Ok ill get right down to it.

My father-n-law just bought a 94 ranger XL reg cab short bed. it has the 2.3L 5speed. no a/c no power steering. i dont the know there rear gears havent gotten a chance to check that yet. now he only paid $700 for it. it runs good but has some major issues.

first thing i need to know is, how do i disable the air bag on the stearing wheel? so it dont blow up in my face. it doest have tilt wheel but something is broke in the column because if you grab the wheel, you can physically move it up and down and left and right. so i figure best bet here is to replace the column. i have done this before on 80 model rangers with out air bag, just scared ill set it off and i know the replacement bag is not cheap.

secondly i would like to if double plat. plugs are best for this engine it has the dual spark set up (both intake and exhaust) also do you use the same plug for both or are they different. im not lookin to make lots of power just something reliable. also while im on the engine where is the water temp sensor that goes to the gauge? after letting it run for 45 min the temp never came off the cold mark but the top radiator hose and top of radiater was hot to the touch so i know it was up to temp but either the wire is off the sensor or the sensor or gauge is bad. any thing else i should check into on this engine or tranny?

basically my FNL wants me to go over this truck with a fine tooth comb and fix anything on it that needs replaceing. i havent put a wrench on it but i do know it needs new steering assymbly (tie rods,drag link etc),shocks front/rear, clutch, maybe some pads and rotors (hopefully just pads) and the steering column fixed and a general tune up. it idles great now that i fixed a vacum leak but it stumbles just a bit when you gently get on the gas, if you just gun-ho it it goes but if you ease it, it wants to die, then surges up the rpms

sorry for just a long post but wanted to give you all the info i have on it thus far, and thanks in advance for any help/advice you can give me on it. im more familar with the 83-92 model stuff, not so much on the newer stuff other than chassis (thats because its basically the same) also this is the first 2.3L i have really worked on.

 

Two screws on the back of the steering wheel hold the bag in place. It will not inflate unless it receives an electrical pulse. Take out the screws, pull the wheel cover and bag out, and you will see the electrical connector to the bag.
Use douple plats and the same plug will work for both sides.
It is located on the drivers side of the block to the rear of the engine. You can best see it from underneath. It has one wire going to it.
Check the timing belt.
Possible throttle position sensor, or you may have missed a vacuum leak. Pull back the looms that the hoses go thru. The hoses crack/break inside the looms. jd

 

The only thing that I can think of to add to jd's suggestion on this point is perhaps a worn throttle body shaft. Possible vaccum leak point. I don't know exactly how the geometry works on that engine, but with the throttle closed and no pressure from the throttle cable, the portion of the throttle shaft exposed to the high vaccum side may be sealed, but as soon as you apply cable from the pedal, the shaft pulls forward, opening the high vaccum side to a leak.
Used to happen with the old carburated throttle bodies. You might check for slop in the butterfly valve shaft.

Fred

 

kool, thanks for all your info. as far as the air bag and electrical signal, if i unhook the battery then there is no power for the sensor to send, so theoretically i can safely unhook the air bag with no worries. (sorry if i seem a bit more nervous here than i should be, but i have had one blow up in my face before, they do not feel good and i do not like them.) ill check out the tps and throttle plate (butterfly) for end play, this thing has a mas air sensore would it also give poor throttle response if its dirty, or malfuntioning, the CE light is not on at any time other than koeo before turning the engine over (when the all the lights come on while the eec is doing its own test)

also this engine has a set of headers on it. is this a factory thing or something some one else installed?

 

Play it safe and disconnect the negative battery cable for 5 minutes before working on the steering column.

Cleaning the throttle body and MAF can help with throttle response.

New fuel and air filters are a must.

MC double plats are the way to go if you can find them. New wires should be on the list, as well.