Truck is down, Need it back Asap. Please help!

[93RangerPLSHelp]

At a loss. I cant keep driving it in this condition, but I dont have a choice.

At speed, its ok. But, randomly it will start to sputter and not hold its RPM(no gauge, but thats what it feels like)

Any help is huge at this point

 

[93RangerPLSHelp]

At this point, I may just sell it and cut my losses. I paid $550 for it and I am approaching having put that much in parts into it.

Kind of losing its worth at this point.....

 

[93RangerPLSHelp]

Random thought

the coil packs, they are set up as all the plugs on the passenger side go to the "rear" coil pack and everything from the drivers side goes to the "front" coil pack.

Is this the proper set up? Having 1 plug fire from one coil pack and the corresponding one fire from a separate?

OR, should they be matched up? IE 1 and 1, 3 and 3. 2 and 2, 4 and 4?

I am sure I am grasping at straws here haha

 

[2stroke]

No KOEO codes?

 

[93RangerPLSHelp]

I let it warm up some, probably not enough, and the only thing I got was a 117. Which that last time I did this, I let it warm up more and re checked and had nothing.

I tried to get the KOER and it stalled out halfway through.....

Im really at a loss. Its barely getting me back and fourth to work and its the most stressful ride possible haha

 

[2stroke]

If I was in your position, I would go back to the basics. Compression test the engine (I highly doubt it is the problem), test fuel pressure, and try a KOER test again.

 

[93RangerPLSHelp]

Hypothetically, if fuel pressure is an issue, what would most likely be the causes?

I know the guy that I bought it from said that he had replaced the fuel pump, and after he did the fuel gauge stopped working???

I know he didn't replace the fuel filter at the same time, so it wouldn't surprise me if he butchered the job.

Injectors?

 

[2stroke]

I was thinking more fuel pressure regulator.

 

[93RangerPLSHelp]

Hmm. its a $20 part so it might be worth just grabbing it and throwing it on. Simple job?

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check the fuel pressure with a test guage.

 

[93RangerPLSHelp]

The problem is, I cant really get around well enough in the truck to test things out.

In order to have a vehicle to be able to get parts and whatnot, I have to get off work at 2am and wake up at 6am, so that I can take my girlfriend to work. Then, I can use her care for the day, but I have to pick her up from work at 430pm and I cant get back to my job until 5pm, which means I am late.

This is why I am asking if the fuel pressure regulator is a quick job, something I can quickly and easily do without much drama.

In an ideal world, I would have the time and resources to fully test everything and work out the perfect solution, but I am strapped for time and I have to try and get it running when I can.

So, I guess the question becomes, if fuel pressure is an issue high/low, what would be the likely culprits?

 

[Tbars4]

...With your time constraints and not being able to get the answers you seek...

...You can find all your answers here on the Forum and this should be of great help..

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2471556&postcount=2

 

[93RangerPLSHelp]

Im trying to ball park the problem, and talking it out with someone works a lot better than searching a forum when I have no clue what I am searching for.

The more and more I look at the issues, signs point to running rich, which from what I have been able to find out from a few helpful people on here, is a symptom of a bad regulator.

I will grab some Dry gas and a regulator and that should hopefully wrap things up.

I am sorry if I have been seeking the advice of those that have much more knowledge than me when it comes to these matters. That seemed like the best possible course of action to solve the problem as quickly as possible.

Mindlessly searching the forum with no real idea what I am looking for, seems to be a bit counter productive.

 

[Tbars4]

...But its not counter productive...

...Reading what others have gone thru can help you diagnose your problems without turning a wrench..

...Others in this thread have given you answers, asked for more symptoms or have steered you in a direction yet you turn a deaf ear and go on with your own diagnosis of the problem..

...To us following along wanting to help, this tells us you have more information than we do on the problem...

...Having a rich condition could be 20 different things with as many different places to look and items to test. .

If you type in "running rich" you will get several threads to read that will help you diagnose your issue 24/7..

..I use the search function often and have been using it all week on a couple things Im working on ..

...Sure I could post a thread and check back whenever to see if there is an answer for what I'm dealing with and if not I can post another question and it seems to go on forever. .

In the meantime I need to use my truck so I search to get the answers I need now so I can keep my truck on the road.

...You can search for your answers and I just gave you an awesome tool that will help you or you can keep posting and we will try to guess the fix when you give us codes.

...There is also a good thread on getting the codes with a paperclip which I recomend over a code reader for your year of vehicle...

 

[BrooklynBay]

Check the resistance range of the engine coolant temperature sensor with an Ohmmeter.

 

[93RangerPLSHelp]

I tried to get codes and the truck stalled in the middle of the test as I stated above.

I only recently have found that it is running rich and now have something to go on.

Searching is great, but I am trying to talk it out to find the areas I should be searching in/for.

It is insanely frustrating that I cant get the codes, because that would obviously be a huge help

 

[Tbars4]

...:scratch:..If I got this right he had changed 6 of 8 original plugs, cut off a gutted cat and thats how its running...

..Still no real warmed up codes yet but replaced a battery and a alternator at the beginning..

...Sounds like a vehicle which had no maintenance and the first place I would start is by swapping in new battery cables and checking the egr pipe which has already been discussed in this thread..

 

[93RangerPLSHelp]

I put on a new negative cable, that original was all butchered up. Literally had a chunk carved out in the middle with another ground "spliced"(being generous) in.

The egr pipe is a little on the dirty/rusty side, but looks intact.

The thing I am noticing now, is that when it is running and starts to run rough, I am smelling gas. I would think that this would support the idea of the engine getting too much fuel.

I have warmed it up and not gotten any codes, which is more than a little mind boggling at this point. And when I tried to do the KOER test, it stalled out. I suppose I could adjust the idle screw, and see if the increase in idle would help keep it from stalling out on me during the test.

 

[Tbars4]

..Your missing cat and both o2 sensors will cause your rich condition as well as bad plugs nkt being changed on a 2.3..

 

[2stroke]

I'm pretty sure he replaced his O2 sensors, and the cat is gutted. I'm starting to loose track of everything with how long this thread is, but I'm pretty sure he replaced all his spark plugs.