new to me Ranger - idle problems

[bryanb]

Guess I could post there too, I didn't notice this forum section the first time...

I just brought home the inherited '89 Ranger. its a 2.3L dual plug head, with the A4LD tranny.

Had some work to do before I drove it 1000+ miles home. Replaced the spark plugs, wires. Changed the oil/ filter. Changed the differential fluid. Purred like a kitten...

About 1/4 the way home, it started to idle real bad. Down to about 600 rpm, and sounds like its missing a cylinder, maybe. chug - chug - chug - chug - chug - chug.... Seems to run fine off idle, and at cruising speed (75 mph). And got around 20 mpg.

Don't know if its related, but it also started to shift in to D, and R real hard. The whole truck twists, and with the brakes held on, it will still chirp the tires going into D.

Any quick easy things I can try to look for here?

 

[bryanb]

Sounds like a vacuum line fell off. Check your vacuum lines to make sure they are on and tight.
Did you replace the PCV valve? That is sometimes a hidden vac leak.

As far as I can tell the vacuum lines look good. But I don't know much about them. A friend has a vacuum gauge, but is still looking for it.

I pulled all the plugs out tonight, and they all look pretty much new, with only 1000 miles on them.

The compression is 90-90-90-130 on cylinders 1-4, respectively. thats kinda odd, I thought.

The PCV valve isn't new, but it looks good. Not all full of gunk, and fairly dry, and jiggles like its supposed to.

 

[press 1 for english]

As far as I can tell the vacuum lines look good. But I don't know much about them. A friend has a vacuum gauge, but is still looking for it.

I pulled all the plugs out tonight, and they all look pretty much new, with only 1000 miles on them.

The compression is 90-90-90-130 on cylinders 1-4, respectively. thats kinda odd, I thought.

The PCV valve isn't new, but it looks good. Not all full of gunk, and fairly dry, and jiggles like its supposed to.

130 seems fine but 90 indicates your engine is worn out.

 

[bryanb]

130 seems fine but 90 indicates your engine is worn out.

That would be a little odd too. It has 122K on it now, and my brother had a used engine put in it recently, with somewhere around 50K on it.

But I want to do that compression test again; I just did a quick and dirty test, no engine warmup, or anything...