87 Ranger issues

[360k 87 Ranger]

Hi all, long time lurker here, but this is my first post. I'm stuck and havn't a clue what is going on with my old truck. I hope someone can start pointing me in the right direction before I start dishing out to much cash on things I may not need.

After a week of -40 weather, on the last day of the cold spell, I drove the truck around all day and it ran fine as usual - got home and it sat for about 2 or 3 hours, then when we were leaving again, all these problems were suddenly there. We have a nice weekend coming up (only -15 or so) and I will be able to work outside on the thing. The garage told me the truck was to old for thier current computers to give codes, so they would have to go over it old school style. At 70 bucks an hour, they can stick it!

Tried to run codes, but there are no blinking lights on the console or I don't have a check engine light. I only have a digital multi-meter, and I couldn't get it to work correctly by direct hook up to the test points to spit out the codes. I understand how a regular one with the needle would do sweeps, but how would the numbers look on a digital one? They were just everywhere and inconsistant. If I need to, I'll go buy a code reader from Canadian Tire, they are about 70 or 80 bucks.

Here are the details and observations:
1987 Red Ranger
2.9L
360,000 KM's on it.
Manual 4 speed with overdrive (5 speed?)

I have no idea the last time any of the sensors or relays were replaced. I have had the truck for a year and done the regular maintenance on it, and it always runs great and has pretty good pickup and power.

Not leaking any fludes at all anywhere. The rad was a little low - maybe a litre or so to top it up.
Oil is good, changed regularly.
Runs very rough and is useing a lot of fuel. Lots of thick gassy smelling smoke out the tail pipe.
Has very little power at all while driving, very slow to get up to speed and will barely make it up hills.
Replaced cap, router, OHM'd out the plug wires (5 months old), and they all seem to test OK. I hooked up my timing light to each plug wire to see if they were all working OK as well, and the light blinked nice and steady for all of them - I'm not sure if this is a good test at all to do, but I figured I'd try it anyway. Only pulled a couple of plugs, and they seemed pretty good yet except they are starting to turn black, probably from excessive fuel - 5 months old as well. I will replace them all this weekend anyway. What are the chances of all spark plugs going bad at once?
When idleing, it runs about 1100 or 1200 RPM (stock gauges), then sometimes it will drop down to about 800-900 for 10 minutes or so, then go back up again. It does this repeatedly.

No hot air is blowing from the heater. This started slowly, but only took a few days to stop all together. The fan is blowing like it should, and it only gets a little warm. Temp guage in the truck does not move at all above the cold mark anymore - this seemed to coinside with the no cold air blowing problem as well. I usually sits about half way up the guage, but slowly would not get up that high anymore and now it doesn't budge.

Tried to run codes, but there are no blinking lights on the console or I don't have a check engine light - I replaced all bulbs in the summer, I just don't recall if one of them was for a check engine spot - does one actually say "Check Engine"? I only have a digital multi-meter, and I couldn't get it to work correctly by direct hook up to the test points to spit out the codes. I understand how a regular one with the needle would do sweeps, but how would the numbers look on a digital one? They were just everywhere and inconsistant.

I am not sure about the timing - maybe it is wayyy off. The timing mark we would watch is to the right of the needle - as long as each small mark is 1 degree, the mark is about 10 away to the right of the needle. If thats 10 degrees BTDC, then I would say it's good... unless it should be to the left of the needle, then that would explain some things.

One of the brakes lines started to leak a little bit as well, but thats an easy fix.

Someone told me the cats are plugged and to cut them out. I'll wait for other opinions before I get under there with a hack saw though.

I wonder if the thermostat is plugged/not working. How would I tell if the water pump is working or not? It's nice and quite and doesn't moan or make any sound. Would a bad temp sensor cause it not to blow out heat? I can't see how it would affect that since it should just be water pumping through the heater core in the cab.

Thanks for any help anyone can give me, and sorry for the long winded post.

 

[Millster]

One of your questions, I can answer. Your thermostat is shot. It's staying open and not letting the engine come up to temperature. That's why A) you have no heat and B) your truck never warms up. The water pump, if failed, would cause major problems. Mainly, your truck would overheat due to lack of circulation.

As far as the lack of power, could be plugged cats especially if you're running rich. But the running rich isn't being caused by the plugged cats. That's about the most help I can be at the moment. Still learning the finer points of Ranger troubleshooting, myself.

 

[DisturbedMXer8]

The Thermostat could be causing all of those issues. If your truck isn't getting up to operating temperature (or if it's not warming up at all), you will have a pretty good lack of power, and it could also explain why you're running rich: When your engine first starts warming up, the computer is in open loop and adds extra fuel to warm it up faster. The computer could be dumping in fuel to try and warm it up, but it won't happen because of the defective Thermostat. It would also explain why you aren't getting heat from the heater, since that coolant isn't getting hot. Thermostats are cheap, I got one from Kragen for like 8 bucks. Definitely put a new one in and see if that fixes it.

 

[360k 87 Ranger]

OK sounds good. If it's that easy a fix, I'll be pretty darn happy. They still only have 2 bolts on these fancy newer vehicles? Have only ever changed em on my old 72 Ford halfton Just kidding.

Thanks for the info, I'll report back tomorrow after I have changed it out.

 

[piotrsko]

1/2 ton is probably easier to change.

take a piece of cardboard or an old blanket and block most of the radiator from external airflow. don't get too carried away, but drive it for a while and see if it warms up. if it does, VIOLA!! the thermostat has died.

 

[robertc1024]

If the t-stat or cardboard doesn't fix the running super-rich problem, the most common causes seem to be a bad fuel pressure regulator, bad ground wires or the engine coolant temperature sensor.

 

[baxtej44]

i had the EXACT same temp problem, drained all the fluid out of the valve in the bottom of my radiator, undid the bolts that go from the radiator hose to the block, popped out the thermostat and the rubber O ring that goes around it, put new parts in, and put the bolts back in.

heated up right away, awesome heat now.


i didn't know that a bad thermostat can cause running rich... i have noticed my exhaust also smells(ed) gassy... hopefully i get better mpgs now!!! i was getting 14 on a good week usually.

 

[DisturbedMXer8]

i had the EXACT same temp problem, drained all the fluid out of the valve in the bottom of my radiator, undid the bolts that go from the radiator hose to the block, popped out the thermostat and the rubber O ring that goes around it, put new parts in, and put the bolts back in.

heated up right away, awesome heat now.


i didn't know that a bad thermostat can cause running rich... i have noticed my exhaust also smells(ed) gassy... hopefully i get better mpgs now!!! i was getting 14 on a good week usually.

It's not so much the Thermostat that's causing the rich condition, it's causing the computer to stay in open loop and dump in fuel because it's not warming up. So on older carbureted cars, it probably wouldn't happen. Just the computer controlled ones.

And yeah, 14 mpg is pretty low (unless you drive strictly street), so you should notice somewhat of an increase. My 88 2.9 gets about 20 MPG, but I drive about 99% freeway.

 

[IMenriched]

Hi all, long time lurker here,

I am not sure about the timing - maybe it is wayyy off. The timing mark we would watch is to the right of the needle - as long as each small mark is 1 degree, the mark is about 10 away to the right of the needle. If thats 10 degrees BTDC, then I would say it's good... unless it should be to the left of the needle, then that would explain some things.


Thanks for any help anyone can give me, and sorry for the long winded post.

Just re-read this...not sure applies to everyone...but on mine timing marks are 2deg each....what Helped myself to help get them seen was take some fine sand paper and buff the timing mark area of the harmonic balancer...once cleaned up took white out or white nail polish & touched up the numbers again. Oh yes, before setting base timing, don't forget to remove the spout plug.

And agreed with other to check the temp sensor

 

[Dwranger]

I have an 1987 ranger that's been acting up to with gassy smell don't idle great running rich I know thermostat is good
The gauge for temperature don't move at all but when you ground the sending unit the gauge moves
Im thinking the coolant temp sensor isn't working which is throwing idle and running rich outa wack
Will replace it and report back

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I have an 1987 ranger that's been acting up to with gassy smell don't idle great running rich I know thermostat is good
The gauge for temperature don't move at all but when you ground the sending unit the gauge moves
Im thinking the coolant temp sensor isn't working which is throwing idle and running rich outa wack
Will replace it and report back

The gauge is controlled by a different sender then the one telling the ECM coolant temp.

Pull the vacuum line off the fuel pressure regulator and see if theres fuel in the hose...thats probably the most common 2.9 rich issue. If theres gas in the line you need an FPR

 

[Dwranger]

The gauge is controlled by a different sender then the one telling the ECM coolant temp.

Pull the vacuum line off the fuel pressure regulator and see if theres fuel in the hose...thats probably the most common 2.9 rich issue. If theres gas in the line you need an FPR

That had been replaced already
I've tryed 2 different sending units for the gauge still nothing
But if you ground the sending unit wire the gauge goes to hot right away so I know the gauge is working

 

[rusty ol ranger]

That had been replaced already
I've tryed 2 different sending units for the gauge still nothing
But if you ground the sending unit wire the gauge goes to hot right away so I know the gauge is working

Dont put teflon tape on the threads.

But either way thats not your rich issue

 

[Dwranger]

I never said the sending unit is my rich issue
I read above others were saying if the ecm is not knowing temp of engine it's adding fuel to warm up
There for that would give me my rich issue

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I never said the sending unit is my rich issue
I read above others were saying if the ecm is not knowing temp of engine it's adding fuel to warm up
There for that would give me my rich issue

And thats correct, i must of misunderstood...i thought you were under the assumption the same sender fed the gauge and the ECM