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Just purchase my first Ranger please help


Cbierniat

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I just scooped up myself a dark blue 2000 Ranger 94k miles, 2wd, extended cab with the 3.0 and auto transmission. I purchased it off someone for cheap who had it sitting for over a year. Truck is running really rough keeps stalling and has absolutely no power when i give it gas.

Would old gas cause this? There was a little under 1/4 tank of gas. I put in 15 bucks hope bad and good would mix and it would run better. I have to keep giving it gas when it first starts up.

I was able to drive it home at only 50mph because the steering wheel would shake crazy. My friend who was following me said the front tire was moving around violently.

The truck has the cats removed and currently experiencing p1151 and p1131 along with an o2 sensor code.



Any help is greatly appreciated...
 


Tractor Dan

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I'm guessing that violent wheel movement is probably a wheel bearing. Could be a bent rim too i suppose. Easy wheel bearing test. Jack it up and put it on a jackstand. Grab the tire at the 12 and 6 oclock positions and try moving the tire in and out towards the wheel well. That is how we determined my fronts were bad because there was a lot of play. As for the cats being removed got a feeling that's probably part of your rough running problem. Probably is throwing the oxygen sensor reading nuts. So i would start with figuring out what the codes mean and then try to address those areas and issues. I do know when i got my 97 back in 08 i had no throttle response. Needless to say this little link fixed it and may be of help to you.

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Summer06/throttlecablemod.shtml

Also if you google the codes you are getting

P1151
http://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/ford/p1151.php

P1131
http://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/ford/

scroll down on the 1131 code and it will tell you it's an oxygen sensor issue.

Hope that helps. Really Rangers are enjoyable trucks just sounds like you got one like mine that due to a previous owner had some "issues" and might take a bit of time and work to straighten out.
 

Rearanger

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I purchased it off someone for cheap
Now you know why. Be prepared for finding lots of bad stuff.

sitting for over a year. Truck is running really rough keeps stalling and has absolutely no power when i give it gas.
Maybe water in tank being that it had so little fuel in it. It would be best if you could drain the tank, but if you can't then some dry gas additive with fill up may help to flush the water out. I'd also change the fuel filter.

The truck has the cats removed
Replace the CATS ASAP.
 

RonD

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Doesn't read like it will be too expensive to get it back to running condition.

Yes jack up the front wheel(s) and spin them, bent rim, wheel bearing or tie rod ends.

Too Lean could just be a vacuum leak, the Cat needs to be put back for sure.

I would recommend a gas treatment like seafoam in the tank, sitting for a year can get you a varnish layer in the rails and injectors, limiting flow a bit.

The 3.0l also has a weak point in the CPS(cam position sensor and synchronizer), it is in the old distributor hole in the top rear of the engine, it is driven by the cam shaft and also runs the oil pump.
These wear out, recommended change is 100k, if it breaks you lose oil pressure instantly but engine still runs, a very very bad type of failure for a $35 part.

http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/camshaft_position_sensor.html
 
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Cbierniat

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cat

Does eliminating the cat really this motor to run that horrible? I thought cat were just required because of the environment?
 

RonD

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$2,500 dollar FEDERAL FINE for no Cat, nothing to do with State Laws

Yes, it can cause an issue if it had a sensor that has been unhooked.
But no that is probably not the main cause of your symptoms
 

Rearanger

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I thought cat were just required because of the environment?
With no CAT at least your O2 sensors will throw a code for CAT efficiency. There is NO reason to eliminate the CAT, and the "environment" is not a small matter for keeping the CAT.
 

Cbierniat

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fuel pressure drop

finally got around to messing around with my newly acquired Ranger. When I turn the key forward it shoots to 60-65 then quickly drops to 40 and then slowly drops 10psi every 3-4 secs.

NOrmal?
 

Cbierniat

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fuel filter replaced

replaced fuel filter today...

Key on engine off pressure jumps to 60psi right away. About two seconds go by a click happens and it drops to 50psi and then the psi slowly falls.

Key on engine running(and trying to start) its at 60psi but the truck still will not run...

Dropped 2 1/2 more gallons of gas in the tank today... its currently right around half full. I also have put some techron and seafoam in the tank.

Pulled driver side middle plug because it seemed easiest to access and the plug looked newer.


car hasn't been able to run enough to bring up any new codes.

fuel related? weak spark? jumped timing?
 

Rearanger

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fuel related?
From your description of pressure you need a new fuel pump/regulator.

Both the pump and regulator should be in the tank attached to the same bracket.

weak spark?
You'd have to pull a plug or two and crank the engine while looking at the spark while the plug is grounded. Disable fuel pump first. Spark should be bright and blue, not yellow.

jumped timing?
Electrical timing can be checked with timing light. Mechanical timing will have to be checked with the timing chain exposed. I don't think jumping mechanical timing is something that occurs much with a timing chain. A compression check could also indicate a jumped timing chain.

It would not hurt to check the compression anyway.
 

Cbierniat

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Pulled all plugs and discovered I have 5 of one plug and a motorcraft. Swamped them out with some ngk's

replaced fuel pump with a used unit and same problem persists.

Pulled a plug n it was black.
 

Tractor Dan

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Black as in burnt or black as in wet with fuel? When i got my 97 we pulled the plugs and due to the plugs,wires,and coil being messed up some plugs hadn't fired well and were wet from unburnt fuel and looked like someone slopped gloss black paint on the threads. As for your plugs i never believed it until i experienced it but after going through a couple sets of plugs on my truck in a year or so we bit the bullet and paid the $5 a plug for motor crafts. Haven't put plugs in since 09. So my personal preference now is motorcraft in any of our fords and whatever the OEM brand is for other cars we own. Currently own 3 fords and plymouth.
 

Rearanger

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replaced fuel pump with a used unit and same problem persists.
You mean this problem:

Truck is running really rough keeps stalling and has absolutely no power when i give it gas.
Pulled a plug n it was black.
Pulled ALL plugs and only one was black or only pulled one plug and it was black?

I'd verify that the used pump is operating OK.

Done a compression test yet?
 

Cbierniat

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update

I have only pulled one plug I will likely pull them all tonight and take a peek. The one plug i pulled looked wet painted black and smelled of fuel.

I took the truck to a local shop and he said there were two codes one for MAF and other EGR. He said replace MAF and hell look at it again. He checked the fuel pressure and said it was normal.

I replaced the MAF and then another code popped up p0320

I then replaced the camshaft position sensor with a new unit. Started it up ran like crap and then after about 10 secs the idle even out and it ran perfectly over an hour in park. I restarted it numerous times and it continued to run like crap 10 secs then smooth out.

I decided to try my luck and take the truck to the car wash and that was a bad idea. It started running like sh*t again so when i got home I popped on my cheap OBD2 and the truck has P1131, P1151, P1401 and some lean codes for both banks. Since the truck is running normal on and off it leads me to believe its sensor related.


I have not done a compression test... I have never done with nor do I know how. I may be taking this truck back to the shop Monday. Mechanic stated he wouldn't charge anything to put the truck back on the scope since I already paid.
 

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