Hi all,

I am trying to figure out why my Ranger seems to either slip on the clutch for a brief moment or loses engine power for a brief moment when I rev it up. It loses power for maybe about a 1/2 or 1/4 of a second and then it is right back to acting right. This only happens a time or 2 if that on a 30 mile drive but as you can imagine, extremely annoying!

So far I have attempted nothing. About 25,000 miles ago, I changed my plugs, which was about a year ago, and it has been running pretty good since. The idling lately has had a problem however, when I push the clutch in the engine rev's up to about 4k, then for some reason it shoots back down to under 2k rpms, but still remains a little bit high. I put some Lucas upper engine lubricant and fuel system cleaner in the tank, which it is now somehow dependent on, and it won't have the rev problem.

I also changed the clutch about 10,000 miles ago, so I am not sure if that would contribute to it or not. Is there any adjustments you can make to the clutch without breaking into it?

Please Help & Thank you!

 

Do you have any engine codes on?

 

No engine codes are apparent. I have more information. I hit around 80 mph and at that speed the revs or something is just right that it just loses power or hesitates for less than a second.

Some things I worry about are. I fear that the inner tie rod may not be fully screwed in, and may need adjustment. Maybe one of the spark plugs is misfiring or the wires are bad my friend said. Also my idle has been off as well, idling a little rougher than normal.

It was idling really strange, where it would shoot up to 4k on the rpms when I pushed the clutch in, but it would seem to hit a point just above 4k, and then shoot back down, like something got stuck, but this problem has resolved itself, but I hear my flywheel rattling when I shift because the rpms are not matching up, but it is either the computer doing it, or something causing it not to bring the revs down fast enough when I shift, it's like its artifically holding them up.

I replaced the spark plugs with factory ones (motorcraft or autolite or something can't recall but purchased from Ford) approx 28k ago/ 1 year ago, and I put in the NGK spark plug wires (from Napa) with them, and I did not put that stuff on they give you with the wires (grease or glue unsure). I did not adjust the gap, they told me they came gapped properly, or at least don't remember adjusting the gap.

The truck never stalls out, the engine light has not appeared, I don't know if a tie rod can be so improperly installed that at a certain speed it is noticable, but at a low speed, when I turn while going over a bump or a curb, I hear a clunk or a lower pitched ding sound, followed by what sounds like a metal bar shaking and the truck shaking.

I have the stabilizer link bars right and left and front shocks I have yet to install, but have them on hand to put in if I can get these gremlins resolved.

I also have the Edge model (torsion), and replaced the inners/outers tierods myself, lower ball, upper arm w ball myself, and I worry that the left inner is not screwed into the rack properly.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

 

well usually a misfire will throw an engine code, i'd also replace to fuel filter it could be clogged up

 

For the clunk/ding you described in bumps/turns....i just swapped to coilovers from torsions on my explorer and the t-bars can make a sound like you described which isn't a big deal. It's just the kevlar pads on the keys have worn through. if youre not running shocks up there that's likely the noise.

You said you just replaced the ball joints so that's probaby not the issue although they can make noise too when worn. Just for fun...theres some good pictures of the results of a lower failure a little ways down on a little honda What happens when your lower ball joint breaks (not fun!)

why do you think you put the tie rod on wrong?

you try cleaning the MAF and IAC yet for the idle issues?


goodluck.

 

Seems like either the fuel pump is starting to fail, except when mine failed I had no warnings, it just failed while I was driving, and engine shut off permanently until I replaced the pump, good as new now. Or another possibility is the filter needs to be changed.

 

Moneypit - I felt the tie rod was screwed in too much by my friend and I and needs an adjustment since I didn't have experience doing that before. Also, I have not messed with the IAC/MAF yet. I did change the fuel filter and think that was it. The issues went away with the idle for the most part, it may have been something clogged or bad gas even.

Borhegyi- I hope the fuel pump doesn't go but I guess that will happen at some point! I think the new fuel filter fixed the problem.

 

that reving problem might be the tps beginning to fail