sputters between idle and 2krpm

89rangerfun · Mar 14, 2015

OK it's an 89 ranger 2.9 5 speed 4x4 pretty much stock besides a 4.0 clutch/starter/flywheel a custom snorkel electric fans and ghetto exhaust with no O2 sensor.

The problem is that between idle and 2k rpm it sputters has no power and jerks violently. but once u get past 2k rpm it feels 100% normal and runs fine. It doesn't do it all the time tho only when it feels like it. Yesterday and this morning it drove fine and after lunch it started acting up again. I have replaced every sensor (some multiple times to ensure it wasn't bad from the factory) I have spray stating fluid on Every vacuum hose and replaced almost all of themost last yeah when the motor was out. I am completely lost here I don't know what else it could be please help.

adsm08 · Mar 14, 2015

Un-ghetto the exhaust and get the O2 sensor in there. They are kind of important on fuel injected engines.

89rangerfun · Mar 14, 2015

That was my plan for tomorrow but it doesn't make any sense because I bought it with the ghetto exhaust 2 years ago and it only started this problem a few months ago.

adsm08 · Mar 14, 2015

Running without an O2 sensor for a prolonged period can cause other things to go wrong. Now that I know the setup pre-dated the problem I can say that probably isn't going to fix it, but it might still be the cause.

Check the plugs and the timing. Also grab onto to plug wires with the engine running, might be a weak insulator.

89rangerfun · Mar 16, 2015

Well yesterday it began another problem. I was driving home and it began to do the sputtering I turned it off ran inside came back out and now it won't run. It starts and tried to idle for just a second but dies. The voltage gauge in the dash reads only 9 volts but I checked connections to the starter and everywhere else I could think of and they were all well above 12v not to mention I have a brand new oddessey battery.

89rangerfun · Mar 16, 2015

well I came home during lunch and it fired right up like nothing was ever wrong I am totally mystified.

mcstein · Mar 17, 2015

I just delt with a similar deal. Bought a truck. It would get a check engine light on start up and i'd have to rev the engine or else it'd shut off right away most of the time. Some times(like when I test drove it) it would start fine. When it started rough i could keep it reved and drive down the road and after 5-10 mins the light would go out and it would run/idle fine until i shut it off and tried to start again.

I was sure a sensor was bad. If i kept tryin to start it and wiggled the wires at each one betweens starts, eventually i'd ge a "good" start so i assumed i had a broken wire in there.

I gave it a basic tune up as an excuse to go digging around. Plugs, wires, cap rotor, fuel and air filters plus some valve cover gaskets because it needed them. I took the intake plenum off to make room and replaced those gaskets. Cleaned the iac and throttle. Both looked good.

However i found a couple plugs that were loose( or just barely hand tight) And all of the plugs had a wide gap. The manual says .44 but they were all at .55-.65. They looked good other then the gap. After i put it together, no more light or bad idles.

My theory is the hand tight plugs were seated just enough that when the engine warmed it would expand just enough on the plug threads to close the leak. That mixed in with the wrong gap kept it running bad. I don't know if thats's what it was but that the only thing i could find. Maybe the valve covers were leaking oil onto the plugs to affect them.

Since it idles now i could confirm no vacuum leaks and i didn't find any broken wires.

Long post so i hope it helps. The main point is check the basics(tune up) first.

89rangerfun · Mar 17, 2015

When I bought the truck in 2013 I did a good tune up so maybe its time to redo it.

I'm also doing the 130 amp alternator swap tonight along with upgrading the alternator wires and replacing a few grounds hopefully that will solve it I am almost certain it is electrical because its so random. Its been fine all day yesterday and all day today which makes me mad because I never know when its going to act up.

If upgrading all my electrical stuff doesn't fix the problem I am assuming its something to do with the fuel pump.

Also this weekend hopefully pulling a 9in, 35ttb and 44ttb hubs at the junk yard to start my axel builds and waiting for weather to warm up so I don't freeze building my bed cage and engine cage.

sputters between idle and 2krpm

89rangerfun

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adsm08

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