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Ford Ranger Maintenance and Repair

2986 messages,  Last post on May 15, 2013 at 6:47 AM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Ranger, Truck

Messages Page 175 of 299

#1739 of 2986 Re: 1994 ranger interior got wet, will not start [owre] by blacknyella

Oct 23, 2005 (7:35 am)

Replying to: owre (Oct 22, 2005 8:21 pm)
It's obvious the problem is in the wiring and connections.
 First you want to make sure there is power to the fuse box. Use a pos/neg test light to do this.
 Remove an accessory fuse such as the sterio or the dome light.
 Plug in the two prongs into the fuse slot.
 If it lights up, then there's power.
 
 If theres not, try a slot that you know works. If it doesn't light up, replace the test light then continue the job.
 Check all lights that work automatically to see if it comes on. (engine cavity light, any and all dome lights, any light that comes on when you simply open something)
 Now check the indicator lights on the dash
 Turn the key on and see if the lights on the dash come on. some lights may just flash. this is normal.
check all the wires and their connections around the dash, fuse box, ignition switch, etc.
 The majority of the lights that have no power are controlled at the steering column. There may be excess water in the steering column and just needs to be taken apart and allowed to dry before checking anything.
 It's obvious that I'm not a mechanic. I just do a process of elimination using common sense when it comes to troubleshooting anything. Now, I'm having a problem getting my 90 Ford Ranger to start. and today we planned a family day so I'm not able to do much on it today.
 I would turn the key on and listen for a buzzing sound and at the end of the buzzing sound there would be a click from the solenoid. the truck would start fine.
 Now the click is still there but the buzzing sound is gone, and the truck just rolls over.

#1740 of 2986 Ignition Wire Harness Fasteners by flycatch

Oct 23, 2005 (4:32 pm)

I have a 1999 Ford Ranger 3.0 Liter V6. The spark plug leads are held in position using several types of fasteners. I can't figure out how to open these devices. Can anyone be of assistance?

#1741 of 2986 1995 ford ranger code reader by akdriver

Oct 21, 2005 (5:13 pm)

I ahve a 1995 ford ranger with the 4 cylinder engine and have been unable to find an inexpensive code reader to use the ones I have found have excluded the 4 cylinder engine from the list of vehicles covered.
Any suggestions?

#1742 of 2986 A reminder! by kcram HOST

Oct 23, 2005 (6:24 pm)

As noted in the post box and Rules of the Road - http://www.edmunds.com/townhall/rulesoftheroad.html - we highly discourage posting of email addresses and posts requesting others to email them. It benefits everyone when comments are made here in the forum, plus it eliminates the possibility that someone will scavenge your email address for spam.
  
Thanks!
kcram - Pickups Host

#1743 of 2986 No one can solve my 94 ranger problem!! by lakeshow

Oct 24, 2005 (9:02 am)

My Ranger is running but not well. It will start. I have to pretty much gas it to get it to go anywhere. When I shift into 2nd or 3rd gear I have to hit the gas to get it up hill or down the road. Even in 1st gear it shakes. As it gets warmer it gets worse. I was told I needed a tune-up. Got it and it didn't fix it. Next thing was a timing belt but I've spoken to many people who are Mr. Fix-its and they all say it can not be the timing belt. It shakes in every gear. Any ideas. Replaced transmission about 3 years ago also.

#1744 of 2986 Re: No one can solve my 94 ranger problem!! [lakeshow] by blacknyella

Oct 24, 2005 (1:54 pm)

Replying to: lakeshow (Oct 24, 2005 9:02 am)
The Mr. Fix-Its are right...Its not the timing. If it shakes like what you are describing, chances are its from the vehicle being "rough-driven".
 
My brother says, "either check the exhaust system for major holes or run straight pipes for the exhaust system because it might be that there's too much "back-pressure", or not enough compression, in the engine."
 
Whats the idle speed?
Does it shake sitting in neutral, or when you put it into 1st gear, or when you let out on the clutch?
Have you gone mud-bogging or rough-terrain trail riding in it?
 
We still need the answers to the questions here, however here's a list of things for you to check:
 
Do any or all of the tires look like it's leaning?
Are the motor mounts in good condition and secure to both the cross-member and the engine?
Is the bell-housing tightly secure to the rear of the engine?
Is the drive shaft off-set at either end and free of any bends, dents, scrapes, and scratches?
Does the differencial look shifted or damaged in any way?
Do the shocks/struts/springs both coil and leaf look weak, broken, or missing?
 
If anything looks abnormal and has any evidence of any outside force damage, and you do not go trail riding at all, and if you allow others to drive the vehicle; Anticipate them to go trail riding or street dragging in your vehicle. If you do not allow others to drive your vehicle, consider checking with those in the home who are old enough to know how to drive whether they're old enough to have a license or not, and keep the key locked up once you have the problem solved. My cousin was 13 yrs old and taking his dads chevy impala for late nights rides. He was street racing for money. He got the experience from driving farm and lawn tractors and finally when he was confident enough of himself to drive what I call "Road-Legal" vehicle. this is when the car began the late-night excursions.
 So if they're at that age to leave after you go to sleep or even to be "Hot-Rodding It" consider it happenning to your truck.

#1745 of 2986 Re: No one can solve my 94 ranger problem!! [blacknyella] by lakeshow

Oct 25, 2005 (8:24 am)

Replying to: blacknyella (Oct 24, 2005 1:54 pm)
Thanks for the response. Get this. This truck has been giving me the same problem since it 1st happened back in late July/early August. When it 1st happened I drove it home and then maybe once or twice more by mechanics trying to figure out what's wrong. Yesterday was the 1st time I had driven it in a long time. Same problem to and from work. Well, this morning I decided to take it to work again. I start it up and same problem. Pull out of my neighborhood , down the street same problem. As I'm going up a hill on an overpass all of a sudden it's riding like normal. No shaking, no gassing it to get anywhere just like nothing has happened. Crazy!!! I'm not getting my hopes up though. I'll drive it through the week and see if it reverts back to not running well.
To answer your questions about the rough riding/mudding. Never been mudding. No rough driving at all. No off road stuff and my daughters are ages 6 & 3 so the chances of them driving my truck after hours let alone getting out of their bed is 0%. So what would cause it to all of a sudden ride normal?? Does that sound liek an exhaust thing?? I'll listen out for any weird noises and I didn't hear anything like a pop or anything that happened when it started back to running well. ANy ideas???

#1746 of 2986 Lakeshow by gmhellman

Oct 25, 2005 (1:18 pm)

I had a 1990 Ranger with the v-6 and the manual. I had the same problem and eventually found it to be some bad gas. I noticed that it went away after the tank was almost completely empty. I filled the tank at a different gas station and added a bottle of isopropyl alcohol (HEET). The truck smoothed right out and it ran much better up until the day that I got rid of it. Ironically a few days later I drove by the first gas station and the pumps were closed and they were digging up the tanks and pumps. I stopped and asked the attendant what was going on and she said that somebody had complained to the state inspector and he had visited them and found an unacceptable and atrocious amount of water and dirt in their tanks. The tank that held the 87 octane had a small crack along the top edge and was allowing dirt and rain water to run into it. Did you fill up your tank between the bad and good driving? Other than that the only other thing I could think of is maybe a cracked distributor cap. I had that happen on a 1990 Dodge Shadow and when the moisture was out the car was difficult to start and ran very poorly. Good Luck

#1747 of 2986 Re: Lakeshow [gmhellman] by jefferyg

Oct 25, 2005 (10:28 pm)

Replying to: gmhellman (Oct 25, 2005 1:18 pm)
You might also want to consider a new set of plug wires. I had a 99 F-150 with a 4.2L V6 that had a similar problem, but not as severe as you describe. They eventually traced the problem to one faulty plug wire. One misfiring cylinder on a 4 or 6 cylinder engine can really cause the shakes.

#1748 of 2986 Re: No one can solve my 94 ranger problem!! [lakeshow] by blacknyella

Oct 26, 2005 (10:41 am)

Replying to: lakeshow (Oct 25, 2005 8:24 am)
hmm, isn't that strange.
 My ideas on this right now is that if it does revert back, it could be the fuel/oxygen mixture or a foreign chemical mixing with the fuel (i.e. oil, water) either from the vehicle or from the station tanks.
 Now that it straightened up for God only knows how long, I'm almost sure its not an exhaust related problem.

Messages Page 175 of 299

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