Hello everyone, I bought a 1992 ranger sport 2.3 5 speed. I live in california and won`t pass smog it has high hydro carbons, i have put a new fuel pump & sender, spark plug and wires, cleaned the MAF, air filter,fuel filter, checked the egr and vacuum, has pretty new IAC and O2 sensor, the cat is after market, and it has no codes.Runs great but has 2 symtoms, first start in the morning, it stumbles for 4-5 sec and idle up, runs and strarts fine rest of the day. Next while crusing at any gear light load it ping, give it more gas it goes away? Any thoughts? Thanks

A pinging noise under the hood noprmally means valve lifters. It's won't show up on a diagnostic either. The sympoms for bad lifters start slowly/sporadically and increasingly get worse (sluggish performance and the noise will also become more prevalant). I hope I'm wrong on this one because its a pain in the ass to replace them. Best of luck.

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davepadd
2010 Ranger Sport, 4x4, Auto 4.0 l, full power group

Try scrubbing the fuel injectors with a 1/3 of a can of seafoam in the tank and 1/3 sucked into the intake through the brake booster vacuum line.

Run 89 octane for a few tanks too and see if the ping goes away.

I'm thinking that scrubbing the injectors and the rest of the fuel system plus running a higher octane might clean any carbon deposits you might have. The deposits could be causing detonation.

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Sgtsandman's Work in Progress
2011 Ranger XLT, 4X4, 4 door Super Cab. 4.0L, 5 Speed M50D-R1HD, 3.73:1, 8.8" open differential, Jason Pace cap
2019 Ford Ranger STX FX4, Super Crew, 2.3L Ecoboost, 10 speed automatic, 3.73:1 with rear locker, Leer 100XR cap

The lifter are quit, it doesn`t ping in closed loop when it`s cold or at more than 1/4 throtle. I don`t think octane is the problem it doesn`t ping under load, it seem to be lean, i`ll replace the new looking 02 sensor and see if it helps. I have techron in the tank now, will try seafoam next in the tank and vacuum port, Thanks

tune up, try fuel treatment, or seafoam to get rid of some Carbon build up.. mine does it with cheap gas (mom n pop convenient store type gas) no brand name stores
run some 93 and treatment, should cure it then do a tune up

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MY BUILD THREAD
1999 MAZDA 2500SE, 2.5L 4-clanger, 5 speed, Green n slow. Rangers as daily drivers since 1988.
ASE Certified Mechanic, Builder of Show Destroying Protouring and Classic cars..