I don't really need all this hassle, I just want to get down to brass tacks and get my wife's truck running... google is ABYSMALLY, APPALLINGLY, MIND NUMBINGLY BAD at answering ANY question pertaining to the repair or technical information about my 1987 Ford Ranger.
So I joined this forum to post my questions, but THIS appears to be the ONLY place here that I can ACTUALLY MAKE A POST?
Seriously, the forum tells me I don't have permission to post...
Listen. I don't want to spend all day trying to figure out how to unravel a giant internet mess of information that has been deliberately obscured by over-commercialised search engines OR FORUMS THAT I JOIN WHICH FOR SOME REASON WILL NOT LET ME ASK MY QUESTION.
I would much rather be under the hood RIGHT NOW trying to get my wife's truck runnnnnnnninnnnnnnngggggg!!!!!!!
So how about this:
Does the 1987 Ford Ranger have OBD or any kind of trouble code generator? GOOGLE: "Ford Trucks after 1996 have OBDII" shut up, Google! That wasn't my question!
Does the 1987 Ford Ranger have a MAP or a MAF sensor, and where exactly is this part located?
Is there anywhere online where I can find a rudimentary technical repair manual without coming through endless heaps of FREE stuff that either isn't free, or tells you it has your manual, install this browser extension, and then... manual not found.
What I REALLY need is a local friend who has pretty sound knowledge and experience with FORD trucks, but you know... I'm here. Asking for what I need IN MY INTRODUCTORY POST because this forum WILL NOT LET ME ASK THE QUESTION!!!!!! Really? Why?

 

Sorry to hear all the hassles on your search.

First, welcome to the forums.

The OBD stuffs weren't on any 1987 cars or trucks anywhere. OBD1 started about 1991, so yours just missed it.

What helps is what rig you're running...engine, 2 or 4wd stuffs, and what symptoms you're having with it.

If you're running the 2.9, my friend's MAP (manifold pressure) sensor was on the firewall on a bracket just to the passenger side of the middle.

I don't believe there is a MAF (Mass Air Flow) sensor that early. The EFI was simpler and didn't use one.

I'm sure someone else will chime in and give you much, much more info.

*edit*

You might get lucky and find a Chiltons or Haynes repair manual on eBay or Amazon. Be wary of "free" as you have already found out.

 

Post has been moved out of member introductions to General Tech and Electrical and renamed to solicit a better response.

 

Mine is 4x2, 2.9 6 cyl. I've worked on Ford trucks before, but this one is the oldest model I've had... it is actually in really great shape and I can usually resolve fuel/ignition system problems fairly easily.
This truck will usually start right up, but once it's running it can lose power and stall, and trying to start her again is difficult and can produce backfireing.
The truck was running great after I bought it for my wife on Valentine's day. I didn't spot any leaks, hose or belt wear, the engine sounded like a sewing machine-- even with a blown muffler on it, and there are no manifold leaks like I had on my 1991 explorer.
The air filter is clean. When I had a look at the throttle plate, it had some carbon deposits on it and it didn't open up as wide as I expected it to while my wife tried to start it.
Last few times I had fuel system problems it was hoses, TPS and MAF related and I got it all cleared up with a little work.
So this had a MAP sensor? Can I resolve that with a cleaning like I can on a MAF, or do I need to replace the part?
Thanks for your response, and if you can give me any diagnostic tips, that would be great.

 

Welcome to the forum

1987 2.9l Ranger does have an OBD port in the engine bay it will use 2 digit codes, code list here: https://therangerstation.com/tech_li...gitcodes.shtml

How to get the codes here: https://therangerstation.com/tech_library/OBD_I.shtml

The engine computer(for fuel injection) is located in the passenger side of cab, behind kick panel

Engines main wiring harness will run from engine bay thru firewall on passenger side to the computer, your OBD connector will be on that harness in the engine bay

1987 may or may not have a "check engine light" in the dash

1987 2.9l will use a MAP sensor not a MAF sensor, it is usually on the firewall behind main wiring harness, it has a 3 wire connector and a vacuum hose from the intake attached

Make sure vacuum hose is air tight, and connector is clean and dry inside.

You have a TFI spark system, it is separate from the computer, so doesn't need computer for startup spark, it is connected to computer for "vacuum advance" spark timing, engine load spark advance/retard timing.
The TFI system sends spark timing to the computer so computer knows engine is turning over and when to open fuel injectors, without TFI timing pulse computer doesn't even know you are trying to start the engine
Computer then sends back "driver" input to the TFI module, i.e. Throttle Position, this is like what "vacuum advance" did on the older style distributor systems

The TFI modules were an issue, they would get heat sensitive so no or slow Restart after they were hot, there were two different kinds of TFI module, grey and black, they are NOT interchangeable
Images of modules here: http://www.myo-p.com/Ford-EEC/EEC%20...mpare_TFIs.gif
#4 pin position function is different, and it mattered, lol.

TFI info here: https://therangerstation.com/tech_li...agnostic.shtml

 

Oh thanks! that's very helpful! I'll see if I can get some trouble codes on that.

 

An just as a heads up, trouble codes are not translated into english, they can't be

They are binary computer codes, so you have to "think" like a very very dumb computer, thats because these are not computers in the way we think of what a computer is now.
These are calculators, built for "on the fly" calculations of air/fuel mix based on RPM, and engine load, and that it
Trouble codes are when there are errors in the calculations, so it sets a code for that error, it doesn't "know" anything except there was an error.

i.e. a Lean code does not mean engine is actually running lean, it mean computer is opening fuel injectors longer than it "calculated" to get correct reading from O2 sensor

So grain of salt, do not start replacing sensors or devices because a code mentions them
Chances are a sensor is working or error wouldn't be seen by the computer, so "don't shoot the messenger", lol.

 

Well since I posted I had a chance to drive the truck and see the problem for myself. It starts and runs wonderfully for about five minutes, then stalls, will start briefly and stall again sometimes backfiring, etc., then if you let it sit for about 20 minutes it will start right up and run again. There is no hesitation or anything but smooth running and good idle while it is functioning.
Now its and olf truck and has sat on the previous owners property for since May of 2018, and my wife ran it out of gas.
I don't have a fuel pressure tester but it seems to me that if it was a dirty fuel filter or a weak fuel pump, it would not be running well peroid, or it would get worse if you were trying to give it more gas. As I said, it runs nice as you please for five or ten minutes after you start it.
RonD suggested it could be the TFI module, and that's just the kind of thing I was looking for-- a known issue that is common and a Ford guy would know about. I attempted the OBD test, but either the test connector is too corroded to read, or the diagnostic computer is dead.
Of the tests listed on one of the many helpful links RonD provided, I would need a remote starter switch or a timing light to do, plus some require me to remove the part, and that involves loosening the distributor bolt to access the fastener I need to take off to remove the module. This also requires a special tool, or so it seems from a turorial on a slightly different year model of Ford Truck.
Thermal paste is required to replace the part, so I think it is highly likely that heat could have damaged the part over the course of the 32 years that thing has been around-- assuming that's the original part.
This is the push start version, the grey TFI module for vehicles without computer controlled dwell.
For me, it might be considerably difficult to get everything I need to replace the TFI module, so I want to be certain this is indeed the problem... any suggestions?

 

When you start a fuel injected engine the computer looks at the Coolant temp, via ECT sensor
If its cold computer will run Choke Mode, and Open Loop
Choke mode is a high idle and a Rich fuel mix, same as Choke plate did in a carb
As coolant gets warmer idle will slowly drop, and fuel mix will get leaner, just like choke plate on carb did

Open loop is when O2 sensor(s) are under 600degF so can't work, O2 sensors are heated by built in electric heater and also heated by the exhaust, but still takes 3 to 8 minutes to get them above 600degF
In Open Loop the computer uses air/fuel mix tables in memory, from factory programming, based on RPM, MAP, throttle position and air temp sensor.

Closed Loop is what computer uses when O2 sensor(s) start working, computer can tell because the O2 sensor voltage will start to switch faster(O2 sensors MAKE their own voltage)

It reads like when computer is switching over to Closed Loop is when you are having a problem
This would point to an issue with upstream O2 sensor or the computer itself
It kind of an extreme reaction for a bad O2 sensor, but not for bad computer

If you can't get any info from it, i.e. read OBD codes then I would say its the computer

TFI would take longer to heat up so while it could be A problem I don't think its THE problem

 

Hello guys. It has taken me this long to get a scanner and identify my problem, and I would like to know how to proceed. Scanner tells me I have a PIP circuit failure and a Primary Fuel Pump circuit failure. Does that mean I need to replace the ignition pickup? Should I check for a wiring problem first? Is the primary fuel pump in the tank? If so, is is separate or integrated with the float, because I know the float has issues. If it is not integrated in the float, could the float be giving me a false code for the fuel pump?
Should I correct the PIP problem first and see if that clears it up?
It is true that the float circuit is faulty and that my wife ran the truck out of gas. How about the fuel filter? Could junk in the fuel filter be causing this instead of the pump? It's been a rough month for me personally and financially. That's why this is taking me so long. My wife lives with the kids and her mother, and I got done dirty by my mother in law this month. She likes to hold my wife hostage, which is why I got her a truck.
I went through $150 rather badly this month, buying tools allergy medicine and springing for my mother in law's grocery bill when she "lost" her debit card. Conveinant loss, considering she said she'd pay me back and she didn't.
I'm telling yall this because I need to know where the key parts in my truck are located, and I want you to know that I DO plan on getting a repair manual when I can afford it. But for the time being, just a little more help, friends. Maybe someday I'll be the guy dispensing the advice.

 

What were the code numbers?
exact code numbers really help

They do not translate into english very well

Fuel pump first
Primary fuel pump circuit is the fuel pump RELAY circuit, not fuel pump, that's the secondary circuit, english translation is not good, lol.

What it means is either the voltage at the fuel pump relays COIL is low or not there all the time.

The fuel pump relay's COIL gets 12v from EEC Relay when key is turned on, that 12volts runs thru the relays Coil to pin 22 on the computer
Computer also gets 12v from EEC relay(on pin 37) to power it up, EEC = electronic engine control = the computer
So computer compares the power up 12v(pin 37) with Pin 22 12v, if they are not the same then you get a Fuel Pump Primary circuit code.

Could just be corroded connectors on the fuel pump relays base, Green base, or wiring between EEC relay(brown base) and FP relay or at pin 22 on computer
Computer GROUNDS pin 22 to activate/close FP relay, this sends 12volts from fuel pump fuse to the fuel pump(s), this is the Secondary circuit, and the 12v wire to fuel pump(s) is also connected to pin 8 on the computer, so it can monitor voltage on secondary circuit


PIP is the signal from the Hall effect sensor inside the distributor to the computer's pin 56
PIP wire is on the TFI module on the side of the distributor, as distributor turns the hall effect sensor sends a pulse for each cylinder in the engine, letting TFI module know when to spark the coil
That pulse(PIP) is sent to the computer so it can time the fuel injectors, and also so computer can calculate "vacuum advance" type spark timing changes to send to the TFI module on the SPOUT wire.(pin 36)
Computer calculates engine Load which is what "vacuum advance" was for on older distributors, and then sends that to TFI module

There is also a ground wire from TFI to computer(pin 16), so a total of 3 wires from TFI module to computer
Only the Ground wire and PIP wire could cause PIP code, it could be in computer but on this old of a system wiring is always suspect

TFI wiring here: http://www.motorologist.com/wp-conte...r-brochure.pdf

PIP and Ground are usually top and bottom wires on TFI connector


Picture of EEC-IV here, your computer with top off: http://www.auto-diagnostics.info/ford_eec_iv

You can see the 3 blue capacitors on the circuit board, after 20+ years they could start to leak and cause problem
They can be replaced for under $5
But worth a look inside computer before chasing wiring issues, which may or may not be the problem
Obviously any visibly damaged areas would be cause for concern, lol, not just the capacitors

 

14 and 87 were the codes. 87 Ranger xl symptoms are it starts and runs great, but stalls, looses power and backfires when warm (about 5-10 minutes after starting)

 

Do you have a Ford Escort, 87 can be automatic seat belt code, lol

87 can be a few things both Primary and Secondary FP circuits, 95 and 96 are more specific

In the passenger foot well just above carpet on firewall is the Inertia switch, it cuts power to the fuel pump it there is a sudden stop or roll over, i.e. accident
It is a smaller black box with RED button on the top and two terminals with 2 or 3 wires connected
Dark green wire comes from engine bay, FP relay, 12volts IN
Pink wire goes to Fuel Pump(s), 12volts OUT
If possible hook up a 12v test light or meter to the pink wire, and cab ground, and then cycle key on a off a few times, you should see 12v, bright light, for 2 seconds each time key is turned on
There will be 5-8volts after the 2 seconds, thats just monitor voltage no AMPS so can't power fuel pump
Then start the engine
Should now see steady 13.5-14.5 volts, from alternator, while engine runs, bright light, any drop or dimming of light means voltage is changing and it shouldn't

For the primary side inspect the FP relay base for corrosion, also pop the top on computer and have a look inside


14, is most likely TFI module issue but................inspecting the wiring is FREE so do that first, check wires on TFI module connector, and at the computer end as well