Can anyone tell me if you can see any possibility that an improvement of engine compression could lead to a Cam Sync starting to act up? I replaced my Converters. The new ones are smaller and may well be the problem. The symptoms are the truck sometimes hits 30 mph and bucks. Won't go faster. Started after new converters were installed. Symptoms are same for a failed cam sync and they fail on this 2000 ranger. But no probs before new converters. So it either the new converters are too small or the cam sync became more burdened with better compression and was failing already. All three flanges leaked on old converters.

 

I think you might be a little confuse on terms or how an engine works

Compression is what happens when a piston travels from the bottom to the top of its cylinder when both valves are closed, this is a mechanical process, no spark or fuel involved
No connection to cam sensor or Cat converters

If the pipe opening for the new Cat converters were the same as the old ones then they are fine, length of Cat converter doesn't matter, just the size of the pipe opening at both ends
You can test for clogged exhaust with a vacuum gauge, read here: https://www.gregsengine.com/using-a-vacuum-gauge.html

Mis-timed or failing Cam sensor can effect performance, try unplugging it and driving to see if there is an improvement

 

I misused "compression". The pressure in the system did pick up because the flanges were leaking at the manifolds. The truck had better acceleration. I may try the sensor unplug. If it works I assume I can just replace the sensor, right? But I have seen on youtube where cheap Amazon and eBay cats do not work. The guy put his new converters on an obdII and he said the outgoing and incoming sensors were the same wave. Which indicates junk. Mine appear be different waves on my scanner. So hopefully working better than his.

 

Rear O2 sensor Bank 1 sensor 2(B1S2) should run steady at about 0.7 to 0.8volts, it will jump down and up once in awhile
Front O2 sensor B1S1 should change rapidly as computer adjusts fuel trims

Pressure in a gasoline engines exhaust system should be 0psi or slightly NEGATIVE pressure at mid RPMs, there should be no "back pressure" thats a MYTH

If you don't have a Trouble code for the Cam sensor then it should be OK but might be out of time, but that should also set a code, so long shot but worth testing

 

Thought I'd post this. When I put mine on the OBD II it does seem to read differently from the front sensor. So that is better that identical which is useless.

 

O2 sensors "see" Oxygen, they only see oxygen
O2 sensors generate their own voltage
0.1 volt is HIGH oxygen level(lean)
0.9volt is LOW oxygen level(rich)

Cat converters, when warmed up, use up most of the oxygen left in the exhaust as they "burn up" pollutants

Front O2 sensors change voltages often as computer adjusts Open Time of fuel injectors to try and get 0.4volt average for best fuel economy, that what upstream O2s are there for, best fuel economy

If Cat is doing its job the rear O2 should see very little oxygen and should be stable, 0.7 to 0.8volt is expected, that's what downstream O2s are there for lowest emissions

In video he references rear O2 showing straight line, i.e. stable voltage, not jumping up and down like front O2 should

 

I haven't had any more trouble. I got on the gas deliberately. .May not be fixed but not messing up now. Maybe cleaned something out.

 

I have had the dash apart multiple times. This jostled the PRNDL cable. So the truck wasn't in gear all the way. This was the issue. I noticed when I pulled over that when I tapped the shifter it popped back into gear. So I just need to adjust the shifter cable.

 

Google: ford ranger column shifter

A common occurrence on all Ford trucks with column shifter, there are a few screws/bolts that can get loose or even fall out of the shifter mechanism under the dash
Loads of videos on that

 

Thank you that was very helpful.