Hello all! Got my first ford the other day. It' a 2005 ranger, 88k and 4x2. 2.3L.. got it for a work truck and love it. Couldn't pass it up, very well taken care of and looks brand new! I have a question however. I've noticed sometimes at start up it does one of a couple things:
starts, but starts at real low RPM and it' chuggy. It only last all of 2 seconds or so and then runs fine.

or it will attempt to start and chug and die, again, doesn' run prolonged just for a second or so. Usually if it does this it will start up and run chuggyfor about 2 seconds like said above and then run fine.

once it a great while it will do like the 2nd thong but not run and die, just catch for a couple chugs but not start.

plugs and wires are changed, so the plugs are good. Which doubtful it would be them but that' what I've done so far.

I'm pretty mechanically inclined but i know NOTHING about these engines or rangers in general. This a common problem? No smoke out of the exhaust or any other symptoms of any kind, no check engine light is on.

thanks in advance guys!

 

Welcome to the forum

Reads like a nice Ranger
2005 will have the 2.3l Duratec DOHC engine, Mazda L engine, NS23
1997 and earlier Rangers used the 2.3l Lima SOHC engines, no relation to the Duratec

This can get confusing if you are searching for info on 2.3l Ranger, so just a heads up, there were 2 different 2.3l engines used in Rangers


As for the slow start up
You could be losing fuel pressure when vehicle sits longer than a few hours.
1998 and up Rangers used/needed 55psi fuel pressure when running, and even with key off that pressure should hold above 35psi for a few MONTHS.

Each time you turn on the key the Computer will run the fuel pump for 2 seconds and ONLY 2 seconds, its a safety thing.
That 2 seconds will increase fuel pressure by 10-15psi
If pressure was 35psi then it is now 45-50psi so OK for startup
If it was 0psi then it would only be 10-15psi and engine would not start or struggle to start.
When engine RPMs are above 400(started) then Computer turns on fuel pump full time so pressure is at 55psi again.

To test it you are losing pressure, cycle key on and OFF 3 times, then try to start engine.
If it starts fine every time, then yes you are losing pressure when vehicle sits.
If same problem occurs then we can look elsewhere.

 

When you say cycle on and off 3 times, do you mean start 3 times or just turn to the on position? And if it starts fine I'm losing pressure? It doesn' do it every time. In the middle of changing coolant and trans fluid. Did it when I started it to cycle the coolant. 45 mins later it didnt' do it when I started it to cycle the trans fluid

 

Yes, turn key ON, say "one two", then turn key OFF, repeat 2 more times then turn the key to START

This is just a test, try it and we can go from there

If you don't smell gasoline then fuel pumps check valve could be the culprit.
Check valve is inside the fuel pump and should seal closed when pump is OFF, so a one-way valve, this holds pressure in the fuel line from gas tank to fuel injectors when vehicle sits.
If it was leaking then fuel pressure is lost over time and gas drains back to the tank so no actual "leak" but loss of pressure for start up.

And it could be intermittent, just do the test over the next few days to see if it matters.

 

Ok will do. I'll check it out later today. Thanks! Will be back with an update

 

Tried this 3 times. First time, started fine. 2nd time it tried to start then didn't, turned it over again and chugged for a second or 2 and then caught RPMs and ran fine.. the last time it fired right up again with no issue.

 

Well it sounds fuel related not spark related but also not fuel pressure related.

And it does this cold engine or warm engine?

EDIT:
You can hear the fuel pump run when you turn on the key, it is a HUMMMM from just below cab, turn the radio down, lol
Just confirm you hear that EACH TIME you turn on the key

Fuel pump is an electric motor
Electric motors draw more amps to start up, and this is when they will most likely to fail, a no start, once they are running they almost never stop unless you cut power.

There are more than a few examples of fuel pumps becoming intermittent on startup, before failing outright.

So just confirm you hear the fuel pump rum when you turn on the key for the next few days