99 Ford Ranger 3.0 Ex. Cab

Jake0426 · #1 07-13-2011, 01:43 PM

Hey I bought a 99 Ford Ranger a few months back. All of a sudden it started shaking when I start it and when I push the gas it sputters. I changed the spark plus and the cam position sensor and it stopped for a month or so. Then it started again. My CEL is on.
Another time I drove it on the interstate and the O.D. Off light came on and came to a stop and started driving again and it shifted hard in first and second. I pulled off the side of the road and turn it off and back on and it ran fine. No light. When I push the OD OFF button to turn off the OD it doesn't shift hard or act up.
What would cause coolant to over flow out of the radiator over flow reservoir. It only has done it once but I had the AC running and I was driving down the interstate. If I am not making to much since just ask and I will elaborate. I am desperate and hopefully it will not be an expensive fix for all of these problems.

Rg1Baja · #2 07-14-2011, 09:00 AM

First off you need to see what codes it has. It would be hard to tell you to try something without a starting point. As far as the radiator goes, does it ever run hot? Have you checked to make sure there is no coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant? Check the radiator cap to make sure its getting sealed?

03RangerFX4 · #3 07-14-2011, 09:20 AM

I would do a pressure check of the cooling system. it should hold 16psi for at least a minute...if i doesnt, you may have a leak some where.

Jake0426 · #4 07-15-2011, 11:43 PM

Well I checked the code. It came up as a misfire on cylinder 6. That was the only code that came up. Could I have gotten a bad set of spark plug wires? Or what else could it be?
It has never ran hot. It usually stays a little under half on the temp gauge. Any ideas on where to get a pressure test done? Im guessing that is a mechanic thing. I dont see any coolant in the oil of oil in the coolant. If it was to be wouldnt that be a blown head gasket. I also looked in the reservoir yesterday when the truck was running and I could see some small bubbles. Could there be air in the radiator from when I changed the water pump? Thanks for your quick responses.

03RangerFX4 · #5 07-16-2011, 06:03 AM

If your not over heating and the gauge is in the normal area all the time, no milky color in the oil, I think you fine with the cooling system. To your question above, if your coolant is leaking out of the over flow container it could be caused when you filled the radiator by over filling it when you replaced the water pump. You can buy a pressure tester at any auto part store. Easy to use.

Jake0426 · #6 07-19-2011, 02:37 PM

Well I changed my wires and the #6 plug. When I pulling it out it was caked with carbon. I replaced that and it is driving fine. What would have caused it to have carbon build up that fast. It was only about a month and a half since I changed the plugs and wires. Any ideas? Im hoping i didnt tighten it enough or the wire on that particular plug was not on good. If it starts again does anyone have any suggestions on what could be causing this? I also bought some sea foam. We will see how good that cleans out the engine. I only put it in the gas tank.

Jake0426 · #7 07-20-2011, 02:42 PM

When I am driving over 50 miles per hour the truck starts sputtering like it is missing. Any idea what this could be?

Jake0426 · #8 07-29-2011, 02:36 PM

When I am driving my Ford Ranger 3.0 and I get to about 45-50 miles per hour my truck starts sputtering like it is missing. Does anyone have any idea what that could be. Also yesterday I was driving and smoke started coming out of the vents. I turned off the ac and it stopped. I turned the ac on later and there was no smoke. Any one know what that could be? I dont want to drive it on the interstate cause im scared of it breaking down. Does any one have any ideas. Please.

03RangerFX4 · #9 07-30-2011, 09:32 AM

The smoke could be caused from the belt not moving freely around one of the pulley. A pulley could be going bad on maybe the alternator, a/c compressor..etc.

The truck missing maybe caused from an over due maintenance like a tune up. I read something about you changing the plugs, did you gap them correctly?