So Ive read through a number of threads similar to my problem and followed the majority of the recommendations. I have a 99 3.0 flexfuel. Have had misfire P0306 and P01404 in the past. Had valve job done and replaced all exhaust seats. Compression reads

1. 160
2. 168
3. 158
4. 155
5. 164
6. 162

I have also replaced plugs and wires, swapped IACV and EGR solenoid, thoroughly checked and replaced all vacuum lines

Problem is the engine idles high and rough. While driving i get a pinging when traveling up hill and on acceleration.

I can get the engine to run smoothly at idle by removing the number 6 plug wire. I have tried swapping the number 2 and 6 plug wires at the coil, swapped injectors around and everything i can think of to isolate the problem. Still engine runs great without cylinder 6.

Any Ideas?


Jared

 

My brother had the same issue with his truck. The misfire was caused by a bad fuel injector and while your at it change the plug cause its probably fouled. Just my .02. It fixed my brothers and to be honest I found the cylinder misfire and replaced the injector cause he had good spark but didnt replace the plug and when we brought it to the dealership they replaced what they said looked to be a fouled plug and its been happy cruising since.

 

I had also thought it was the injectors but I switched Banks 1 and 2 on the Rail, same issue. Plugs are clean and hae also been switched. Im going to replace the fuel filter and check pressures today. Im kinda scared I got screwed on the valve job, but so far compression is still good.

 

you probably have mis-routed 2 ignition wires

 

Checked, Double Checked and rechecked, plugs and wires are routed correct and in serviceable condition.

 

Get it running good and put it on craigslist. That wat I did with my mystery miss
fire

 

Most Likely will. How did you get yours running good? I checked fuel pressure and replaced filter, and Cleaned MAF. Cleaning the MAF slowed the Idle but misfire is still there. I guess I will replace the drivers side valve cover gasket and reclean the MAF tonight. Maybe tomorrow the CAM synch.

 

I Had a misfire at 1450 rpm so I went to raise the timing so it would idel at like almost 2k but I messed it up. And I push it in the street after saying some really nice words to it. And about a week and a half later my neighbor need me to move the truck so he could get his camper out and the ranger started right up. So it kinda fix it self because I never was able to change the timing. My truck had mind of it's own.

 

I did a search here for flex fuel sensor and came up with this page
https://www.ranger-forums.com/f15/en...e85-gas-14082/

It may be related to your problem.

 

Unfortunately I'm not getting any check codes. Engine just runs weird. Acts like a vacuum leak from somewhere, Checked all lines, Maybe in one of the seals. Lately after cleaning the MAF the engine will idle better but after awhile the ECM idles the engine up and down before settling at a higher than normal rate. I had put on a new IACV a week ago but it didnt help so I took it back.

 

I do not want to be the downer here, but I am having an eerily similar issue. I have tried just about everything. It is at the Ford dealer where the mechanic has had it all day. He needs to look more in depth tomorrow, but thinks it is an issue with the heads. Could be valves, seats, springs, etc... If you have the means, see if you can read the O2 sensors at idle. On mine the bank 2 sensor climbs steadily up to .700v or so and stays there. This indicates a steady rich condition. During this time you can see the bank 2 fuel trims go steadily lean and stay there. There is no fluctuation as there should be.

 

I recnetly had the valves reseated and they gave me new heads due to supposed hair line cracks. Anyway messed with it some more, replaced injector seals, and valve cover gaskets not fixed. Not wanting to believe I was in for an expensive fix i started to recheck everything again. Swapped 5 and 6 plugs and noticed #5 was arcing around the porcelin, pulled it and was crakced. New set of plugs runs more like normal at idle at least it did last night. Took it for a drive and noticed the engine has lost any and all power. I mean downshifting and loosing ground going up a small rise at 60 mph. Got it back to the house and it finallly threw a code. its probably something i tripped while in ther but heres hoping the ECM has some useful info for me.

 

OK , here's one that has bit more than one guy in the butt .
Check the plug wires from the coil again.
https://www.ranger-forums.com/f32/i-...il-pack-56920/

Notice the two wires reversed. 5 and 6
Something simple yet easily overlooked.

 

Unless my Motorcraft Coil is mislabeled then everything is in the right order cylinder order

3 6
2 5
1 4

Coil Order

3 4
2 6
1 5

Any way Truck is running somewhat better Im running out of Ideas. Idle is back to Normal but engine still has a bad shake to it, not neccessarily a misfire jsut a bad shake, Power is back up after an overlooked vaccum line. Next I suppose is the motor mounts and lower intake gaskets. Also any of you guys service your own auto transmissions? Is it very tough? My tranny fluid is getting kind of brownish and starting to stink.

 

So I tightened the lower intake manifold bolts and reset the computer. The engine Dan like normal for about /0 minutes and then the shake returned. Is there way to adjust the fire timing on this engi e or take the timing away from tha computer as in removing the old spout connectors. Lastly I started getting a vibration/grinding noose through the exhaust. I'm also hearing a whining nose on the driver side of the engine. I'm beggining to fear a camshaft or litters is In my future.

 

Coil pack?

 

Haven't replaced, h8 to throw money at A problem Im not sure of. Is there a better wY to test the coil other than conductivity between ports. Cylinder six fires with all other plug wires removes just seems to fire slighty pitot time. But when 6 is hooked to the 2 slot on the coil there is no change in performance. As far as I know 2 and 6 fire simultaneously .

 

the copper wires are plastic coated before they wound in to a coil
( plastic coating prevents the wiring from grounding out against each other )
because the whole winding stores a charge ,, over time/heat /vibration inside the coil eventually rubs off the protective coating, the wires ground out against each other .
thus preventing the coil from spooling a complete charge.

 

repaced coil for $72 and still engine shakes like dammit, when #6 is hooked up.

 

try another spark plug in # 6 cylinder

you might have a bad plug in that cylinder

 

Replaced all plugs on bank 2 last week with new autolites, swapped plug wires on bank 2 and checked compression again tonight
3-167 6-175
2-180 5-165
1-170 4-162

What I cant figure out is that I have spark, Fuel, and compression on cylinder 6. But it is almost as though the timing is off just enough to cause the cylinder to fire early. At idle with cylinder 6 unplugged from the coil the engine runs like it should smooth. Could the MAF or some other emissions monitor cause the ECM to advance or retard timing for a single cylinder? Is there a way to talk to the computer and see the timing on a readout, without spending tons of $$. Finally before spending money at the FORD house could the camshaft synchronizer or CPS be out without throwing a code. Last time the CPS went out I got a code. Could either of those components cause an erratic fire timing issue?

Finally the history lesson
2007 blown head gasket- replaced gaskets and resurfaced heads
2009 began getting P0306 and P1404 codes- stupidly continued to drive vehicle
2010 tore down engine after compression check of 145 on #4 and 25-90 on all others--replaced head gaskets-no help--had valve job done, they found head were craked so I have new heads.---
1 month after new heads, gaskets, bolts, etc I tackled the P1404 issue by relacing the hoses between EGR and DPFE CEL off and engine Idles like hell. started also to get pinging on acceleration.
Everything else is in this post.


Thanks for all your help guys,

 

what octane level are you presently using

my dealer mechanic told me not use any octane fuel above 91

as a last resort ,, remove the valve cover to see if you have a broken #6 valve spring

 

I put a half tank of 89 in it just in case it was bad gas, still haven,t ran it out yet.
replaced bank 2 valve cover gasket the other day just in case it was a vacuum leak.
while I had it off I had my wife crank the engine so I could watch the valves, they all appeared to move properly, and I dont have a gauge for measureing travel. If I break it down again i will inspect more closely. Im going to seafoam it today just hoping it will help.

 

allright I stumbled on something. I pulled off the crank case ventilation inlet tube and patially blocked it off, then noticed engine seemed to run better. So I took some handy duct tape and closed the crankcase ventilation inlet tube and the orifice on the air inlet tube. Engine runs like normal except for a amall livable amount of pinging, barely noticable. Now this probably means have a vacuum leak somewhere, but after going through the vacuum system 5 or 6 times Ill be damn if I can find it. Also when I completely sealed off the CV inlet tube it caused my oil pressure gauge to go haywire, so i gave it a pinhole to breath from. I guess ill go get a vacuum gauge and run some more tests. Is there a redneck way of smoke testing theses things? Also could there be another explanation (i.e piston rings or too high compression causing excess vacuum).

 

I hope you find out what it is my 2003 is doing almost the same thing... GL