Good luck.

 

Can you tell where the gas smell is coming from? Is it under the hood, out the tailpipe, around the gas tank? Is it visibly leaking anywhere?

I'm no expert, but I'd be inclined to wonder about the fuel pumps and lines. Did you or the mechanic check the fuel pressure?

 

Hi billynjuls,

It's always something!!! Well...here goes: Fuel injected...correct?
An intermittantly sticking injector has your symptomology!

Mines a 90 2.3L EFI and had your delema so your not alone!

 

Thanks for everyone's help. I really can't tell where the smell is coming from. When I sit in the cab I can smell it strongly. It also smells like it's coming out of the tailpipe as well. I'm not sure if he has checked the fuel pressure yet or not. It is not leaking anywhere on the ground though. Crazypaw, is there a way to figure out which injector may be sticking? I will definitely tell the mechanic to check all the things mentioned. Does anyone know about the power distribution box? I don't know if it came on my model or not. Where would the fuel pump fuses and other engine functions be located at? Thanks again.

Billy

 

Hello billynjuls,

I know that you are at the end of the line and, by now probably wanting to pull out your hair!

BUT...Isolation of said bad injector will consider some more...ahem!...Patience!

1st off: There is suppose to be some miracle stuff called "SEAFOAM" that is to be used to clean your fuel injection system and to hopefully eliminate your pain-in-the-bunghole experence and, if resolute: add a bottle of regular injector cleaner every so often <(comments will vary on the amount to be used)!

If no change occurs:

2nd: Replacing each injector one-by-one with a known goodie then tooling-on down-that-road should reveal the ornery culpret.

And / or:
3rd: If anyone else has an alternative method that I'm not acquaitned with please step in with your thoughts...electrical isolation, what-have-you!

And:
I'll be the 1st to admit I don't know everything...just enough to make 3 familys of vehicles stay on the roads...safely!

So we go:
Good luck and keep us posted...we are all here to learn from each others triumphs as well as defeats!

 

I changed the fuel pump, cleaned 3 of my fuel injectors and replaced the other one. It is worse than ever. We checked my TPS with a multimeter and with closed throttle it should read .90 to .95V and with WOT it should read about 4.5V. We got a closed throttle reading of 2.9V and a WOT of 4.4V. I have a round TPS connector with a red, green, and black wire. We checked from the green wire to the red wire. Is that correct? Since there was a low reading of 2.9V when it should have been .90 or .95V, would that mean my TPS is bad and that's why it is running extremely rich? One more question. I have a small connector with a metal retaining clip in the head of it. It comes from near the fuel injector wires. It is a red wire. With the key on it reads voltage. There is a little metal stem on the rear of my valve cover. Does it hook up to that for some reason? Thanks for any help.

 

I would pursue the TPS issue, ideally you can get your hands on the pinpoint diagnostics for it. It stands to reason that the voltage across it will vary uniformly as the throttle opens from idle to WOT; if your's hangs at 2.9V between idle and some point before finally showing voltage changes then it's *probably* safe to conclude that it has failed. You might try a resistance check on it noting the resistance change between idle and WOT. Again, I'd say it should vary smoothly over the range of throttle operation. I would also investigate the possibility of a bad fuel pressure regulator. Failure is frequently evidenced by the presence of gas in the vacuum line attached to it. On the mystery wire, hooking it to a grounded valve cover is only going to blow a fuse.

 

First off, you do not have a power distribution box. Our trucks have a few relays mounted on the passenger side fender, the area near the airbox. Should be three of them I think. One is for the computer, one is for the fuel pumps and I'm not sure what the other one is.

In addition to checking the computer you might want to test the TFI module. It is a grey thing that is either mounted on the distributor or somewhere near the radiator. You can either test it with the method given in a repair manual or pull it off and take it to the parts store. I had one go bad and my truck acted alot like yours.

You should also probably check fuel pressure and perhaps even engine compression. My truck was doing exactly what yours is and it turned out I had a bad ignition (TFI) control module, cracked head and bad fuel pump. Good luck tracking it down, took me a long while with an unhappy result.

 

Pull your spark plugs and read them, are they all 4 gas fouled or only 1? if all four are fouled check your ECT sensor and ACT sensor they control mixture ratios. If only one injector is stuck it will start leaking fuel into your lower end, look at your oil. Does fuel system hold pressure after shut down or bleed down rapidly indicating a bad injector.

 

Okay, my patience is done. I replaced everything above as I stated earlier. I changed the TPS today thinking that it was bad. Didn't help at all. None of my spark plugs are fouled. My pressure regulator is new. I cleaned the intake air sensor, but I can't find the ECT. I cleaned the Idle Air Control Valve as well. I pulled the Ignition Control Module off and checked it, but I'm not sure I'm doing it right. Everything checked like it should have. The only question I have is if I set the voltmeter to 200K ohms and it reads 12.2 what would the actual resistance be? From GND to PIP IN it shoud be greater than 500 Ohms. When I set the Ohms to 200K I got 12.2. Would that mean it's good? I'm at my wits end. I'm tired of putting money into this truck and I can't figure out what it is. By the way, after I installed the TPS I went for a test drive. It seemed okay at first, no stuttering. The problem was it wouldn't go above 65 MPH and it was throwing out black smoke. After a while it did the same thing where it stuttered and jerked violently smoking terribly the rest of the way home. It used 1/4 tank of gas to go 6 miles. I would like to pull the codes but my CEL doesn't work. I checked the bulbs and fuses and they are good. I don't have a analog meter so is there another way to check my codes. Also, it won't idle hardly at all anymore.

 

Don't you have to adjust the TPS after you install it?

 

So your saying the plugs look fine but your seeing black smoke after warm up at freeway speed? This sounds like its burning fuel at idle just fine but at demand it's not. You've got to look at your Ignition, cracked or weak coil, bad wires or connections, base timing set correctly? Also you got to look at ECT, It's on drivers side, installed in intake manifold facing down about 3/4 way back,right under where throttle body connects to manifold. Also pull the codes Auozone will do it for free. Hope this helps.

 

According to everything I have read it is not adjustable.

 

I went to O'reilly's and my ignition module was bad. I bought a new one and installed it. Set the timing and took it for a ride. It was idling good and driving pretty decent. It didn't have a lot of power and when I mashed on the gas it blew out black smoke. It is still using a ton of gas. I used about 1/4 tank to go 10 miles again. I stopped and got gas and when I restarted it started the stuttering thing again, but not near as bad as before. We didn't pull the spout connector before we timed it. I've been looking for it and the only thing that looks close is on the passenger side by the battery and air cleaner. It has a little black block that pulls out the end. There are two color wires that are green with colored lines. I've heard it is by the ICM but I didn't see anything that resembled it. By the ICM there was a regular inline connector with a black/white and green/white wire. Would not disconnecting the spout connector make that big of a difference? When I got home it will idle great for about 1 or 2 minutes and then pretty much die. Also on my servo, where the vacuum lines connect is throwing me off. When I disconnect the one that goes to the red vacuum line for the EGR solenoid on the throttle body the rpms go way up. It has a vacuum check valve but I'm not sure which way it goes. If I turn it one way it allows vacuum to go the vacuum tube for the EGR solenoid and if I turn it the other way it doesn't allow any air to go to the red vacuum tube. There's a disc in it that blocks the air. I changed the engine coolant temp sensor as well. I also changed the plugs and wires. The old plugs which are only a few days old were very wet. I have pretty much changed everything that is replaceable. Could a clogged catalytic converter be causing it? Mine is inline with my exhaust. HELP.