My 2000 Ford Ranger with 146,000 miles all of a sudden doesn't want to accelerate and the engine dies. In first gear (5 speed) when I try to accelerate the engine wants to die unless I over rev the engine, and then even though I can get the truck barely moving it will die. I can't get out of 1st gear or above 2,000 rpm. If I run the engine in neutral and hold the rpms at 2,000, it periodically drops down to 500rpm and then back up to 2,000. I've cleaned the Mass Air Flow Sensor. Could it be the throttle body, vacuum leak, something else? Thoughts?

 

Is the ck engine light on? im thinking fuel problem. have you ever changed the fuel filter?

 

Yes check engine light and ABS lights are both on.

 

start by getting the info from the CEL, most auto parts places will read it for you. I wouldn't buy anything yet, wait until you can figure out the problem

 

write the code #s down

 

That was the next thing to do if I can get the truck
over to a place to read it

 

Update — well it not only turned out to be a bad Mass Air Flow Sensor (even the replacement was bad), but it apparently shorted out the computer as there isn't a fuse between the two. Wasa ble to replace both and the Truck seems to run fine now.

 

Odd
MAF sensor is only 5volts and gets it from the computer
Most likely the computer was the issue and caused damage to new MAF sensor, but all the other sensors share that 5volt power supply in the computer, so odd

MAF sensor does use a 12volt heater but its fused thru PCM relay

But glad you got it figured out
And thanks for post the fix, many don't come back and do that