My 97 ranger will not stay running. I've had issues for a while and I've chased it everywhere. I've replaced almost every single sensor and PCM funny thing is everyone helped in one way or another but I'm still stuck. It will not idle. I can hold it to the floor and it gives a short fire of fuel then like it's not getting but idle fuel then a short fire of fuel then idle fuel. All while the throttle is held to the floor holds about 22-28psi I've replaced everything in the fuel system except the injectors. Probably going to be the next thing but I'd like some opinions. Just changed the head gasket as well. All cylinders 150 and new timing belt as well. No backfire or funny timing sounds. Just to add to the things that have been done. PLEASE HELP

 

Welcome to the forum

Have you had this 1997 2.3l Ranger for awhile and it was running fine until head gasket issue
Or did you buy it this way?

There are a few things to check that's free
Gas in the tank is fresh and good, no water in the tank, gasoline only lasts for 5 month in a gas tank, but any water in the gas will have settled to the bottom of the tank after just a few days of sitting
Crank engine over a few times and pull out any spark plug that's easy to get at
End should be WET with fuel
Light it with a match, should burn fast and bright, if not its water not fuel
Pull fuel filter and Drain the tank

If you have over 20psi fuel pressure and spark plug was not WET with fuel then unplug the TPS(throttle position sensor), 3 wire connector
Crank engine again and see if you get fuel out of injectors
If TPS is shorted out fuel injectors will be shut off, pushing gas pedal to the floor may cause it to unshort out, lol

Put some gasoline in a spray bottle or get a can of Quick start(ether)
Remove the large air tube from the intake, open throttle and spray some fuel in
Start engine, leave gas pedal alone
If Spark and compression are OK engine will start and idle, you can spray more fuel in, with throttle closed, and it will stay idling
If you stop adding fuel and it dies then injectors are not adding any fuel as you suspect, so clogged or no power
Unplug any injector's 2 wire connector
With key on its Red wire should have 12volts, all 4 injectors share that 1 red wire
The computer Grounds the other wire to open each injector, but its only for a few millisecond so can't test it with digital volt meters
They make NOID lights to test injector pulses

For all 4 injectors to be clogged vehicle would have had to sit for a long long time, or run without a fuel filter

 

I just got a 97 Officer 2.3 5-speed and am having high firing up between shifts after the truck has gotten to typical working temperature. At the point when I push the grip in to move the rpms ascend somewhere around 1000 - 2000 rpms higher than whatever I initially push in the grasp at. This will go on until I reach basically a stand-still or after around 15-20 seconds. I have supplanted the IACV, PCV, and TPS, choke body gasket, and checked for vacuum spills. I have likewise have turned off different sensors and wires that were recommended on a portion of the Officer locales to lead me in the correct bearing with no karma. I realize there are lots of strings on this however possibly they don't have an answer or their answer was a section that I've proactively supplanted. Any thoughts? This is making me insane.




Kodi

 

What the heck is a 97 Officer?

What the heck is a choke body?

What is this grip or grasp that you push in?

I didn't know vacuum could spill

 

Welcome to the forum

Post is from a Translation App, "Ranger" = Officer, i.e. forest ranger or Texas Ranger

Manual transmission
When he shifts the RPMs go high and stay high for 15-20seconds

RPMs should stay high when shifting but not go up by 1,000rpms
This is an emissions thing, if speed is above 5MPH the RPMs should stay at say 2,500 when you shift from 2nd to 3rd, but should only hold at 2.500 for 7 to 10 second, not 15-20seconds
If you hold the clutch pedal down and coast the RPMs should drop to 1,100, then if below 5MPH RPMs will drop to 750-800

So this could be a computer issue if there are no vacuum leaks AND in throttle is not sticking

After engine is warmed up and idling, unplug the 2 wire connector on IAC Valve, RPMs should drop to 500 and engine may even stall, either is GOOD, means no vacuum leaks and IAC Valve is working
If idle doesn't drop then IAC Valve is not working(even if new) or there is a vacuum leak

Now go for a drive without IAC Valve hooked up, may need to keep foot on gas pedal when stopping so engine doesn't die
See if shifting is now normal, no REVing
Of so then it is a computer issue, with no IAC valve connected computer has no control of RPMs