Occasional Engine Stumble - Ford Ranger Forum

LoneEagle · 03-29-2009, 02:39 AM

I am the proud owner of a 1994 Ranger XLT extended cab with a 2.3L with nealy 182k miles on it. For the last few years I have experienced an occasional stumble while driving around. The truck seems to lose a cylinder and loses power while in fifth gear on the interstate. If I shift back into fourth the engine regains stability and smooths out. Just curious if anyone else has had the same problem. I hope to drive my truck until it reaches 250k or more miles hopefully many more. Any and all ideas are appreciated and thank you all in advance.

**Jon** · 03-29-2009, 12:06 PM

Welcome LoneEagle!

WesternPaRanger · 03-29-2009, 03:18 PM

Welcome, and I would guess fuel delivery or spark as the first culprits, then I would possibly consider the cat. converter.

LoneEagle · 03-30-2009, 01:33 AM

Replaced the cat about 2 years ago and the fuel pump went out at about 125k and was replaced. I do still have the original plug wires on my truck tho but the plugs have been changed. Someone told me they had a similar problem with their Ranger and they took care of it by changeing the TPS. I looked into that and it looks to me like I would need to take the intake off to get to the TPS and unfortunately I am not all that mechanically inclined. How difficult is it to change the plugwires on my truck as it looks to be a pain. Four of them are easy but the other four ...

WesternPaRanger · 03-30-2009, 07:18 PM

Wow, change the wires already! They are a royal pain to change but that is more than likely the culprit. Pull the truck into a dark space and let it run and lift the hood and I can almost bet you'll see cute little lightning bolts all over the place.

Tonya Gilmore · 03-31-2009, 04:14 AM

The plug wires on a Ranger are definitely a pain to change! If you know somebody with small hands have them help you. Not real familiar with the 2.3, but I know on the 4.0 even with me having small hands I can get cut pretty good.

bayley77 · 03-31-2009, 09:05 PM

take off the throttle body, 4 bolts, makes it alot easier to change plugs and wires. did mine last week in 1 hour.

Ham-Bone · 04-01-2009, 07:47 PM

ya try the plug wires

03-29-2009, 02:39 AM	#1
LoneEagle Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: So. Beloit, IL Posts: 4	Occasional Engine Stumble I am the proud owner of a 1994 Ranger XLT extended cab with a 2.3L with nealy 182k miles on it. For the last few years I have experienced an occasional stumble while driving around. The truck seems to lose a cylinder and loses power while in fifth gear on the interstate. If I shift back into fourth the engine regains stability and smooths out. Just curious if anyone else has had the same problem. I hope to drive my truck until it reaches 250k or more miles hopefully many more. Any and all ideas are appreciated and thank you all in advance.

03-29-2009, 12:06 PM	#2
Jon Administrator Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 448	Welcome LoneEagle! __________________ *Jon* Have you registered??

03-29-2009, 03:18 PM	#3
WesternPaRanger Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Amishland Posts: 68	Welcome, and I would guess fuel delivery or spark as the first culprits, then I would possibly consider the cat. converter. __________________ if you can't fix it with duct tape and a sawzall don't bother...

03-30-2009, 07:18 PM	#5
WesternPaRanger Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Amishland Posts: 68	Wow, change the wires already! They are a royal pain to change but that is more than likely the culprit. Pull the truck into a dark space and let it run and lift the hood and I can almost bet you'll see cute little lightning bolts all over the place. __________________ if you can't fix it with duct tape and a sawzall don't bother...

03-31-2009, 04:14 AM	#6
Tonya Gilmore Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Clinton, Tennessee Posts: 127	The plug wires on a Ranger are definitely a pain to change! If you know somebody with small hands have them help you. Not real familiar with the 2.3, but I know on the 4.0 even with me having small hands I can get cut pretty good. __________________ 2002 Ford Ranger 4.0 4x4--K&N 77 Series Polished Intake--Black headlights & corners

03-30-2009, 01:33 AM	#4
LoneEagle Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: So. Beloit, IL Posts: 4	Replaced the cat about 2 years ago and the fuel pump went out at about 125k and was replaced. I do still have the original plug wires on my truck tho but the plugs have been changed. Someone told me they had a similar problem with their Ranger and they took care of it by changeing the TPS. I looked into that and it looks to me like I would need to take the intake off to get to the TPS and unfortunately I am not all that mechanically inclined. How difficult is it to change the plugwires on my truck as it looks to be a pain. Four of them are easy but the other four ...

03-31-2009, 09:05 PM	#7
bayley77 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: michigan Posts: 16	take off the throttle body, 4 bolts, makes it alot easier to change plugs and wires. did mine last week in 1 hour.

04-01-2009, 07:47 PM	#8
Ham-Bone Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 68	ya try the plug wires __________________ Real trucks DON'T have spark plugs

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