My 2002 2.3 Ranger is going to be in the junkyard if i can't get this figured out soon. A few weeks ago it wouldn't start, so I replaced the wires and plugs, and it started but smoked and ran rough for a little while. I filled it up with premium and ran a bottle of complete fuel system cleaner through it and ran better than it had in months. A week ago it died on the road and was towed home, now it will barely start, runs like a cylinder is not firing below 1500 rpm and sounds good over 1500 rpm. After a few seconds over 1500 rpm it cuts itself back to idle for less than a second and tries to run at about 200 - 300 rpm and sounds like hell, shaking bad, doesn't respond to any throttle input, and dies out. I just had the fuel pump replaced, fuel filter is good, MAF was cleaned 2 days ago, the intake is covered in a layer of oily crap, the plugs get fouled up in a few seconds, and to top it all off, I can't get an OBDII reader to connect to it, it says it cannot communicate with the computer. I have no ideas and I can't afford to just start blindly swapping parts.

whoa dont send the poor baby to the junkyard! we will figure it out man

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Ford Ranger Edge Supercab, 2004 3.0 Auto, 2WD, 4.10 Axle 31x10.5x15 BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO's


My Truck Is My Mountain Bike's Ride!

Class III hitch, Rhino Bedliner, Almost Maxed T-Bar Crank, Tuff Country Add A Leaf, Custom Low Anchor Points, OEM ('99) Tow Hooks, Pro Comp Offroad Lights , Mustang Dome Light, Clear Corners, Slim Toolbox, Blinker Mod,Cargo Brake Light Mod,Expo Lighted Visors, Ultra Silverstar heads/fogs, Fog/high mod, Reverse/switched lights, Bike Fork Mounts

Can someone please CHIME In to help this guy?

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1999 Ford Ranger XL
Vulcan V6, K&N 33-2106 Filter, 3:73 Gears,
FRONT 3'' Susp Lift/REAR 3'' susp.+ 3" blocks,06 Mirrors
31"/10.5"-15" BFG on AR-172 Polished Rims,Smitybilt Console
95 Mustang Saleen Seats,Alternating Blinker MOD
Pioneer CD/iPod/GPS,6.5 Polk Audio/6.5 Sub-Woofers,
Stainless Bed Extender,Throttle and Dome Light MOD,
12" Tool Box,Billet Grille,NightShade Tint,Projector Headlamps
6000K H.I.D. so i can see at night! LOL

JESUS is LORD!

If it says it cannot communicate with the computer, I would start there.

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03 RANGER EDGE 3.0
60/40 Seat Mod, Expo Full Console, Expo Mod Diff Cover, Thunderbolt Signal Mirrors, Flowmaster, Billet Grills, One Piece Halo Projector Headlights, HID Fogs w/Halos,
LED Lightbar, Euro Taillights, Interior Accents Painted, OHC, Indigo Cluster, 7" LCD Headunit, Mustang Dome Light, Manik Brush Guard
PNW CREW

Is the check engine light on? and is your cig lighter working because the obII port is on the same fuse as that. Your computer might be shot how many miles are on this truck??

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2000 Ford Ranger 5.0L-302 Swap Questions? PM Me
Deep Wedgewood Blue Metallic-Have One?
5 Speed Manual Transmission
Extended Cab Flareside
2000 Ford Explorer 5.0L
1986 Mercedes 190e

It has just over 100,000 miles, and I will check the cig lighter now. About a month before I stared having trouble the check engine light came on, along with "check fuel cap" the code was for the evap canister,the tank was overfilled and from what I understand that caused the evap canister issue, but money is short so I put off fixing it.

Ecu ?

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2003 Blue Fx-4 ranger.
Mustang dome light, blue/silver painted interior, Kenwood head deck and kenwood 6x8 speakers= Custom built 8 inch sub box with a 8 inch mtx rs, kenwood 160 rms amp. , Line-x bed liner,custom vinyl center console lid. Silver grill and fender flares. Personal Air box mod with drop in k&n filter, Dynomax Ultra Flo cat-back exhaust system. Working on exterior valance next than hood scoop silver and 4.0 stickers. This spring a full interior redo with seats. More to come.

Sounds ECU to me.

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DirtFreeks Motorsports

can i have it? =)

honestly it could be a lot of things. sounds just like whats happening with my 1990.

i would start with the sensors. first clean out the IAC. take it off and spray with throttle body cleaner. also spray some in the throttle body itself and open the butterfly and spray in there clean off with a clean towel. That has fixed most problems with trucks having symptoms like yours.

also check the TPS (throttle positioning sensor).

if this doesnt work then take your ICM (ignition control module) and have it tested. (Autozone, O'reilly, checkers) they usually can do it.

if after all this it still doesnt work then check your crankshaft positioning sensor. (usually with a multimeter or watever) or just replace it. but sometimes its really hard to get to like mine....

im going to replace mine soon because this is the only thing left other than the ECU... hope this helps.

good luck and if you dont want your truck ill be more than happy to have it =)

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1990 ford ranger 2.3L
1999 Ford Ranger 2.5l

God bless!

Can't talk to the computer, I would see if I had a friend that has one that I could borrow to see if that fixes it. They are not too hard to exchange.

Check your fuse for the Cig lighter. Cause my obd ll wasn't working for the longest of time. And someone said to check the Cig lighter fuse and of course it was burnt out. I replaced it and walla! it was fixed. Also I read obd ll's at work. (Advance) And if that light isn't on then the code reader won't recognize it.

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My Build Thread!!!

to bad you did not post before you did the fuel pump. We would have had you do a fuel pressure test. they are very easy to do. I agree the first thing you need to do is to see if you can get the obd port working as stated already. check the cig/obd port fuse..........your truck also has a pcv vent hose that goes bad where it bends..I think it is on the drivers side of the engine toward the bottom but I am not sure.....but first try and get the obd port working...........that is a nice truck with a great engine....I would not even think of throwing in the towel....you got a good 100k left in it......

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2004 Ext Cab, 4WD, 4.0, Auto, 154k. (4.0 engine is out of a 2009 Ranger w/96k) ( as of 7/1/2017)

2004 Ranger, Ext Cab, 2WD, 3.0, 5 speed , 4WABS, crank windows, no cruise, Edge 116k.(6/5,2014) (SOLD).
1999 Ford Ranger, Reg Cab, 2.5, 5 speed, 2WD, no AC, 150k (SOLD).

When my truck couldn't talk to the comp, it was my ecu had it towed to ford they re-mapped it for 200$ and it fixed it

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2000 ranger 4.0v6 4x4 ext. Cab with a cap
Mods....
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/proje...start-now.html

some trucks don't have a cig lighter, if you have 2 cig/power ports, one is a cig lighter and that is the same fuse as the obd port. if you only have one cig/port then that is the aux power port and is on a different fuse then the obd port.........did I explain that clearly?...if you do have power at the obd port I would disconnect the neg battery cable and inspect the ecu. see if there is any possible leak around it. I think there is a ground screw for it. pull the ecu out and see if it looks Ok? any corrosion etc?

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2004 Ext Cab, 4WD, 4.0, Auto, 154k. (4.0 engine is out of a 2009 Ranger w/96k) ( as of 7/1/2017)

2004 Ranger, Ext Cab, 2WD, 3.0, 5 speed , 4WABS, crank windows, no cruise, Edge 116k.(6/5,2014) (SOLD).
1999 Ford Ranger, Reg Cab, 2.5, 5 speed, 2WD, no AC, 150k (SOLD).

I also have to side with the ECU. Remember these guys default to a "limp home" mode when the ECU dies, and trying to drive it like normal is almost impossible. The fact that you can't communicate with it through the OBD port is a big clue. Yes it could be the fuse, and I hope it is, but if so, you still have a problem with the ECU. Pull it and get it checked out. Just my 2 cents worth.

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