I have an issue with my 96 ranger. It's a 2.3 manual 4x2. I am getting a mis fire to where the truck looses a lot of power when putting it under a load on the engine. Only does it going up hill, trying to pass, or crusing at 60..... It is throwing a code for cylinder 4 misfire. I have replaced all the plugs, and put new ones in the cylinder 4 intake and exhaust side again. I put three sets of new wires thinking it might be them. I changed the coils with new ones. I changed the fuel filter, air filter, cleaned the mass air flow sensor, the iac valve, put a new fuel injector in it, ran stop, ran seafoam, I'm at a loss.... .. it's my daily so I'm struggling.... any suggestions?

 

Welcome to the forum

The 2.3l can run on just one coil pack and 4 spark plugs, the 2.3l did that from 1974 to 1988, lol, the point of having 2 spark plugs per cylinder is better performance, not because it needs it

So unplug the 3 wire connector on one coil pack, start engine and see if there is a steady misfire
Then do the same with other coil pack
Then drive it with one coil pack unplugged
Then the other

If you still get the misfires on both coil packs, one at a time, it is either a computer issue(longshot, but it controls both coil packs) or a fuel issue, injector, not a spark issue

 

Thanks for the info. It is steadily misfiring. Could it be the ICM?

 

Only 1989-1994 2.3l used ICM(ignition control module)

1995-2001 2.3l and 2.5l had the newer model computer that has the "ICM" inside it

 

Any idea where u would start next? I'm at a loss

 

Yes, test one coil pack at a time

If each coil pack has the same misfire then issue is most likely NOT spark

Compression test would be next, should actually always be FIRST, lol, but not an easy test

You can chase your tail with spark and fuel for days and months when there is a compression issue, so best to take that "off the table" FIRST, or find out it is the problem FIRST, before wasting time and money on non-fixes, i.e. spark and fuel

 

I had a compression test and the mechanic said it was fine in all cylinders. I unhooked the exhaust coil and it missed terribly. I drove it, but not pretty. I'll try the front coil tomorrow. Its loosing power when I go up hills. Starts shaking and vibrating and loosing power. Soooo frustrating. I just put new plugs then bought and replaced them again in the 4th cylinder. Put new coils on it. Put a new injector on cylinder 4, and even cut off the catalytic converter to rule it out. Haha.....

 

Need the NUMBERS, all 4 cylinders

Call him and ask

1996 2.3l runs 9.4:1 compression ratio, that mean HIGH compression numbers are expected

You are chasing your tail without this
i.e. if you have a broken rim, you can put on as many new tires and valve stems as you want but.................you will still get a FLAT TIRE

You have put on the new tire and new valve stem and still have the same problem, so..........................your money and your time, just saying



Then not all the spark plugs are firing on Intake side, check firing order

Test exhaust side next

The point of Dual spark plugs is performance, nothing else, its not for emissions, as said, this exact engine ran fine for 14 years with just 4 spark plugs and a distributor, 1974 to 1988
But gets better horse power and torque with dual plugs
Only difference is the head has 4 extra spark plug holes

If both coils, separately, have engine running poorly then its down to compression(my guess) or computer, but computer has 4 separate controls for the 4 coils, so to have a spark misfire from BOTH coils at least 2 of the controls in the computer would have to fail, possible but a long shot
This would also set Codes for the spark driver circuit
Not just P0304

 

It has also thrown a code for p1334 manufacturer controller. Not just p0304. I looked it up to be emissions....thank you very much for taking your time to guide and inform. I really really really appreciate it man.

 

Are you sure about that P1334 code, Ford doesn't have that code listed in my list for gasoline engines, Diesels use it

I do have these
P1352 Ignition Coil A - Primary circuit fault
P1353 Ignition Coil B - Primary circuit fault
P1354 Ignition Coil C - Primary circuit fault
P1355 Ignition Coil D - Primary circuit fault

P13XX codes are generally for the Spark system on gasoline engines, diesels of course don't have spark systems so those codes are used for other things

Ford gasoline engine code list here: https://therangerstation.com/tech_li...II_codes.shtml

 

I'm sorry it was p1443

 

I just tried exactly what you said . I unhooked the front coil and a truck ran but was not smooth. No codes thrown though. I could drive it but wouldn't want to as I'd have to play with the gas to keep it idling smooth. When I took the 2nd coil off ( the real coil) it through a code P0351 and p0352 and started back firing. That ran alot rougher.

 

You need to tell me intake side coil or exhaust side coil

P0351 Ignition Coil A Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction
P0352 Ignition Coil B Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction

And you didn't get
P0353 Ignition Coil C Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction
P0354 Ignition Coil D Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction

With the other coil unplugged?

 

The exhaust coil unplugged is where it threw the codes and would back fire. Only got those two codes.

 

So the intake side coil is not working very well, thats coils C and D, misfires and back fires, and you did check firing order, #1 and #4 on same coil and #2 and #3 on the other coil in that pack

Ran better with Exhaust side hooked up but didn't set codes:
P0353 Ignition Coil C Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction
P0354 Ignition Coil D Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction

which it should have like it set the codes for A and B when exhaust side was unplugged

Never read about the computer failing in this way, it can happen of course just never ran across it myself or read about it
Hard to get around the fact one coil doesn't work as well as the other
You could swap then around, and see if problem stays with intake side coil

And I would still do compression test just to eliminate it, but looks like a Computer(PCM) failure at this point

 

I got it scheduled to go to the shop. Would code p1443 cause it to loose power and to misfore?