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Old 05-27-2014, 08:48 PM
Will_Jr Will_Jr is offline
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Lightbulb P0305 code & overheating (?)

Hey guys, kind of new at troubleshooting vehicles, drove a 08 fusion that hasn't given me any issues yet haha. Thanks for all the input ahead of time! I'm typing this from my phone so if there's any mistakes I apologize ahead of time also haha

I've had the ranger for about a week and drove it for about 5 days and now the problems are starting to surface haha.

It's a 1998 ford ranger 4.0 with pretty much stock and 113k miles. The previous owner claimed to have changed the coil pack and spark plugs within the past month.

Symptoms of idle issue:
- Had an intermittent idle/misfiring issue. Would idle at 600 rpms, but the rpms would not fluctuate (this is while at a red light). Once I take off the truck runs good again.

- truck finally threw an error code this morning, took it to autozone and the guy said it was a P0305.

- sometimes i feel like I smell gas in the exhaust (don't have the best sense of smell haha)

- Issue has been more consistent since the CEL.

In regards to the over heating issue:

- once I get some mileage the inside heater gauge will fluctuate, mostly when stopped at a light. But I also seen it go back down within the normal range while stopped at a light.

- it fluctuates between "normal" and hot

- the coolant resevoir was full one time when I pulled over to check everything out

- no easily noticeable leaks

- radiator doesn't feel hot, and the water hoses are warm to touch

- I think I lost some fluid out of the resevoir from the cap of the resevoir (as if the level got too high)



Things I replaced:
- air filter
- IAC
- a bad vacuum hose (had duct tape all over it haha)
- MAF
- Fuel filter

I have a thermastat that I'm going to change out tomorrow hoping that helps the weird "overheating issue"

Thanks
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1998 Ford Ranger XLT 4.0 4x4
Rugged Ridge manual hub conversion
32" x 11.5" BF Goodrich A/T

Last edited by Will_Jr; 05-28-2014 at 04:52 AM.
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  #2  
Old 05-27-2014, 08:56 PM
dangerranger94 dangerranger94 is offline
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Default

The gauges in the rangers are as good as a dummy light...it pretty much tells you ur engine either cold as heck, or wayyyyyy over heated, there's kinda no in between
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  #3  
Old 05-28-2014, 07:19 PM
cowboybilly9mile cowboybilly9mile is offline
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Default Re: P0305 code & overheating (?)

History has proven that a lot of misfire codes that surface on 90's Ford 4.0's turn out to be caused vacuum leak(s) on the intake gasket. Something cheap and easy to look for. Put your new t-stat in (ONLY use Motorcraft, for best and reliable results), purge all air out of the cooling system, top off after a few duty cycles and see if problem fixed.

*Since you already found one vac hose that was toast, I'd give all of them the once over and repair/replace anything that is suspicious or bad.
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Old 05-29-2014, 09:10 AM
Will_Jr Will_Jr is offline
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Default Re: P0305 code & overheating (?)

Quote:
Originally Posted by cowboybilly9mile View Post
History has proven that a lot of misfire codes that surface on 90's Ford 4.0's turn out to be caused vacuum leak(s) on the intake gasket. Something cheap and easy to look for. Put your new t-stat in (ONLY use Motorcraft, for best and reliable results), purge all air out of the cooling system, top off after a few duty cycles and see if problem fixed.

*Since you already found one vac hose that was toast, I'd give all of them the once over and repair/replace anything that is suspicious or bad.
Thanks for the heads up! While doing thermostat last night, might have found another bad hose (not sure if it was a vacuum hose or not) that had a piece of electrical tape on it, I'll be replacing that hose today.

I believe the thermostat solved the over heating issue, test drove it for about 15 miles, going to test drive it again today when it's really hot outside haha.

Also while doing the thermostat, I went ahead and cleared the code and while test driving it, the code didn't reappear, but the rough idling reappeared.

Seems to me that the rough idle comes when:
-the engine is warm
-I sit at a light for an extended period of time (after driving for a while)
-it seems like everytime I throw the truck into reverse, it starts whole intermittent rough idle episode (after I drive for a period of time). For example, truck was running good until I went to my friend's house, parked (left the truck running), he wasn't home so I threw it in reverse and then it started acting rough in reverse and the whole idle issue appeared
-and the rough idle goes away as soon as I hit 2k RPM and the transmission shifts into another gear

Thanks for the heads up on the motor craft parts!
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1998 Ford Ranger XLT 4.0 4x4
Rugged Ridge manual hub conversion
32" x 11.5" BF Goodrich A/T

Last edited by Will_Jr; 05-29-2014 at 09:16 AM.
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  #5  
Old 05-29-2014, 01:45 PM
svtwin73 svtwin73 is offline
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Default Re: P0305 code & overheating (?)

Check the large vacuum hose between the brake booster and the manifold for cracks. A small hole in that hose will cause a bad idle.
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Old 05-29-2014, 02:24 PM
Will_Jr Will_Jr is offline
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Default Re: P0305 code & overheating (?)

I pulled the plug wire off the spark plug and noticed the previous owner used NGK spark plugs, what are the odds of this being my issue? Also the guy at autozone sold me the wrong plug socket so wasn't able to take the plug out for diagnosis

Going to go ahead and replace that hose that you mentioned from the brake booster, looks good to the eye but it's old
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1998 Ford Ranger XLT 4.0 4x4
Rugged Ridge manual hub conversion
32" x 11.5" BF Goodrich A/T

Last edited by Will_Jr; 05-29-2014 at 02:31 PM.
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coolant leak, misfire, over heating, p0305

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