88 2.3 Ranger runs a minute then stalls

I am looking at possibly buying an 88 Ranger 4x4 2.3 5 spd. The owner is selling it cheap because he cant get it to run. Heres the details.

Engine is a 2.3 with 8 plugs, no distributor. It starts, runs for a minute, and stalls. It will restart immediately and do the same thing.

I am thinking control module, but I dont want to spend $150 on one and have that not be the problem.

What do you guys think?

I should mention it has a new fuel pump, new fuel pump relays, new ECM, new TPS, new IAC, and new plugs & wires. The ad has no mention of a new fuel filter (and I haven't asked yet), but I would assume it was replaced before throwing parts at it.


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EEC relay? Inertia switch? Fuel Pressure Regulator?
Fairly common failure items on Fords of that vintage.
You should be able to hear the electric fuel pump(s) running when it stalls.
Lift pump in the tank and high-pressure pump on the frame? Those trucks had one of each, IIRC.

Any stored codes?

I'm not sure if Rangers were included in the fuel hose recall or not. On the F-series trucks, they used to have a



metal fuel filter installed in a U-tube near the front of the frame ... which caused a fire hazard. The recall involved installing a



paper element filter in the fuel reservoir, and then replacing the nylon fuel line with a braided steel one.

Also seem to recall something about oil pressure switches and two different circuits (start and run) for powering the fuel pump.

Thought-starters for you.

i'll have to ask some more questions. I do see both types of filters listed for this truck on the online parts search. What is this fuel reservoir you speak of? Is that the gas tank or is that something totally different?

That fuel reservoir sits about midship ... near the back of the cab on the driver's side I think. It has a black plastic cap that threads on, and that is where Ford decided to put that paper element filter in.



Should look something like this.

You need to determine if it is fuel or spark. I would have a squirt bottle of gas handy and when it starts to die, squirt a little gas in the throttle body to see if it will keep it running. If it does then you know it is running out of fuel if it doesn't then you know it is a spark issue.
When you say it starts right back up, no extended cranking or does it crank a little then start.

I don't think you can go wrong if it is cheap enough, he already replaced all the expensive stuff lol

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Chet

One of the first things I plan to check is the fuel filter. There was no mention of that being changed by the owner.


I thought about spraying carb cleaner into the intake when it starts to stall, but i dont know if that will work since it has the intake, then the snorkel and then the MAF sensor (atleast I assume it has a MAF sensor) which must all be connected for it to run (i assume, again).

I planned to check for spark while it stalls with an inline spark checker.


I dont know if it starts right up again or takes extended cranking, i'd have to ask.

Truck is $700. No rust, and is 4x4. Lots of money in parts in it already also.

One of my delivery trucks (Ranger 2300) exhibited similar problems. The wire connector on the MAF sensor was loose.

is it possible that the MAF itself is bad causing this?

Just learned that there is no MAF on this truck. It uses a Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP) sensor instead. Still wondering if that could cause the problem tho.

1988 was the last year the Rangers got single plug heads with the earlier EFI... If it's a dual plug, it's had a swap. it can be done sucessfully but it sounds, there is an issue. I would check the wiring. sounds like it's not sensing crankshaft revolution

After having read the last few replies ...

My 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix 3.8 was doing something somewhat similar. Start / stall / restart ... but it would run OK after you gave it a good blip on the throttle. No codes present.

I had read elsewhere that this condition could be caused by a dirty throttle body. This car also has a MAF, so I bought a can of CRC Sensor Clean and a can of CRC Throttle Body Cleaner and cleaned both components. It runs like a swiss watch now.

It sounds like this Ranger never runs no matter what you do? I'm wondering if it's possible that the condition I described on my car may have just been ignored to the point that it just won't even run anymore?

Might be worth a $10 bottle of cleaner.

The truck has a MAP sensor instead of a MAF. I dont know that a MAP sensor gets dirty, but the line going to it could develop a leak or the sensor could fail completely.

Still haven't ruled out that ignition control module. The first thing to do is determine if it loses fuel or spark... not sure when i'll get a chance to go check that out.