Update:

I changed the plugs and wires today. Fired it up and it idled fairly rough at first and there was a weird knock. The knock almost sounded like flicking an empty water bottle but it was sporadic. There wasn't a consistent "beat" if you will with that noise. Maybe 3-5 seconds between each flick. I made a video of it and will upload it to YouTube so I can post it here if yall are interested or think it could be a major problem. Well that lasted for maybe 45 seconds and the idle cleared up and the knock went away. I'm guessing the computer was adjusting to the new and improved spark? Any explanations on that? At any rate, I stood under the hood to listen and watch for maybe five minutes while she ran and it sounded good. The idle was smooth and it seemed to be doing really well. So I grab a Mt. Dew and a can of dip and drove her around for a little while. I can honestly say that I don't think I have ever felt such a significant improvement after something so minor. She ran smooth, shifted normal, didn't rev up real high between shift changes, nothing. It purred like a kitten. So I ended back up at the parts store and had them check the codes. Btw, the CEL was off, but I just attested that to me undoing the negative battery cable while doing the plugs. They hook up the scanner and the only code showing was P1537. I wanted to double check that, so I ran to another parts store (this time I went to the original store who gave me the codes the other day) and had them test it. Again, the only CEL code was the P1537, but it did show the P1000 where I unhooked the battery. I just need to drive it around some more to confirm the other two codes are gone.

It definitely gives me hope that the P0301 code is gone based on how much better it drove. I'm not exaggerating when I say it was one of the most significant improvements I've ever seen for such a simple operation. Do you guys think I have a good chance of not seeing the P0301 code again once I drive it around a while?

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1997 Ford Ranger XLT 2.3 I4 Engine Stock Transmission Regular Cab Flareside Bed
2002 Ford Ranger 2.3 I4 Engine Stock Transmission Regular Cab Short Bed
1995 Ford Ranger XLT 2.3 I4 Engine Stock Transmission Regular Cab Short Bed

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