A dirty MAF can lead to pinging under a load and missing and/or bogging. My 98 Ranger pings under load sometimes (most often in 4th, climbing hills around 65mph), but goes away with 89 octane. I don't like using 89 octance because it feels less powerful than it does with regular 87. I've put about 20k on the truck since I bought it last May, and most of it in a dry/dusty climate, so I figure it's probably a good idea to clean the MAF anyway. Just went out to my truck to take it out, and saw that one of the security star screws is covered with plastic. Looks like it was put together, then had black plastic melted to the top to keep people from opening it. Should I just leave it alone or what? I don't really want to bang on it with anything to break it off. Can I clean the same sensors without taking that top part off? I haven't disconnected it from the air box yet, just because it's dark right now. Any help is appreciated... Thanks in advance,

Brian J Wilson

 

hows your spark plugs? How Many miles are on them?

I wouldn't use carb cleaner, but Throttle Body and Intake cleaner that is designed for fuel injection.

You can get this at Advance auto parts, and I believe Napa also, CRC makes the only stuff that is available in my area.

You can get away with disassembling the MAF body from the air box and and hose.

Then using the red straw on the Throttle body cleaner gently dribble the solvent down into the MAF from the air box side. Repeat three or four times, then let dry for at least 10 min.

Then while your waiting you could clean out the intake and the throttle as well.

Good Luck!

 

I think I saw another thread on this somewhere where one of the options mentioned was cutting a little slit into the top of the screwhead with a Dremel (or similar) tool so that you can use a standard screwdriver to remove it. I haven't tried it yet but I'm thinking about it. P.S. I also have the black plastic thing on one of the screwheads.

 

you should be able to get the bit at a electrical/appliance shop...that's where I picked up mine.

funny that my ranger doesn't have that black plastic thing on mine.

 

I cleaned the MAF on my ’94 3.0 V6 back in August after reading the same stuff you did. If there was any improvement, it was mild. I used a spray-type brake cleaner, but in hindsight I should have used a non-residue type electrical cleaner instead. I plan to clean it again when the weather breaks, since it’s easy to do now that the Torx screw is clear of the “don’t mess with this thing” goop. That was the hardest part of the operation.

My late dad was an aircraft mechanic with the U.S. gov’t for, like, all his life. As a result, I inherited a great deal of cool tools, one of which is a metal “pick” tool, which is essentially a … metal pick. What’s nice about it is the little 90 degree bend at the end, which allows you to pick away without stabbing yourself repeatedly. Took about 10 minutes of curse-laden picking, but I got it all out.

I’m not of the opinion that, in general, spark plugs will cause pinging -- but I’ll listen to any technical arguments on the matter. If your plugs are in such shape that they have any influence on this, you’re probably WAY overdue for a tune-up. You’d also see other plug-related problems as well (poor gas mileage and performance, to start).

One other thing on the MAF: I read something about a recalibration that needs to occur when the MAF is either changed or cleaned, the method being a series of WOTs (wide open throttle applications). If anyone else has heard this or can confirm, please do.

 

If the wrong heat range (too HOT) plug has been installed, then
this will cause pinging. This is why I'm a believer in Motorcraft
plugs for a Ranger...

 

I'm not really sure about the plugs. The truck has almost 70k miles on it, and I bought it with 50k, original plugs (I think.)
I was going to change the plugs, but I can't get to any of them with my tools, without attemping to take apart a whole lot of other things to get them out of the way. The Ford dealership said the plugs should be double platinums, and should be good to 100k miles. I'd still like to change them, just don't want to pay $60-90 for something to put plugs in. Any suggestions on taking them out? I can't get to a single one to examine it.
I think I'll try cutting a slit in the plastic piece then, when the time comes again. If that doesn't work, I'll just take the MAF off of the airbox and clean it the best I can. I'd like to hear more about the recalibration of the MAF. Never heard of it, but I guess it could make sense. Would disconnecting the battery 'reset' everything? It'll probably be a few days before I clean it anyway, since I don't have the security star bit. We'll see....

Thanks again,
Brian J Wilson

 

The OEM plugs are actually "single" platinum. The plugs in one
bank have a platinum outer electrode, while the plugs in the
other bank have a platinum center electrode. This is due to 2
plugs firing together, and in series (one plug in each bank),
and each plug getting opposite polarity spark...The replacement
plugs WILL be "double" platinum.....

 

1998 ford ranger 4x4 3.0

cleaned mass air flow sensor as superrangerman2002 said, covering filiaments with solvent and letting dry. I did not take top part off. It seems to have made a difference for me. Check your air filter is clean and I had the best results with new plugs, try getting at them with a long socket extension , mine were hard to see also. It was worth the 15 minutes to change them.

 

Glad to see that cleaning your maf seems to have helped. My air filter was a little dirty but nothing substantial. I didn't think that the truck came with double platinums in them, that is just what the service dep said, but the service department here sucks anyway. And I did try getting my plugs out with every combination of swivels and extensions I have in my toolbox, with no luck. Maybe I'll wait until I have a little more money, and just have the dealership change the plugs when I get my brake job, change the manual tranny and transfer case fluid, flush the coolant, and all that other good stuff.
About the MAF, auto parts stores are closed today (damn small towns) so I'll have to wait until tomorrow to get some cleaner.
Brian J Wilson

 

Brian:

You can probably save a little $$ by purchasing the plugs yourself and bringing them with you when you go to have your truck serviced. Tell them to install YOUR plugs. That way you won't get nailed with the dealer markup. Just make sure the plugs meet Ford specs for your particular motor......... And if it makes you feel any better, I also took a stab at changing my own plugs and after about 20 minutes of getting nowhere decided to bring in a mechanic friend to finish the job. I bought the plugs, lunch, a few brews, and I still owe him a favor, but he knocked it off in no time (he's a pro with all the right tools). I like to think I know a little bit about mechanical things, especially my Ranger, and maybe I could have given it more effort, but for some reason I just decided to let someone else haggle with it.

 

Bob,

Noted on the heat ranges. I was (improperly) going on the assumption that the correct plugs are factually in place, which is not the case here -- they may or may not be.

Brian,

If 89 octane cures the problem, I would consider switching to it full time, at least until you can clean the MAF and get a tune-up. (Sounds like you're at the point where you need one anyway.) I'm not sure I understand your claim of the truck running poorer with the 89 in the tank, especially if it reduces the pinging.

What you can also do in the meantime is check the timing, which is really quite easy and shouldn't cost much if you don't have a light. I doubt if it's off, but it's easy enough to do and will rule it out as a root-cause.

Finally, some pinging is quite normal on many engines. The $10 question is how bad do you have it, something no one can troubleshoot from the 'net.

(Oh, yeah. The plug access on the 3.0L and 4.0L engines is obviously quite different, since I too can easily remove 5 of the 6 in short order -- only the pass. rear is a PIA.)

 

I planned on bringing my own plugs when I had it done. It seems like I've heard that people haven't had a lot of success with bosch plugs in their Rangers, which is what I wanted, but Superranger hasn't said anything negative about his. I think the dealership wanted $10.95 per plug for double platinums anyway! When he told me that price I was like, "That's not just for the plugs, is it?" He nodded. Rediculous...
I normally run 87 octane when I'm only doing around town driving. When I plan on leaving town (big hills every direction) I mix whatever gas I have left with 89 octane and it seems help the pinging. Like I said in my first post though, the pinging only exists in 4th gear when climbing at highway speeds (60-70mph). When it does, the sound of it just makes me sick. If I really let off the gas, it won't do it, but of course I can't keep of my speed and have to downshift to 3rd. If I'm on flat ground, I can put it in 4th and floor it with no pinging whatsoever. I've heard from other places also that pinging is somewhat normal for these eninges, but since it hasn't always done it, I'd like to get it cured. There's no noticeable pinging in any other gear (that I've noticed).
And yes, the plug access must be different in the 3.0L than it is in the 4.0L. When I first bought it I knew that changing the plugs would be a problem, but I figured I could get them. Sometimes I'll be sitting around and think 'I've got to be able to do it, it just can't be that hard.' So I go outside and get my tools out, fumble around for 10-15 minutes with no luck. It happens quite often and I should really quit trying. I'm sure the neighbors think I'm crazy since I'm constantly out there trying to fiddle with things, but who cares.
By the way, I tried posting this yesterday, but the site keeps unlogging me or something. I log on and start typing a reply, then I get done and try to submit, and it asks me to login again. So I do, and my reply is gone. I can't even go back and retrieve it. It's only been since they 'upgraded' the forums. For now I'll just copy everything before I hit submit.

Brian J Wilson

 

Okay, I know I've been posting way too much, but...
I just got back from the auto parts store with Fuel Injection Air-Intake Cleaner. The directions say to spray liberally into the throat, working the butterfly back and forth, replace intake boot, start engine and drive immediately. I'm only planning on cleaning the MAF, but supperranger said to let it dry when I'm done. Will it hurt anything if I start it right away without letting it dry, like the instructions say? Just curious. If no one replies, I'll just let it dry like you guys said, no big deal. Thanks,
Brian J Wilson

 

Yes, let it dry completely. The instructions are for a throttle body, which CAN be quite dirty and require lots of spraying to clean. You don’t want that gunk sitting around after it’s been loosened, since it could redeposit itself somewhere else in the TB. (On that note, the next time I clean mine I’m going to do so on a sharp downward incline (driveway) so the cleaner runs OUT of the TB.)

I don’t believe the MAF gets nearly that dirty; my experience (and reading of others') is that it gets a very fine film on it, imperceptible to the eye. But that film is supposedly enough to change its metering ability and cause problems.