So I bought a 1991 ford ranger 2.9 v6 and can not figure out what
might be wrong with it. any help would be great.
This is what i have done.
In this order
New battery
New spark plugs
New fuel injectors
New fuel filter
New Cap and rotor
New coil
So i started by getting the new spark plugs since the old ones looked
bad. Cleaned the fuel system and put new injectors since the person
i
bought the truck from said that a farm helper had put some diesel in
the truck and thats what started the issue. Checked that there is a
ton of fuel at the rail by pressing the tire fill looking vale.
sprayed a lot for a few seconds. checked that i have spark and i do.
Took a plug out and turned the motor with my finger trying to plug
the
hole just to see if i have compression and i do. Would not start.
my
grandpa and step dad thought it might be the timing so we tore it
down
and checked the chain alignment. right on the money. so i have spark
fuel and compression. i thought it might be the spark is not strong
enough so i got a new coil, cap and rotor. also bought a distributor
but the one i got from a junk yard would not fit for some reason so i
am gonna go get another this week and try that even though i do have
spark. Maybe the module which is attached to the distributor is the
cause even though i have spark. who knows. when i had the timing
cover off i also replaced the water pump because the old one looked
bad. i just dont understand what the issue could be. So another
suggestion was to try and get it to go on starting fluid. No help.
I
feel like i am at the end of what i know could be an issue. Plenty of
air since the air filter is newer and even if i take the intake hose
between the throttle body and air cleaner box (air cleaner box houses
the mass air flow sensor) to inject the starter fluid i still get
nothing. The worst part is it will run for a brief moment after a
week of sitting out at my grandpas house but run poorly and only for
about 5-10 seconds.
So here are a few questions.
1. if the motor has compression and spark and the firing order is
right 1,4,2,5,3,6 and i am at tdc and the order starts on the right
place on the cap then should it start when the intake is taken off
and
the starter fluid is injected into the throttle body?
2. i have found a person who helped determine that i have 6 injectors
that fire three at a time and that they are also right. so i didnt
cross any wires when i installed the new injectors. Can i verify the
fuel is making it to the cylinder in the correct order?
3. Where else can i go with this?
I am hoping that i do not have to run down to the local Ford dealer
and have them put it on a scope because that is 80 dollars i do not
have but i am kinda at the end of what i can think of.
Please help me. It is a b day present from my wife and we can use a
truck. (who cant)
Thanks for looking and trying to think of a solution.
Mike

UPDATE!!!!

Okay so i have now checked how much fuel pressure i have and, i have
45 psi and the flow fell into spec. i think it was like a liter per
30
sec or something i dont remember. i have also replaced the
distributor and put it back at tdc number 1 and connected the spark
plug wires in the correct order. the distributor has a "pick up"
instead of a crank shaft possision sensor or cam shaft sensor. the
truck will start when i have the accelerator pedal all the way down
to
the floor for a second. all it will do is kinda start up for a second
and then die. vroom and then dead. i also made sure that all
cylinders have compression within range. number four was like 15 lbs
less than others but still holding for the most part. dont remember
the exact numbers. i have a haynes book but it is out in my grandpas
shop along with the truck.
the spark plugs seem to keep getting black which i would think means
it is running rich but im not sure.
also did a koeo test ( key on engine off ) of the computer and
sensors
but the truck has not ran for a long time and has also had the batt
out for long enough to reset the stored codes. in any event the
computer registered 11 which my book says indicates a pass. im not
to
sure where to go from here.
i have not replaced the fuel lines but i have replaced everything
else
in the fuel system (pump,filter,pressure regulator, all 6 injectors)
after flushing the fuel system with old parts on and verifying that i
have clean gas. same color in the tank as what comes out the
pressure
tester and what goes in the tank. i tested the color in all three
places by comparison in a water bottle with a small sample. all
exactly the same. my step
dad used to be a mechanic but can not figure the issue out and my
grandpa has been around a lot of cars and he is not sure either.
question 1
as i have come to understand an ignition switch turns on when the
motor is cranking and stays on when the key is on run . is there a
way
to test this switch?
question 2
can you help me???
any info would be greatly appreciated
Mike

alan b. mac farlane

in article f7392ed6-3f72-4838-9ece-744e5f6f343a...oglegroups.com,


Hi Mike ... they likely ran it on diesel until they killed it, spent the
smog system.

likey your O2 sensor is gone, there are charcoal canisters that let go and
fill the system up with ... coal.

I am guessing if you are good with smog control you can get it running, pass
smog even ... and it run for a few hundred miles that way until ... it gets
plugged again.

you got a good engine ... just no ventilation ... no negative pressure to
make the adjusters work properly ... and no sensors working telling the carb
run without flooding the system.

usually damage such as this ... is like having the car get flooded in muddy
waters ... usually trashes the computer chip and the vehicle is cheaper to
melt down and start anew then to fix it ... as it will be a very high
maintenance Fix Or Repair Daily machine for you.

Other then that, better get a helmet, the Jonestown nutters are under attack
by the Spearchucking God of Pat Robertson.

All Hail Moses and the Serpent Staff from the God of Fire.

sumbuddie wear blind sea

thanks for the comment but it is fuel injected and should be able to
be cleaned out. feel free to ask questions if i am missing info

alan b. mac farlane

in article
259a8381-ecd6-40ee-8c6f-41d05a26d56f...oglegroups.com,


yeppers ... I agree ... keeping it clean when it has been filled with coal
dust ... well that .... I purport is another matter.

you have not missed anything other then running a battery to ground check
.... sparks at plugs is a good sign ... so it makes me think the Oxygen
sensor smog system is out as well as the ventilation system is full of coal
dust smeared in gunk that comes free with heat and gas ... hence the other
matter.

Get all those tubes attached to the Postive Crankcase Ventilation system
sorted out and run down one at a time ... checking for sucking negative
pressure ... and set the hose right ... to that in the system. Usually on
the hood frame there is a schematic ... but any Clinton's like reference
will make it up just as well.

Get the smog sensors up and running ...

It will run.

How long .. no say.

sumbuddie hear a cougar growl ...

.... two riders are approaching and the wind begin to howl.

Get that helmet ... Spearchucking God time.

All Hail the Jealous God of Fire and His Serpent Staff.

lugnut

Sounds like you have little to show for a lot of work and money so far. It
looks like you have replaced the plugs and done some work with the distributor.
You also indicate the firing order. I hope you have used this firing order with
the understanding that Ford engines have #1 at the right front and number front
to rear 1,2,3 and then the left 4,5,6. If you wired it alternating sides, the
firing order will make it seem like it wants to run but, can't.

If the firing order is correct and the plugs are fouling black or wet, the ECT
may be bad. The ECM uses this input for the engine starting and running
temperature. If it is open or too high resistance, the ECM will go rich. If
you hold the throttle on the floor for a few seconds while cranking, the ECM
will go into flood clear mode and turn off the injectors for starting. This
allows excess fuel to be cleared.

If you do not already have a good service manual, you need to get one that
details the operation and repair of the ignition and fuel system. Such a manual
will have instructions for extracting the fault codes from the ECM without a
scanner. You will need a helper to count the flashes of the check engine light
on the dash. The codes and the instructions are on the net in several places.
You should not be replacing any parts until you have extracted any fault codes
and determined why they exist. A fault code can be set by a seemingly unrelated
problem.

BTW, if the tank has not been drained of the Diesel, you should do that. You
may want to drop the tank after draining and wash out with fresh gasoline.

Good luck

Lugnut

alan b. mac farlane

in article lcegb45lgklf2n97sgvgb732gdsknuq5ab@4ax.com, lugnut at

yeah .... i say scrap the engine and get a 'super long block' ... take
ranger engine out of scrap yard along with the smog system ... swap em out
and keep the body going for $1500. Otherwise melt it all down and purchase
a ranger that runs with the same mileage for $3000. Penny wise and dollar
foolish gets em every time ... Las Vegas luvs ya baybee.

Get that helmet ... Spearchucking Jealous God time.

sumbuddie wear blind sea dem golden gobblestones