• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

Injector problem


smudvapor

Active Member
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
May 13, 2008
Messages
180
Reaction score
152
Points
43
Age
55
Location
Youngstown, Ohio
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
"Lets stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities."
I have an 88 with a 2.9 manual trans. It used to run fine but has been sitting for a few months while getting body work done and painted. I tried to start it the other day and it sputtered but would not fire. I checked spark and it is good. I checked fuel pressure and it is good. I kept trying it and it finally started but ran like it was missing a few cylinders. I felt the exhaust and sure enough only cylinders 1 and 4 are firing. I checked every cylinder and they are all getting spark. The fuel pressure is also good. I checked the plugs on the cylinders that aren't firing and the plugs are fine but they are not getting any fuel. What is keeping the fuel from getting to the injectors? What can I check? Has anyone ever heard of this happening?:icon_confused:
 


enjr44

Active Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Mar 24, 2013
Messages
1,143
Reaction score
9
Points
38
Age
80
Location
Renton, WA
Vehicle Year
02 2X4; 08 FX4
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
4.0 SOHC
Transmission
Automatic
Well, you are going to have to do some testing. All the injectors should have 12 volts to one side all the time (same color wire). The ECU applies a ground to open the injector for a certain amount of time. Since it is 2.9 it is batch fired, meaning you should have three injectors firing at the same time (so you will have two different colored wires going to the six injectors). It isn't like true fuel injection where fuel is injected into each cylinder. The injectors just push fuel into the manifold and each cylinder just sucks it into the individual cylinders. So I don't think injectors would cause a steady miss on any one cylinder. You can google how to test the circuits.

Fuel pressure would not cause a steady miss on any one cylinder.

Since you said you have a steady miss, I think it is much more likely that you have a spark problem.
 

adsm08

Senior Master Grease Monkey
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
Ford Technician
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Sep 20, 2009
Messages
34,623
Reaction score
3,613
Points
113
Location
Dillsburg PA
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
Well, you are going to have to do some testing. All the injectors should have 12 volts to one side all the time (same color wire). The ECU applies a ground to open the injector for a certain amount of time. Since it is 2.9 it is batch fired, meaning you should have three injectors firing at the same time (so you will have two different colored wires going to the six injectors). It isn't like true fuel injection where fuel is injected into each cylinder. The injectors just push fuel into the manifold and each cylinder just sucks it into the individual cylinders. So I don't think injectors would cause a steady miss on any one cylinder. You can google how to test the circuits.

Fuel pressure would not cause a steady miss on any one cylinder.

Since you said you have a steady miss, I think it is much more likely that you have a spark problem.


Most of that is right, but some of it is very wrong.

First, all the info about wiring is correct, you effectively have 3 wires run for all 6 of your injectors, 1 to power all of them, one to fire left and one to fire right. The 2.9 does however use "true fuel injection". The system it uses is know as a batch-fire ported injection, meaning all the injectors on one side fire together, and they are pointed right at the intake valve. The system that enjr44 referenced as his example of "true fuel injection" is called direct injection, and has only become even somewhat common place on gas engines in the last 5 years, but has always been used on diesels.

Anyway, since the 2.9 fuel rail is made of regular steel it is not unheard of for the rail to corrode inside, and then when the engine doesn't get run for a while that crap can get into the injectors. Since 1 and 4 are at the front of the engine they get fuel last, and will be less prone to plugging up.

Make sure you are getting power and pulse to all injectors (I'm a little unclear how you determined which cylinder were and were not working). A 194 bulb in a socket with the wires stripped back and pushed into the pins of the injector plug will glow dimly at idle and get brighter as the engine is revved. This is a quick and dirty test for injector wiring. It's not precise, but it is accurate.

Should that check out, I would pull the rail out, remove the injectors and inspect the inlets. If you find crap in there I would try cleaning the inside of the rail with muriatic acid and then flush well with mineral spirits, and replace the injectors.
 

smudvapor

Active Member
Supporting Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
May 13, 2008
Messages
180
Reaction score
152
Points
43
Age
55
Location
Youngstown, Ohio
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
"Lets stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities."
The way that I know that 1 and 4 are working is after I finally got the engine to catch I felt the header pipes and 1 and 4 were hot. All of the others were not. They are all getting spark though, I know that for sure. The plugs in the other cylinders are not wet so that is why I am thinking injectors. I will test with the bulb you spoke of and let you know. Thanks for your help.
 

adsm08

Senior Master Grease Monkey
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
Ford Technician
TRS 20th Anniversary
Joined
Sep 20, 2009
Messages
34,623
Reaction score
3,613
Points
113
Location
Dillsburg PA
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
Ok cool. I never thought to check for a misfire that way, but yeah, no fire no heat.
 

SenorNoob

Well-Known Member
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Oct 24, 2012
Messages
2,394
Reaction score
552
Points
113
Location
Middle Tennessee
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
1.5" Front + 4" Rear
Tire Size
245-70-R16
Those are some pretty nice tricks there. I'll have to remember them.

The feeling the exhaust and the 194 bulb.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Staff online

Today's birthdays

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Shran
April Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top