Here we go again!

[cbxer55]

Don't know yet. It's at my local Ford dealer awaiting flash programing. Won't start until that is done. Had to have it towed there. Hopefully will hear sometime later tonight or tomorrow.

 

[cbxer55]

They called me this morning, after flashing the computer it still will not start. I'm letting them run diagnostics, depending on what they find will determine if I trash it or not.

 

[cbxer55]

Talked to the dealer today, they've had it since last Wednesday. Said they finally got it started, but it's doing the intermittent crank but no start still. They're trying to find out why it's happening. At least it didn't make a liar out of me.

 

[JP02XLT]

Please post back what they find

JP02XLT

 

[cbxer55]

Please post back what they find

JP02XLT

I most certainly will. Hope it's soon, miss my little red truck. Think I'll get a CHRISTINE sticker made to put at the top of the windshield.

 

[cbxer55]

I knew I should have changed the spark plugs back a few weeks ago. Didn't think plugs that had less than 5000 miles could be the culprit.

Ford pulled the plugs, the last thing they did after looking at everything else. STUPID E-3's, never ever use them, they suck azz. Porcelain was cracked on all six of them, so the spark to the plugs was hit-and-miss. And obviously, in a humid environment as I live in, that could cause problems.

They put new plugs in her, and she fires right up every time. They are going to keep her overnight and see what happens in the am. But on their diagnostic equipment, there is nothing wrong. All monitors are good, no default codes for anything.

Back in 2009 when I had similar problems, new plugs did not fix the issue. Nor did coils and wires. Or any of the sensors I changed (all of them).

This time it was spark plugs. Live and learn. 55 years old and never had plugs go bad on me like these did. Yes the truck ate some iridium plugs in 2009. But I was told those iridiums I put in were El Cheapo Exploding Cigar plugs.

We'll see what happens tomorrow. I'll be glad to have her back. Clean up my Lightning and stick her back in the garage with a cover.

 

[JP02XLT]

Glad to hear that was all they found. Like I wrote before about the plugs in my dads, 2.5L - 4 cylinder, I could not beleive how the thing ran, the mileage etc, as those plugs were burnt completely up, and the wires were not in good shape at all, most of the boots ripped while trying to twist them to loosen them to get them off, and it still ran great!

Worst set of plugs in a well running engine I had ever seen, in my 30+ years of wrenching.

Anyway, thanks for posting, hope she starts from now on for you

JP02XLT

 

[cbxer55]

Time will tell. I went over and eyed the plugs. The inside ends looked fine, and the coloration indicated a proper mixture. But the porcelain where they went into the boots had a brownish burned look. Wonder if that was the plugs, or if something did that? The plugs I took out last year didn't have anything wrong with them after nearly 8 years usage.

On another subject, told the service guy the tank had 91 octane in it. He told me I shouldn't use premium because the computer can detect the higher octane and alter the timing. I told him I didn't think mine had that capability as it does not have knock sensors (if it had them, it would not ping and I wouldn't need to use premium gas in the first place) and it's not a FLEX fuel vehicle. Also didn't think vehicles from the 90's ever had that ability.

 

[JP02XLT]

Not sure on the 90's Rangers, but I know my 2002 has a knock sensor on it, it is located on the passenger side of the motor midway down the block, roundish with a single wire connector. As far as I know the knock sensor would be the only thing that could change timing due to detonation, there is nothing on these rangers that can detect an octane rating.

The Flex Fuel setup is an educated guessing game done by the ECU, as to how full the tank is, readings from the O2's and the knock sensor, it is a nightmare with my supercharged engine, I have finally got it tuned and not to make any of its Flex fuel type changes, it was actually trying to lean it out at 16-18 psi of boost over the tuned installed during certain driving and outside temperatur conditions

Sometimes the brown circle you see on the insulator on the plug is a leaking insulator to the plug body, it gasses into the boot, it can also be the silicon boot burning from too much heat disapating into the insulator, seen it both ways several times.

JP02XLT

 

[cbxer55]

Thanks for the info. I knew there was no way the computer could detect the octane of the fuel. As I said, since I've had ping several times, usually if the fuel has ethanol in it (which I try to avoid), there obviously must be no knock detector.

My Lightning, like all of them, has knock sensors. Located on the front face of the cylinder heads. But they are turned off in the tune from the factory. Supposedly the Eaton blower makes noise which the computer confuses for detonation or ping. I believe that it is the cavitation that occurs when the blower bypass door is open, allowing no air to the rotors. It's a small plate, like a throttle plate, at the rear of the blower which is open when no boost is present. As manifold vacuum goes away, it gradually opens allowing air to the rotors. This cavitation can be heard by those with good hearing (not me!). It's especially loud if the stock air box has been junked for a "cold air intake".

The Lightning's weakness is the connecting rods. Because the engine doesn't use the knock sensors, there's several no-no's to observe driving them. NO shifts into OD at full boost. NO downshifts out of OD at full boost. And playing it cool with the boost during the cold months. All three will get you a place in the Ventilated Block Club. LOL!! There are four members here in the Oklahoma City area who blew up their motors in the last year or two.

 

[stmitch]

I'm glad it was a cheap/easy fix. Like I said before, most 3.0 owners have much better results with basic copper Autolite or Motorcraft plugs. I'd suggest you stay away from any platinum/iridium/ e3/whatever plugs and enjoy the fact that your truck likes cheap plugs.

 

[cbxer55]

I'm glad it was a cheap/easy fix. Like I said before, most 3.0 owners have much better results with basic copper Autolite or Motorcraft plugs. I'd suggest you stay away from any platinum/iridium/ e3/whatever plugs and enjoy the fact that your truck likes cheap plugs.

Absolutely, lesson learned. Aside from the fact I was stupid enough to let a counter person at a Vato Zone talk me into trying the E-3's.

The Motorcraft platinums that I took out had been in the truck since late 2009, so they did good. Actually they still looked good as well.

I guess the company that makes the E-3's must use some crap for the porcelain portion. I've never seen plugs crack in that area since I've been a car enthusiast, around 1977 or so. Seen a lot, never that.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I experimented (along with others) with E-3 plugs when they first came out. I found that they seem to work decent in some equipment like lawn tractors, but were pretty useless for anything else


Sent from my kite using a trebuchet

 

[JP02XLT]

The Lightning's weakness is the connecting rods. Because the engine doesn't use the knock sensors, there's several no-no's to observe driving them. NO shifts into OD at full boost. NO downshifts out of OD at full boost. And playing it cool with the boost during the cold months. All three will get you a place in the Ventilated Block Club. LOL!! There are four members here in the Oklahoma City area who blew up their motors in the last year or two.

The 3.0 is in the same boat with the rods, I have stretched the rod bolts on a motor and am a bonafide memeber of the VBC, The last motor took out 4 of the 6 and knarled the other 2 really bad, but sent the 4 through the pan and block at varius places, even breaking out the pan rail and removing the oil pump, pistons were all fine.

So as you mentioned with the Lightning, the 3.0 has many similarties when supercharged. I think part of the issue with the Ranger is the fact that Ford only uses a MAF for Air fuel trims verse GM who use a MAF & MAP setup to determine fuel curves verse load.

I am just glad you got it figured out, can be a long road trouble shooting problems like that.

JP02XLT

 

[cbxer55]

The sheet I got from them said that after they changed the plugs, it was only firing on two cylinders. They ran further diagnosis and found inadequate fuel supply to the injectors. All grounds and power were good. They pressurized the injectors with a fuel/solvent mixture and finally got the fuel supply where it should be. Starts right up now.

Had them drain and change the transmission fluid and filter while they had it in the shop. I've changed the fluid twice in the 16 years I owned it, but never did the filter.

Next up is doing the front end, ball joints are shot.