i need help with a haunted engine

[jpendrey]

my 91 ranger 2.3L runs like a champ some times. other times the amp and tack gauge jumps around.the motor seems to be running on about 2 pistons and the cat glows cherry red. i changed the plugs and wires.any help would be much appriciated

 

[Gadget X]

I'm not positive, so you should check around on here for posts about clogged cats first, but that's what it sounds like to me. I've heard that if your cats are glowing, then they're clogged! good luck!

 

[jpendrey]

thanks i forgot that i had already punched out the cat after i saw it glowing

 

[Gadget X]

Hmm, don't know. If the guages are jumping around, then it would almost seem to me that you have an electrical problem somewhere. Maybe check the connections to the computer. Have you tried to pull the codes yet? There's a way you can use the check engine light to output the codes so you don't have to waste money on the reader like I did! Do a search on here, it's simple, and a few people have a writeup on it. Good luck!

 

[Carguy3J]

look for a bad ground somewhere. Do a "wiggle" test. Grab, and flex/bend/shake every wire you can find, while it's running, if you can do so safely. If you problem suddenly appears/disappears while doing this, you found your problem. Just be careful. Running the engine with the problems you described could very quickly result in permanent damage.