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Hey I've got some questions about my setup and my problems
First thing, has anyone done the 2000 Taurus Intake swap on their ranger? I did the swap on mine, and a 1999 Mustang 3.8 throttle body and just basic cold-ish air intake. just wondering if anyone else did this (I found the idea from a YouTube Channel "The Vulcan")
Second question is, how to fix the engine problem I'm having specifically with the MAF sensor. The car ran fine when I bought it, completely stock. But being a teenager, I always need to go faster than my friends, so I found a guy that said you can swap a newer Taurus 3.0 intake manifold on your 3.0 ranger, and on TOP OF THAT put a bigger 60mm throttle body from a 1999-2004 V6 mustang rather than the ranger's 50mm, that's kind of morphed into the whole upper manifold. Now, with the intake and throttle body all mounted in, the car will refuse to start with the MAF setup I have, which is a Spectre Performance MAF adapter (87051). But if I unplug the MAF sensor, it will start and kind of run but not real well. I noticed the sensor plug wires had butt connectors on them, but I didn't think think that was the problem because it ran fine before. If I plug it in while the car is running it will die. I've tried about 5 different MAF sensors, I tried cleaning it, I've used different adapters. Nothing has worked. I have a Ford OBD-1 reader if anyone wants some codes. I've been lectured time and time again about how I should have kept the old airbox, but it simply doesn't work with the new intake as the TB is at a different angle. I don't want to go back to the old intake manifold either because I've already gone this far and i want to finish my intake swap. Anyway I'll stop ranting and if anyone has any questions I'll answer them. Any help would be so greatly appreciated I've been in this battle for over a month now and nobody will answer me on the Ford Truck Enthusiasts forums.
For a fuel injected engine to run well it needs to know exactly how much air is coming in. The engineers tested the airflow through the stock intake with the stock maf sensor and setup the computer with those values to know how much fuel to add to get combustion. You have now changed the sensor that reads the air, the size if the passage that the air flows through ect.
The computer doesn't have the information or calibration it needs to do its job.
Maybe the guy who told you about this intake swap could also point you towards a shop that can tune your computer to make it work with the new setup. If it can even be done with the stock computer, stock injectors, stock fuel pump.
I understand that the car is expecting a certain intake setup and I went ahead and confused it with a new intake. The guy I found the whole idea from used a plate that mounts to the factory MAF housing. I've also heard that if I mess with any of the sensors, like unplug them or something, while the car is running it can fry something in the ECU and not let it run properly unless I get a new ECU.
Here is the YouTube video of the guy with his setup, I have the exact same throttle body and intake, I just have a different MAF setup because I thought it would be easier. If you have time watch it.
This is from an 07. Probably not going to be exactly the same. But, the air flowing through the sensor cools down the hot wire a certain amount. This changes the voltage sent back to the computer . The computer uses this number to calculate how long to open the injectors to give enough fuel. The adapter you're using is probably a different diameter than the opening of the stock setup. It will change the way air flows over the hotwire of the sensor. Cool the hotwire less, more, etc. And not accurately measure the volume it was intended to. Think water flowing through a fire hose vs. A garden hose.
I think its that change that is messing with everything. You really need to use the oem maf. I don't know what the original intake tube looks like but if you use the section that the senor was originally in the diameter will be right. Oh, and p.s. the oil from that aftermarket air filter can mess with a maf as well. What obd codes are you getting?
Alright, so if I just put the original MAF housing on the end of the rubber coupler, and leave the rest of the intake tube as I have it, it should be a little fixed, right? The tube I have for the “cold air” is actually smaller than original, it’s 2.5 inch because that is what was recommended. I think factory is 3. Also, I’ve always used K&N filters on all my cars, ‘97 Crown Vic has a K&N factory style panel air filter with the original air box, so does my ‘94 Explorer. I’ve noticed no issues. And as for Codes, I only get a code that is MAF related when it is unplugged. I will go and check codes with the sensor plugged in and not, get back to you in a minute.
The codes I pulled were with the engine basically cold, (Driven about 2 hours prior just to warm it up)
Also since I have a mustang 3.8 Throttle body, I couldn't use the TPS sensor that came off the throttle body, the guy in the video used his original TPS sensor from the old intake, but it seems mine isn't clocked properly thus giving me code 121?
The maf code shows up because you unplugged the sensor. The keep alive memory code shows up because you erased the keep alive memory when you disconnect the battery. The throttle position sensor code is what you should figure out next. You need to know what voltage the computer is seeing from the tps. And you need to know what it wants to see. Example: voltage fed to tps. The tps is a variable resistor. The angle changes on the throttle plate changes the resistance of the sensor. The resistance increases or decreases the voltage in the circuit. The computer sees a voltage on the return wire to tell it where the throttle is.
you need some factory info: expected voltage range for tps for your year and model ranger. You will need a scan tool to hook up to the obd port that will let you read data pids. Adjust the clocking of the tps until the pid showes the right voltage at closed and wide open throttle.
got it, I’ll try that in the morning and update you, I bought an adapter plate and air filter because I knew in my head that there would be some sort of catch and I’d need it, but it never came UPS freaking lost it. for now I will just put that housing at the end of my 2.5 inch tube, I happen to have a spare silicon adapter and I can just throw it right in.
Its how the computer stores information. It uses it to learn how much fuel to add to make the engine run at the correct air to fuel ratio. Use the unmodified housing, the oem maf, get the tps right.. don't "reset the ecm/ keep alive memory " and let it try to learn to make it run better.
As for the TPS sensor, how can I get to the voltage if the sensor needs be plugged in, also how can I clock a TPS sensor to where the voltage IS correct?
That part you're going to have to start a new thread. Ask how to check the voltage of the tps for your model. year .engine size. ask what it should read with the throttle closed. And how to adjust it to get it there. Put the code and code description you have for the tps
The only way I know how to do that and not potentially hurt things will only work on a newer truck. Cross your fingers and hope Ron replies. Good luck.
Hey do I tried to do what you said, use the original MAF housing, and with the two MAF sensors it would still die if I plugged it in. It will start but only for a second then die, maybe stumble a little bit. I’m really starting to think it’s a ECM issue
It sounds like the computer is doing exactly what its supposed to. It runs without the sensor. Has a default number it uses when it can't see the sensor.. When ghe sensor is plugged in it reads the value and correct for what it sees.
you've made modifications to a system you don't really understand. I know just enough to be dangerous. My last piece of advice is either buy the factory manuals for your truck, watch videos made by people who do know(South main auto, pine hollow diagnostics, schroddingers cat) and learn about fuel injection. Or pay a mobile mechanic or a shop to figure out whats wrong.
Ok so 1/20/21 update I got a airbox from a 1993 ranger at the junkyard. I also put in a newer MAF connector and MAF from newer 3.0 ranger. Everything is all it’s its rightful place and it is still doing it, starting up and dying immediately. But runs without MAF. I am officially out of ideas
Ok so I’m thinking it’s now an ECM problem because I put the MAF sensor from my ranger that supposedly doesn’t work, and I put it in my Crown Victoria and it works, I can tell It does because if I unplug it my vic won’t run. I also put the MAF from the Vic in the ranger and it still does the same thing, and that MAF does work, because the Vic is a perfectly good running car. Anyone disagree with it being an ECM problem?
01-07-2021
