The fabled rough idle that I can’t fix yet
#1
07-07-2019
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Wetumpka, AL
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The fabled rough idle that I can’t fix yet
Hey guys,
i just bought a mint condition 2002 Ford Ranger Edge with the 3.0L and it only has 66k original miles on it. The original owner was an elderly man that bought the truck new in Texas and basically never drove it. He sold it to the lady that I bought it from and she too didn’t drive it much at all. I saw it for $7500 and snagged it up after I test drove it.
Heres where the fun begins....
The truck ran great on the test drive. No issues. Trans shifted like a dream and no fluids leaking or that had leaked anywhere from what I could tell upon undercarriage inspection. As I was driving home from the purchase, I felt a slight rough idle while setting at a Red light at an intersection as well as noticed the oil pressure gauge bouncing between bottom and halfway. I got home and changed the oil to full synthetic Castrol Edge 5w30 and a fram ultra filter and it fixed the gauge issue. I was made aware of the infamous cam synchronizer issue with the Vulcan motor and went ahead and replaced it too. While on a drive afterwards I did receive a check engine light for a throttle position sensor low input voltage(P0122) and bought a new tps and fixed that problem, but the rough idle persists. I got back home and cleaned the IAC and MAF and tried to locate the EGR valve and could not find it......and checking for vacuum leaks yielded no results.
Tonight I took a water bottle and sprayed the plug wires and coil pack and started the truck and saw arcing across the entire left side of the engine plug wires. I had already replaced the plugs prior to this test* so I now have oem plug wires on order and will be here this coming Thursday.
What else can I do to help eliminate this rough idle? I know the plug wires could very well be the culprit, but is there anything else I can check and/or clean to help?
i just bought a mint condition 2002 Ford Ranger Edge with the 3.0L and it only has 66k original miles on it. The original owner was an elderly man that bought the truck new in Texas and basically never drove it. He sold it to the lady that I bought it from and she too didn’t drive it much at all. I saw it for $7500 and snagged it up after I test drove it.
Heres where the fun begins....
The truck ran great on the test drive. No issues. Trans shifted like a dream and no fluids leaking or that had leaked anywhere from what I could tell upon undercarriage inspection. As I was driving home from the purchase, I felt a slight rough idle while setting at a Red light at an intersection as well as noticed the oil pressure gauge bouncing between bottom and halfway. I got home and changed the oil to full synthetic Castrol Edge 5w30 and a fram ultra filter and it fixed the gauge issue. I was made aware of the infamous cam synchronizer issue with the Vulcan motor and went ahead and replaced it too. While on a drive afterwards I did receive a check engine light for a throttle position sensor low input voltage(P0122) and bought a new tps and fixed that problem, but the rough idle persists. I got back home and cleaned the IAC and MAF and tried to locate the EGR valve and could not find it......and checking for vacuum leaks yielded no results.
Tonight I took a water bottle and sprayed the plug wires and coil pack and started the truck and saw arcing across the entire left side of the engine plug wires. I had already replaced the plugs prior to this test* so I now have oem plug wires on order and will be here this coming Thursday.
What else can I do to help eliminate this rough idle? I know the plug wires could very well be the culprit, but is there anything else I can check and/or clean to help?
#2
07-08-2019
Welcome to the forum
I am not for just replacing parts to try and fix a problem, but in this case I would install a new Coil Pack
Early 2000's Ranger 3.0l's had a Coil Pack issue, I guess Ford got a bad batch, and they would cause the rough idle you describe, it may not be the problem, but it was a known issue from 2000-2003
I am not for just replacing parts to try and fix a problem, but in this case I would install a new Coil Pack
Early 2000's Ranger 3.0l's had a Coil Pack issue, I guess Ford got a bad batch, and they would cause the rough idle you describe, it may not be the problem, but it was a known issue from 2000-2003
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