'97 Ford Ranger- Runs but has a miss!

[renee_venus]

Help, someone please!!! Ex has the truck in the shop with a simple miss. Thought it was a bad fuel injector and couldn't figure out which, without a tester, so took it to the shop. Mechanic calls and says he thinks the motor is blown, well the rods aren't knocking! Then mechanic calls and says it may be the piston spring! Big difference as far as I'm concerned. He wants $125 just to diagnose the spring, then $300 to fix if so. I want to find out if it could be the spring, on my own for free Any ideas?? All appreciated.:rangertan:

 

[Tbars4]

..Go to autozone or another parts house and get your codes read. You should have a code even if you don't have a check engine light on..

Bring the code number back here..

..If I understand right your ex lady took the vehicle into a shop and they are seeing dollar signs?

..BTW, what size motor, 2.3, 3.0, 4.0?

 

[renee_venus]

Other info

So, I am the femaleI don't agree with taking cars to mechanics, I try to fix them myself if at all possible. Anyway, the truck sat for 3 years, always started and ran fine, until we needed it, now.
So, it had bad gas in it, he ran and ran the engine until it wouldn't start. So, he decided that the fuel pump was bad, changed it. Then ran fuel injector cleaner through it. Pumped out as much bad gas as possible, and left it running until it finally ran out. Put new gas in and now it has a miss.
It is a 2.3 liter engine, I believe. He's sleeping or I'd ask him. Trying to get this thing legal so I can use it and not having any luck.

 

[Tbars4]

.It could be the new fuel pump is on the way out..These vehicles do not like running out of fuel and the fuel pump will quickly fail if done so.

..It would cause missing, sputtering, under load or not.

..Have you pulled and inspected all 8 of the plugs? You should be getting a code but you may have fouled your plugs also..

 

[renee_venus]

Will check the plugs but he just put the fuel pump in 2 days ago so I'm not sure how it could be bad already. And will ask the mechanic for code tomorrow. Thanx.

 

[Tbars4]

..If it is an Airtek it can happen..

..What brand Fuel Pump?

 

[renee_venus]

Fuel pump

We don't think the fuel pump is the issue. It still is pumping fuel and starting. The mechanic seems to think there is a pressure issue. We brought the truck back home. Ex now thinks it needs a new head. Not sure.

 

[spike427]

Ask the mechanic what a piston spring is as in 50 years of messing with cars NEVER heard that one before?