I Have a 92 ranger with a 2.3 and 5 spd trans. The problem I am having is after driving for a short while ( less than 30 Miles ) my engine feels like it suddenly starts running on 1 or 2 cylinders. No power/pep, sounds like an air compressor, smoke coming out from underneath truck. It will smooth out after several minutes of idling and feathering the accelerator pedal and I can drive a little farther until it acts up again. Engine temp is fine, oil pressure is fine, no check engine light, no codes stored in computer. Don't know if it is ignition, fuel, emissions or whatever. Has anybody got any ideas or suggestions short of burning this thing down and rolling it off the hill.
Ion Kendall

 

Fuel system problems sometimes won't throw codes, especially pre-OBD-II. Check fuel pressure, consider changing out the fuel filter, maybe run a bottle of fuel injector trough.

 

Clogged up cat converter, or some kind of exhaust system restriction maybe.

So carry a vacuum gauge along & the next time it acts up after a road trip, hook up the vacuum gauge, follow it's instructions & do the "back pressure" test.