I am new to the Forum but am exited to be a part. I have a 1995 Ranger with a 3.0L V-6 standard everything and no modifications with about 180,000 miles. I was showing a misfire on cylinder #3 so I figured it was plugs and wires as I have not changed them since I purchased it. I changed them with Autolite 764 Plugs and OmniSpark wires (never again). It ran real rough and then smoothed out but this is when I got the P0175 light and I figured it may be a problem with the wires or a bad plug. I hooked up my old inductive timing light to each wire just to check for an electrical pulse and I had nothing coming out of #3. I pulled the wire off the plug and hooked it to a spark plug tester and it worked great but everytime I hooked back to the plug...no spark or pulse. I pulled the plug and hooked it back in the wire and grounded it while cranking and it worked well and consistant. I tried the old wire (which still Ohm out within specs) and get the exact same results. I even replaced the coil and still have the same results. I can get intermediate random firing of the #3 wire while it is installed with a plug but nothing consistant. When I hold the wire just behind the boot at the coil (for both old and new wires the results are the same) I can get constant firing from the #3 wire. Without moving the wire and just removing my fingers from the wire it goes to random firing. I have never seen anything like this at all. Is there a grounding issue or will a different plug help matters out? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,

 

id try switching wires and see if the wire in question does the same thing on the other cylinder...if it does then you have your answer

 

I have swapped wires with several and still get the exact same results.

 

hmm...thats strange and you put a new coil in too...id check the distributor next

 

This year (1995) does not have a distributor. This is mind boggling and very frustrating. I was hoping it was something simple I was just not getting. Anyone have any suggestions I could really use some guidance.