I have a 1992 Ford Ranger 3 liter

My problem is like alot of the posts that I have been reading on here, I have no acceleration uphill

I can rev the engine in park as high as I want but when I am driving it it will not accelerate. If I am driving on a flat road I can get it to slowly pick up speed but cannot press the peddle down

When this first started I was driving it and it just started to backfire and lose power, I turned around to come home and by the time I got home it had worked itself out

A week or so later it happened again and again it worked itself out

The next time it happened it did not go away so I replaced the IAC and it got better for a while. Now today it started acting up really bad so I took th MAF sensor off and cleaned it. Now it is back to working but no acceration on the hills again

I had similar problems with bad idle, hard starts etc and eneded up changing plugs, wires, fuel pump, fuel filter etc. It was the main computer that got me back on the road

Is it possible the MAF is the culprit that I have no power ?

When it acts up I unplug the MAF and it works better but still no power up hill

When it acts up bad I am lucky to get 15 mph out of it

I am very frustrated with this and would really appreciate any help

Tim

 

since it happens under acceleration I would be looking at an igntion issue, coil, cap, rotor, pick up coil (if there is one) since you already changed plugs and wires. Someone should be along to offer more lenthy detailed ideas..

 

Since cleaning the Maf made it work a bit better I think I am going to be putting a new one on and then see where that takes me. I will probably have it tomorrow, on order. Then I guess I ll try the cap if it sill isnt working

 

Update, I put it on yesterday and it still has no power up hill, Has anyone figured this problem out. I am at the pulling my hair out stage

 

One of the sting most common problems that can cause a loss of power under load is a plugged fuel filter or a dying fuel pump. The filter is a maintenance item that all to often gets overlooked, it is supposed to be changed as often as the main air filter, which btw can also cause a loss of power under load.

 

air filter is new and so is the fuel filter and the fuel pump and the IAC and the MAF and plugs and wires. Interesting thing happened yesterday though. The truck died completely. Nothing when you turn the key yet the radio, wipers horn etc all worked. I fiddled around with the wires that are on the passengers side of the motor unplugged the clips and clipped them solidly back together and just fiddled with wires in general. Lo and behold the truck started and I have all the power back and it runs like a scalded cat. I am more confused than ever now. Would someone like to put a finger on this for me ? Good Luck

 

I would start disconnecting connectors and see if there is any corrosion in the terminals.

 

I had the two big ones apart and cleaned them good and sprayed them with the electrical cleaner. I have an appointment Monday to have it put on scanner but really with it working now I dont what they will find. Probably nothing

 

Yeah your probably right. I would just call them and cancel out. There is a thing called fretting corrosion. If you just disconnect something and reconnect it will begin working again. I had that happen to my ranger, the wipers worked only lo and hi speed and would not park. I removed the control box and thought it was really a simple circuit so maybe I could just repair it since in my former life I did that sort of thing. I found nothing wrong, plugged it back in and it has worked ever since. Just pack the connectors with dielectric grease and you should be ok.

 

Update.....Truck is still working as far as power goes. It has always had a problem with rough idle. So I picked up a fuel pressure gauge yesterday and will put that on when I get a chance to see if I can cure that as well