Hey all,
So I’ve been struggling to get this truck to idle right. I just bought 4 new plugs only to come home and see that my truck has an 8 plug head. I know I know rookie mistake, but my problem isn’t the plugs, it’s the fact that it only has 1 set of wires with a distributor and only 1 ignition coil. Now I don’t know if this is factory or not but the head gasket looks new, from what I see, and I’m having trouble trying to decide what to do. Should I find a 4 plug head and swap it, or should I go and re do the entire ignition system?

 

Up to 1988 the 2.3l engine used distributor and 4 spark plugs
The 8 plug heads were the same as long at you blocked off the extra 4 holes

What year is this engine/Ranger?
1987?

Have you tried some Seafoam in the gas tank or similar injector cleaner?
Dirty injector tips cause unbalanced air/fuel mix at idle(they drip), and you get misfires, but they work OK at higher RPM/flow(they spray)

The 4 extra spark plugs were done for more power, simple as that, same a Dodge Hemi added an extra set
The 2.3l ran fine from 1974 to 1988 on 4 spark plugs with distributor
Once engines went distributorless it was easier to do the dual spark plugs, but 4 valves added even more power so better use of head chamber space, so the dual spark plugs were short lived option, as the 4valve 4cylinder engines came into their own

Although there were some dual plug distributors, interesting setups, lol, got to see it to believe it
Look here: https://www.precisionmatters.biz/ima...on_details.jpg

And here: https://www.partsklassik.com/images/...edium/2265.jpg

Dual plug V8 here: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/a2/79...ddfdd216a1.jpg

 

Yes it is an 87 ranger I bought it down in Rhode Island for 650$ and the fuel tank and pump are brand new. I just put in Lucas oil injector cleaner/ fuel treatment. But the thing is she won’t start now. It just cranks and cranks and nothing happens. But I sprayed starter fluid into it and it fired for like 10 seconds but then immediately died right after no idle or nothing.

 

That's the 50/50 test, sparking fuel into the intake manually

So your injectors are not working, or there is no fuel at the injectors, but Spark is working

1987 has TWO fuel pumps, the one in the tank and the one in the frame rail by the filter

The one in the frame is the high pressure pump, added for the fuel injections
Both pumps share the same 12volt power wire, you should be able to hear pump running with key on

There is a way to "hot wire" fuel pump pretty easily on the 1994 and earlier EFI Rangers
In 1987 there will be a OBD connector in engine bay, on passenger side on the main wiring harness

Look here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...ry/OBD_I.shtml

2nd drawing is what the connector looks like, it may have a cap on it that says "EEC"
In the drawing the fuel pump SLOT is labelled
If that slot is GROUNDED, then fuel pumps will both get `12volts with Key on, full time 12v, not just the 2 seconds thing they normally get

This is for testing if the pump in the frame is working, if you use a jumper wire and GROUND that slot, then turn on the key, you can go under the truck and feel if that pump is running
You should hear the pump in the gas tank running