Ford Ranger Maintenance and Repair

forthood · August 2006

:sick: Hello everyone. My name is Peter and my ranger is in desperate need of help. I have a problem when I start my 1996 ranger with a 3.0 v-6 engine. the gauges all look normal. After a few seconds of idal the oil gauge goes crazy I mean like spinning completely around in circles and there is a sqeaking type sound coming from what I think is the engine compartment. I dont know if it is a bad sensor or if the oil pump is going out which I hope to god it isn't. Or I was wonder if taking the valve cover's off and cleaning out the cylinders might work. Im not sure which one is the right place to stop and Im working with very little cash and time. If anyone has had this problem or know's what it might be please email at nmdaso11@yahoo.com. If anyone can help me get my rig running again I would appreciate it. Also one other thing I left out from above. when the oil pressure gauge is going crazy on me the check gauge light flickers on and off.

Karen_S · August 2006

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wnathan67 · August 2006

Look I don't know If anyone can help but I sure hope so. I live in North Carolina and from 1996 and up they have an emissions test and if you dont pass no inspection and if it goes for 4 months dead 250.00 fine. I had 4 codes and they were PO171.po340.po440,po342.. So I went and tore truck apart replaced plugs, wires, coil packs, all vacuum hoses,throttle body,camshaft position sensor,fuel filter,air filter,emulator. And drove truck 100 miles to get new codes of PO171, Po340, So then I changed the oil and filter and drove another 100 miles and still the same codes. Does anyone know what I can do to correct the problem and by the way is there an easier way to reset the computer other than having to drive 100 miles everytime.

benz208 · August 2006

I am replacing the timing chain on a 2000 Ranger with the 3.0L V6 and am wondering if anyone knows how to move the power steering pump bracket out of the way so you can remove the timing cover.

jdbb · August 2006

I have a 1987 ranger xlt 2.9l v6 and the problem is it idles
rough and bloes out black smoke when you rev it up,I replaced the computer and 2 o2 sensors and it ran great until today and it is the same problem over again can anyone
give me any advice whst could be causing this problem again.

thanks,jmm

bmonette8385 · August 2006

Have a 2001 4 banger, man 88K miles. I have somewhat the same problemsas # 95, or at least it sounds the same. a funny pinging or rattling coming from under the hood when stresed by hills or high RPM. No funny noises when engine is cold though. Anyone have this problem before and if so whats the fix?
Thanks.

4x4rang · August 2006

i have an 03 rang 4x4, when shifting (especially from 1st to 2nd gear) i get a sort of clunking sound that sounds like its coming from the clutch maybe. im sure this cant be normal. my question is could this be a trans problem or something to do with the clutch? it only does this when upshifting, not down if that makes a difference. figured i'd ask before i trust a mechanic to do something to it so if anyone has some good advice on what it could be, i'd greatly appreciate it.

bolivar · August 2006

It's 'pinging', which is uneven burning of the gas charge across the piston when it fires.

A tune-up, plugs and wires, might help.

Otherwise, higher octane gas is about the only solution.

I don't think I've ever read a complaint about pinging on a 4 cylinder. This usually is a problem with the 3Liter V6.

bornin1775 · August 2006

Hey all - I just bought a 1987 Ford Ranger - absolutely terrific shape - from the brakes to underside - engine runs great (2.9L V6) - I'm very pleased (the guy is moving and I got it for $1200... new toolbox included!). ANyhow - the only malfunction is that the manifold is cracked - and will need replaced soon. I have the part located at several junkyards for about $35. How much should I look to spend on labor, seals , etc? I'm guessing it isn't an easy job based by the JB Weld type of material on the currebt crack. Also - As I face the truck - the manifold that is cracked is on the left - is that what I need, a left manifold? Or would it be the side it is on as I sit in the driver's seat (In other words - the right)?

Thanks...
Bob

joeg4 · August 2006

I have a 2000 ranger with 4.0 liter engine and 5 speed auto transmission then tachomer does not work any solutions?

bolivar · August 2006

Right and left in cars is always as view when you are in the driver's seat.

Right is the 'passenger' side'
Left is the 'driver' side.

You need a right manifold.

garycox · August 2006

I just had new tires placed on my 2002 Ford Ranger, Goodyear 225/70/15 Republic Invader tires. It vibrated at high speeds with the old tires but they were worn anyway and needed replaced. The vibration continues with the new tires and the balance has been checked twice. I can feel it starting at about 50mph. It doesn't shake the steering side to side it seems more of an up and down sort of shake but it's hard to tell.

Any ideas?

dbmhawaii · August 2006

Aloha. My 2001 Ranger ABS light came on last week. It stayed on for about 5 miles and then when I turned the engine off and restarted it, it was off and stayed off...for about 8-10 miles, but then it came on and has stayed on ever since. The brakes seem to be working normally. A friend of mine took the truck's wheel off to visually check the brakes and he said that they looked OK. I called a repair shop and they said that I needed to take it to a dealer. Is this something that I should be concerned about? I do like the idea of having a braking capability when I drive.

bolivar · August 2006

On older models with 2-wheel ABS, the light could come on when the brake fluid was low. Usually only when the brake was pushed.

In any case, check your fluid level.

ABS is complicated, requires different procedures to even 'pull the codes', etc. That probably why the shop did not want to work on it.

dbmhawaii · August 2006

The first thing I did was check the fluid level and it was filled. The day before the light came on, I was pulling a trailer with a full 150 gal sprayer on some pretty rough uneven pot-holed roads (out here in lava land), so I thought maybe some indicator wire was jarred loose. I really hate to take the thing to the dealer because my wallet will more than likely go into shock.....but I also need to get my car fixed. The ABS light is illuminated all the time now...whether I am braking or not.

labdog172 · August 2006

when I drive my truck for an hr or so it wont start right away...it needs 5 min or so to start again...VERY ANNOYING!

rangerboy · August 2006

Check your relays!

4x4rang · August 2006

have an 03 rang(4x4 4.0L v6) and it makes a sort of clunking noise when i shift, mainly from 1st to 2nd. it only has 28k miles on it so i find it hard to believe the clutch is going already. just wanted to know if anyone else experienced this problem or knows the fix.

montess2k4 · August 2006

i am trying to change the fuel filter on my 2001 ranger. i think i have bought every fuel line dissconnet made and i still can not get the filter off. the end that faces the engine has too small of a neck to put a tool on. anyone else have this problem? i think the tool sizes for that are 5/15 and 3/8? i will greatly appreciate any help! thanks!!!

rangerboy · August 2006

It takes a special tool to get inside the housing. It sounds like you might have got one already. You got to work at it pretty hard to get it off of there if it's like my 1995 Ranger. Should be a metal housing on the side facing the engine right?

montess2k4 · August 2006

i think the all the housings are pastic with colored clips inside them. the tool is supposed to slip in there and release the clips so you can pull it off. the one closest to the engine there is no way you can slip a tool to release that one. from the edge of the filter to the edge of the plastic housing there is like 1/4 inch to work w/. it doesn't seem like it should be this hard. please help if you can. thanks

rangerboy · August 2006

I know it's a bear to get if off of there! The one toward the fuel tank has a clip that is plastic that I just used a pair of pliers to get it off with. The side toward the engine also has a keeper that is u-shaped and metal I believe. You got to get that off of there before you can work the special tool in the housing. I think I just used a flat head screwdriver and pliers on it. My filter is inside a grooved holder that holds it in place. I think I got it loose before I got the connection toward the engine removed I don't remember. I have a special tool with a rubber band that I slipped into the connection toward the engine and really slammed it into that housing repeatedly. I actually thought it broke when it finally released! I'm guessing the filters haven't changed much over the years but I might be wrong. Mine is metal and pretty good sized. I hope this helps.

labdog172 · August 2006

Im a flooring guy...I dont know what a relay is....could you please tell me more ..thx for responding ...FRUSTRATED

landdriver · August 2006

I'm a house renovator but will answer the best I can -- a relay is an electrically activated switch -- you supply current to it's coil, and the resulting magnetic field pulls one or a set of contacts so as to either make, or break, electrical contact. It's used in applications where it's impractical or dangerous for a relatively large electrical current to pass through a standard mechanical switch. An example is a car ignition switch where you turn the key to start the engine -- the current for the starter motor does not pass through the ignition switch -- rather, the ignition switch energizes the starter relay in the engine compartment, and the current for the starter motor passes through the relay contacts.

:shades:

ado · August 2006

I have a 2000 ranger that has starting problem. when i start it up the rpm doesn't stay, it just dies. But if i step on the accelator before it dies there is a chance that the rpm would stay. sometimes i have to hold accelator for like 3-4 min to get normal rpm. if can sombody help me tx in advance

bolivar · August 2006

A guess - you have 2 temperature sensors.

1 is used for the temperature guage. I think this one has 1 wire to it.

The second is used to tell the 'computer' if the water temp is 'warmed up'. In other words, is the motor hot or cold. I think this sensor is bad, and it has 2 wires to it. (These wires may be twisted together and one may be yellow/black stripe.) The computer thinks it is doing a hot start and does not increase the fuel thru the injectors, something that is needed on a cold start. After the motor does warm up, it run ok.

gasgas321 · September 2006

Hey, Mcann, i don't know if you fixed your problem already or not, but it is the IAC valve (idle air control). I had a 98 ranger 2.5L and had one go out, and have had 2 go out on my 2K ranger 2.5L

Hope this helps

GasGas321

gasgas321 · September 2006

Hey Ado,

I had the same problems, and i believe you have the same problem as mcann. The idle air control valve controls idle, helping keep it up when cold, and down when warmed up

gasgas321 · September 2006

hey, i had a similar problem in my 2K ranger 2.5L my speed sensor in my rear diff. went out, and my abs kept turning on and the abs light was stuck on. I put a new one, and it still didn't fix it. I cleaned all of my blinker and brake light terminals in the front and back of the truck, and weird, but true, it fixed the abs light and problem. I had a bad ground, and it was grouinding backl through my abs.

GasGas 321

garycox · September 2006

Just an update, I replaced the Goodyear tires with Cooper made Mastercraft tires and they are running smooth. So the problem was with the Goodyear tires... Gary

montess2k4 · September 2006

I have a 2001 ranger xl 3.0 longbed. I recently put new plugs, wires, pcv valve, fuel filter on the truck. Before i did all this i was at 17 mpg. After all the work i am still sitting at 17 mpg. What gives? Can anyone help? Thanks!

txrottie · September 2006

My 2001 Edge, 3.0 v6 has a problem I can't find any information on. Fuse #2 blows every time I shift out to drive or reverse. The airbag light comes on, I have no overdrive, the A/C - heater fan won't blow and I have no reverse lights. The manual says all of these are functions fall on Fuse #2. Someone suggested changing the reverse switch on the transmission. I did that and it did nothing. Whenever I put a new fuse in it everything works fine until I shift.

I called a dealer and the service guy said he saw this once before and it was a wire that ran from the overdrive button on the gear shifter to the column. He said they sometimes short out and it could be it. Of course without looking at it I really don't expect an instant answer.

If anyone out there has had an experience like this or is more knowledgeable about this stuff than I am (it doesn't take a lot) PLEASE give me some input :-) I don't want to start tearing more crap apart if it isn't really needed. The service people here in Germany charge an unreal amount of money to do anything so I want to avoid them if at all posible.

Thanks

txrottie · September 2006

Turns out the wire running from the overdrive button had a bare spot on it from rubbing against metal in the column. Easy fix and I'm glad I didn't end up taking it to a dealer and getting hosed.
:P

gasgas321 · September 2006

Ok all, I have a problem. I have a 2K4 3.0 v6 ranger misfiring, i think on cylinder 2. I had a valve job done on both heads, cylinders 5,6 had burned exhaust valves, and pounded seats, and cylinder 2 had burned exhaust valve and pounded seat. No one is driving it like a maniac either. It is my dad's truck, and he drives it just like any regular person.
It has 80K ish miles on it. I replaced the throttle position sensor, plugs, wires, coil pack, valve job on both heads, all new gaskets, checked the fuel injectors with the ohm meter, and they are reading 13.5 ohms, which is within tolerance (12-16 ohms), fuel pressure is up, no codes are coming up on my code reader. I am running out of things that can be wrong with it, and still am not figuring it out.
Here is the kicker... I can unplug the wiring to cylinder 2 fuel injector, and the truck starts running worse, but if i leave it hooked up, i can unplug cylinders 1 + 3 fuel injectors, and the truck doesn't notice a difference. Ok, so i switched cylinder 2 and cylinder 3 injectors, and still, cylinder 2 is the only one to have an effect on the engine.
I have been working on this truck for a while now, and still, no progress. The misfire is slight, but still there, if you listen closely, and when you are accelerating on the freeway, it gets BAD. I hooked up the plug wires to the coil pack, according to my Chilton's manual, but when i do that, the truck will NOT run. AT ALL!! I can get it to spin over a couple of times, but the engine is trying to jump out into my neighbors yard. I hooked the wires up according to the firing order rather than what the manual said, and it runs well, but still has that little misfire. Any help would be nice.

Thanks

kennyb2 · September 2006

I have a 1999 Ranger 4X4 XLT Ex-cab V6 4.0. The left side directional light seems to get stuck on at random. Any ideas? The right side always works.

gasgas321 · September 2006

it could be the actual blinker box thing

There should be a little square box under your dash that has some prongs sticking out of the top of it, that hook up to some wiring. That box is what makes your blinkers work, and that is the sound you here when it is on. To find it, turn your blinker on, and follow the sound

mpwbw · September 2006

My last two rangers did the same thing. I had a 4*2 Ext. Cab 3 liter V6 and now a 4*4 4.0 liter V6. I too had the tranny fluid changed.

The problem comes and goes. I keep up with maintenance and only go to major gas stations like Citgo, Shell, Sunoco. The problem comes and goes.

If it is low fuel pressure -- how does one correct this? I already had the fuel filter replaced, which didn't look terrible, even though it was rusted somewhat on the outside and the truck only had 30,000 highway miles on it.

Any input would be appreciated.

jimlab · September 2006

I have a 96 Ranger XLT, 4wd, 4.0L auto. It recently started draining the battery down overnight.

So far I have swapped the battery out with a known good battery. Pulled the alternator and taken it to the local advanced auto and auto zone for testing. Pulled the hood light, glove box lights and dome lights. All of which have made no difference.

I then measured across the battery under no/full load conditions with the car idling and I get about 14.2 volts. I also revved the truck up to 2-3000 rpm, and the voltage remained steady.

I then went and pulled each of the fuses in the cab fuse box and measured across each location in the fuse box to see if I could find a short (if the circuit is complete (or shorted) you'll measure voltage across the fuse location). Most of the locations measured 0 volts except for the following:

Location 21 Hazard Lamps
Location 24 Starter/Anti-theft
Location 25 Speedo/GEM
Location 27 Courtesy Lights
Location 28 GEM

I can see how the antitheft and GEM can draw power all the time, but the courtesy lights and hazard lamps kind of threw me.

Anybody have any ideas other than pulling fuses everynight and seeing if I can isolate the current draw that way? Is it possible for the alternator to test out OK, but have leaky diodes that can cause this problem? I'd also be interested in knowing what the typical current draw from the battery is with everything off- I think I measured something like 200 milliamps.

Thanks,
Jim

frohrs · September 2006

Thanks Bolivar you share some good info!

I agree change all three. I have a 95 2300 Ranger & the fuel pump just went out. Turn the ignition to "ON" you can't here the pump:( Original Ford pump $200.00 at the dealer. Car Quest Air-Tex pump with hanger $179.00. Looks like I'm heading to Car Quest for a pump & than changing all three relays.

rangerboy · September 2006

As some of you out there might know I have had intermittent problems with my Ranger starting. Well I originally swapped my relays and then I replaced them altogether. Well I was going home on monday and the thing was dying and sputtering all the way. Like before I would wiggle my relays and get it to start. Well I took it to the shop on tuesday and had them look at it. It was the pin connection underneath the relay box. They changed my pins and tightened them up and the problem has been fixed. $103 wasn't too bad of deal I thought!

landdriver · September 2006

Not positive but 200 mA seems way high to me, corresponding to 2.4W, about the current drawn by a map light bulb. It probably accounts for the battery draining overnight.

The voltage you read across the fuse contacts is explained if the switches that control the corresponding devices are semiconductor-based, not mechanical. Semiconductor switches, when "off," do exhibit some leakage resistance which, when in series with the device being controlled, for example, a light bulb, completes the path needed for the voltmeter to see the battery voltage.

A better test would be to put an ammeter across the fuse contacts and measure the resulting current. Hopefully this will help isolate the current leak. Equivalently you can keep the ammeter connected in series with the battery and pull fuses/disconnect connectors until the 200 mA current draw disappears.

jipster · September 2006

The truck just rolled over 110,000 miles and to date the only problem I have encountered is a bad U-Joint that was replaced with about 60K on the odometer. The front wheel bearings and clutch will have to be replaced sometime in the future but all things considered this has been a dirt cheep truck to own. It returns 26mpg in mixed driving consistantly. I am looking at replacing the truck in the next year or so but havent found anything out there worth the money. shopped toyo, nissan, gm and nothing stands out as being any better for my needs. I am starting to look more closely at the explorer sport trac though.

exploder750 · September 2006

You have a Ranger setup that's famously bulletproof. Mine's a '96 4WD standard cab 4.0 5MT, and has been pretty good, 115,000 miles. Pulling down only 20mpg tops, but what can one expect for 3.73 gears, even with overdrive. I'm looking at the Sport Trac as well, but it seems a bit upscale for my needs. Too bad smaller engines and a manual transmission aren't available.

ray33 · September 2006

i too have wiring problems with my 1991 Ford Ranger 2wd. Does any have a copy of the wiring schematics that they can email to me? This is driving me nuts!!! thank you

w190e · September 2006

had battery check good had starter checked good
replaced the stater relay, the voltage reglater new
starter switch. help

highgear13513 · September 2006

just bought a 97 2.3 with the same problem. Did you find any ssolution?

Thanks

Keep it in

HighGear

wookie1 · September 2006

i have a 97 ranger i was driving it a few days ago went to throttle down because of trafic and it quit pulling in drive and had no reverse i can turn the O/D switch off and works fine in forward gears and will go into overdrive when i am moving but when i stop i have to turn it off to move again and still no reverse this was an instant thing the trans had been working fine before and the O/D light was flashing after i let it sit for a few days the light quit flashing but still have the problems. any one got any ideas of what the problem is?

bolivar · September 2006

The sensor in the rear differential.

wookie1 · September 2006

called the dealer parts dept. they don't have a clue about a sensor in the differential for the trans.

copperwind1 · September 2006

Your ABS control box may be dead??? My dad had his go out in his 92 4X4 and it had to be replaced. Same issues... ie. ABS light on all the time. Breaks work fine. Still, the ABS does not and you won't know it until you have to slam on the brakes. I think it was around $300 for some one to stick a new one in for him? Not cheap, but you want to get your ABS fixed... IMO.

Ford Ranger Maintenance and Repair

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