After buying my 99 2.5 the owner informs me he had brought the truck back from the dead a year ago and the shop he had do the tune up/ other work to get it road ready REMOVED THE COMPUTER or simply did not replace the computer---he was not sure-- sooooooo my question now is "will my truck run without a computer or with a bad computer??---The biggest issue I am having is hard starts and rough idle and since I am not able to take this truck to the shop yet--- possibly I could find help here--

 

Welcome to the forum

No, your engine will not start or run without a computer.

Fuel system and spark are both operated by the computer(PCM), and transmission if it's an automatic.


In 1999 Ranger the PCMs main(104 wire) connector will be in the engine bay at the top of the firewall just off center to passenger side.
It is a big connector with a big wiring harness, can't miss it.

PCMs rarely fail, they can of course, just very very last thing you would look at as the problem.

If you will be owning vehicles for a few more years then a Bluetooth OBD2 reader might be a good investment, under $50
OBD2 is a automotive communications "language"
All vehicles sold in the US or Canada from 1996 and up, were required by Law to use OBD2 standard terminal and "language".
So not a Ford thing, not even a North America thing, if it was made here OR imported after 1996 it had to use OBD2 in the vehicles computer.

Bluetooth OBD2 reader needs a display, like smart phone or tablet, and you need an APP to connect and display codes and data from the PCM
APPs are free or $5 if you need more in depth information, but FREE is fine for most

OBD2 reader will tell you if PCM has any Codes set, i.e. problems it has run into.
And you can also view what sensors are telling PCM at any give time, Live Data
This is very helpful in diagnosing problems on newer vehicles

Worthwhile investment if you plan on driving vehicles made after 1996
If you get one, get an extension cable with it, $5-$8, while OBD2 connectors are required, they can be behind smaller openings in a dash board panel, so Bluetooth unit won't slide in, too wide, extension just makes it easier to use on ANY vehicle

Ford OBD2 code list here: http://www.therangerstation.com/how-...trouble_codes/

Codes are not specific and can mean something else other than what you might think
So post codes here when you get them