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2.3 missing under load & wot


Turbroke

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My turbo Ranger idles great and accelerates fairly well in 1st, 2nd, and even 3rd for a second, but the trouble really starts when trying to accelerate in 4th and 5th. Also when climbing steep grades right about at 2600 rpm. The turbo spools and the engine gets a regular miss and will not accelerate. (run-stall-run-stall-run etc.) Backing off on the gas pedal is the only remedy for this and I can not run WOT. I've owned a few 2.3 turbo vehicles over the years and know they are very finicky about air escaping the intake, so I checked. Seems ok. If the fuel pump was inadequate, or filter clogged wouldn't the miss happen just as much in the lower gear range? :icon_confused: I'm just hoping somebody might recognize this problem and point me in the right direction. I am running an 88' Turbo Coupe, 2.3 with an LA3, DIS, Ranger cam, straight 2.25" exhaust pipe & big VAM. Other than that issue; it runs just fine. I drive it every day. It just starts crapping out in the "sweet spot" right when it should be doing the dead opposite. Sound familiar?
 


scotts90ranger

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Try unplugging the knock sensor and seeing what that does... I have a feeling it's seeing something that it shouldn't be, I don't think you'll get a code for that being unplugged.
 

Turbroke

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I'll try that; although, it was running exactly the same way before I corrected the wiring. (Had the knock sensor and coolant temp sensor wires mismatched. It starts much better when warmed up now, but correcting it had no effect on the miss.)
 

redhurricane

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I had similar issues, with MS1extra. Fuel delivery was an issue, replaced the stock in tank sender as well as replaced the inline high pressure pump with a Walbro 255LPH. Now running 42# high impedance injectors and have zero misfires.
 

svo_jon

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Check your plug gap. My svo developed a miss and it turned out to be a slightly eroded plug gap. In my case .002 made the difference....

Hope that helps
Jonathan
 

Turbroke

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I had similar issues, with MS1extra. Fuel delivery was an issue, replaced the stock in tank sender as well as replaced the inline high pressure pump with a Walbro 255LPH. Now running 42# high impedance injectors and have zero misfires.
Check your plug gap. My svo developed a miss and it turned out to be a slightly eroded plug gap. In my case .002 made the difference....

Hope that helps
Jonathan
I'm going to replace plugs and wires just to rule them out. (It's time anyway) If that don't do the trick; I suppose it's time to start questioning the fuel pump. I'm running the stock, low impedance, brown tops and had hoped the stock pump would deliver enough gas. This spring, I'm taking the bed off to replace, or repair the sending unit, (hate it when the gas gauge don't work)so will trouble shoot everything else in the meanwhile. Could this possibly be a TPS problem?
 

scotts90ranger

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From what I've read, the TPS is just used to give it some power enrichment above 80% throttle or something like that, and to put it into IAC control, so I don't think it's the problem.

Having just bought a fuel sending unit and installed it recently myself, it's $55 at rockauto for the whole works, or $50 for the sending unit and $35 for the pump (I got the Delphi one) and another $5 for the sock so the $55 option is best :). I'm using a stock replacement pump and it's working just fine, that's all I've used and haven't had any problems related to fuel supply. If by chance you do want to try a different fuel pump I have the one I was running sitting in the garage in a box that the whole mess fits in, my gauge worked but had a dead spot at about half tank, but found the ground wire to the sender lever broke so that could be the problem...
 

Turbroke

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That's what I thought too, but then I saw this troubleshooting tutorial that got me thinking otherwise. The thing that really confuses me is that it mostly accelerates fine in 1st, 2nd and third. The real trouble starts @ higher speeds in 4th and 5th. (around 2500-2700 rpm it don't want to accelerate anymore) So, jackrabbit starts are okay, but passing vehicles and climbing steep grades are a problem as is achieving any speed above 70 mph or so... after that it starts coughing. :icon_confused: I really would like to keep the stock fuel pump set-up, but will put an inline, Walbro as many have seemed to have to do. (I don't see 90lb. injectors in my future. lol It's plenty fast enough to make me smile if I can just get it running right) I drive it to work every day...No problems, but what I've been complaining about.
 

scotts90ranger

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You're probably pushing about as much power as I am if not a little less since I've done head work, you should have plenty of fuel with the stock pump unless the pump can't keep up which it sounds like is a possibility... I can do whatever I want and it will push 12psi, apparently I'm running about 2600rpm at 60mph and I can do 12psi then without a problem, my only problems are running that engine speed at between 0 and 5psi boost where it feels like it has a bit of a miss and is sluggish
 

Turbroke

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Mine seems to do pretty good under low boost. It will take right off from a dead stop, but then acts up at cruising speed.
 

DCinDC

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It's ignition. It's always ignition.
Did the wires and plugs fix it?
On 2.3 T cars, they need new wires at LEAST once a year. Sometimes every six months.
 

scotts90ranger

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That does make sense, more cylinder pressure causes mor resistance to spark which would make the engine more picky on plug wires... I haven't had those problems though
 

Turbroke

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I've been working a lot and haven't had much time to mess with it, but the truck still runs the same way under load. I've replaced the fuel filter, plugs and wires, discovered a vacuum hose mistake/corrected it, and had the fuel pump tested. (It pumps plenty of gas) Now with the hoses hooked up correctly it idles @ 2000 rpm and is getting 10 mpg. So symptoms are now: BAD gas mileage, fast idle, hesitation on acceleration/poor overall performance. I could sure use a clue.
 

DCinDC

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I'm assuming that all the "normal" stuffis right; tuneup, timin, vac routing, proper egr control and flow, no CEL, non clogged exhaust etc.

This is a guess.

Start it up and let it idle for about a minute. Then shut it off, pull the plugs and see if any are wet with fuel. An injector may be hung open.

another test: put a voltmeter on each injector firing wire. One of each injector wire should be constant hot voltage. The other should read about half that when idling. If any firing wire reads zero then you have a shorted injector driver and will need computer repair or replacement.
 

Turbroke

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Never attribute to malice things that are better explained by stupidity.
Appreciate all the advice. I did it all, but it still isn't right. I'm just gonna bite the bullet and take it to the shop. I'll post the results when it's all worked out. Hopefully, it's something simple that just got overlooked.
 

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