I concur . I cant stand that crap . IM a direct to the point no fluff and b.s type of man and i Appreciate how its Simple and to the point . Thats how it should be .
How does Wes only have 200k subs? Awful lot of folks missing out on Saturday and Sunday mornings before kids and the wife wake up (and between hunting seasons).
@@pootthatbak2578 Yep... I like Wes, Ivan at pine hollow and south main auto.. But also Deboss Garage, Diesel Creek, Vehcor and a little 'zip ties and bias plies.. and scanner danner. lol... And then I like the tow channels: Trail mater, Matts off road recovery, Fab rats, Merlins garage... Also channels like Grind hard plumbing, Rich rebuilds, vasily builds and Merricks garage.. There are probably a half dozen other's I'm not thinking of. I guess I didn't realize I watch so many mechanical channels. lol... Heavy equipment channels like Andrew Camrata, Loger Wade, Captain Kleeman, etc. Then there's all the milling channels like This old tony, AvE , dudley toolwright, abomb, and others... and don't make me list the gun channels, because I'd be here all day.
If you feather the throttle just right to change the ptich of the whine and the tempo of the tick, you and your ford can sing along with what you're playing on the radio. Sounds like a feature to me. lol
I think every non-V8 Ford I've owned has had a tick of some sort. My 4.0L Ranger had EVERY SINGLE hydraulic lifter seized from gunk in the tiny pressurized oil passages. No more hydraulic valve lash, combined with less than ideal top end oiling to begin with, and the push rod tips get flat. Ticking ensues.
@@rhekman My 1986 F-250 with the EFI 302 had the same "ticking" sound I heard on this Ranger at the end when he was letting it run on the base timing. I was told at some point it was the injectors, but I have no idea. :)
Working on old Harleys taught me that aftermarket stuff can be junk. Fortunately for the Harley crowd, a whole ecosystem developed of "better than OEM," stuff like Jim's and S&S and other companies. Here we see how the aftermarket distributor company bought a module with improper alloy contacts. They are supposed to be beryllium-copper alloy so they stay nice and springy. It's a classic problem, the terminal looks springy when they assemble it, but after some heat cycles and vibration they bend open. The distributor company never knew they were getting ripped off since cheapo aftermarket companies don't do exhaustive incoming inspection. The module company might have been clueless as well. This reminded me of when I was an engineer at Ford Light Truck in the early 1980s. We had an ignition module mounted on the fender. It had a paper-phenolic circuit board that would crack and cause the truck to die. After it cooled off, the board would flex back and the truck would start again. I said, "simple, just replace the circuit board with an FR-4 board". They looked at me like I was insane. This module was used in all the cars and trucks, six million vehicles a year. It would cost a dollar to change-- and they explained that Ford engineers were supposed to save money, not cost money. I saw guys lose a career for a 5-cent mistake and managers get fired for a 50-cent mistake. A dollar mistake would have gotten the whole department fired. Finance whiz kids ruined that company back then. So in the end, they poured sand in the die cast housing and placed the crappy board on top before potting it in. This fixed the problem for a few cents, in fact, since sand was cheaper than potting compound, it might have been booked as a cost savings. The reliability of the module was 12 or 14 Rs per hundred, in another words, 12% of the modules failed in the 12-month, 12.000-mile warranty period. It was the worst reliability part in Ford history, and I was the truck guy that had to use it. I quit Ford and went to Silicon Valley, where I met a tech that had the same problem with his old Capri or Pinto. He learned he could wedge a "drunk bump" highway marker under the module against the potting, and when he screwed it down, it warped the board enough so it stopped cutting out. He figured this out on the side of the road. His skills were as amazing as yours, great episode.
Well, clearly Ford is still suffering the same problems with the financial whiz kids ruining Ford's quality and reputation. We only have to look at their recent recall record to verify that.
I remember very well the issues with those EEC modules. They didn’t do much better with the first TFI modules. I used to carry a spare module and tools in my Ranger, just in case……
Thanks for the story. As a machinist with 40 years' experience and plenty of manufacturing war stories, I also had my own go-arounds with managers and engineers about quality. I enjoy hearing from those who were trying to put out quality products and the backlash they were forced to deal with.
Beryllium copper is not allowed in a lot of places because of the risk of Berylosis. Copper plated nickel alloy is the only real replacement. Not cheap.
@@TroubadourJuggernaut Agreed. Our company had a "mechanic" that was a loser high school friend of the owner. We had over 30 vehicles. His best tools were a Walmart code reader and a parts cannon. He spent so much time replacing parts that even we knew had nothing to do with the problem.
Back in the day my dad owned an 86 2.9 Ranger from almost new. From the word go, if it was colder than 20 degrees out, it wouldn't start. If we were ice fishing, we had to go out and start it every couple of hours so we wouldn't get stranded. Finally, after 170,000 miles, the TFI module finally failed. After it was replaced, the cold weather start issue was resolved! He drove that truck all those years like that...
I just love seeing the 86 ranger. I had one years ago and kept it down in florida to pull a sailboat. 2.0 liter. Basically it ran on air. Thanks for the trip down memory lane seeing that interior
Had an old 87 Ranger with the 2.9L. The EGR pipe between the manifold and the valve had rusted through and caused a loud ticking exhaust noise. Took it out, drove a brass plug in the manifold, folded the pipe over and sealed it and put back in the valve to keep from sucking dirty air. Miss that truck
Dad and I continue to work on our 87 2.9l Ranger 4WD manual, so I love it when the Rusty Ranger gets some screen time! Over the years I've replaced a lot of those top-end parts, but i haven't gotten into those parts you replaced in this video (i've done injector cleaning, IACV, fuel pressure regulator, among other fun vacuum parts). Come to think of it, I bet they are playing a part in the overall weirdness in the performance. You had that thing sounding better than ours has in decades! Thanks for this - sending it my dad's way to discuss later!
I can't properly verbalize my appreciation for the level of detail you go in to, Wes. I've worked on Ford EEC-IV stuff, even as recently as a month or so ago, and as a high schooler. I didn't have the gizmos for testing, but I could short out two pins on the Ford OBD1 connector to read stored codes and to also run the KOER test. Something like this would have forced me to go to a mechanic. Thanks for putting in the effort to film and describe all the steps involved in the solution. You continue to fascinate me!
Same! I don't either my rangers running on $20-30 ebay sensors every once and a while, it currently has this exact issue and I was watching this for entertainment but found it helpful as it's detailed and he said the names of the part
Nicely done! My '84 Escort consumed one of those 3 pin TFI modules every 40k or so and at least 1 pickup coil in 120k. Yes, I always used fresh thermal grease. I put 150k on an 87 with the later TFI setup (7 pins) and had no issues. Makes me think the early stuff was junk.
Been running into a bunch of junk new parts. Just did a timing belt on a Dodge 3.5 and the kit I bought was from Gates. The timing belt idler pulley bracket was supplied by GMB and when tightened down to 61 Nm the tensioner would not allow the idler to pivot. I removed the new idler pulley from the GMB bracket and used the factory bracket. Gotta be careful with these parts nowadays.
Wes, EXCELLENT diagnostic!! Pre-OBDII stuff can be very difficult, and I know 20-30 year Leed techs that won’t touch that stuff because they don’t have the ability to diagnose it. I really appreciate how straightforward you are. Thank you!!
I literally never comment but I’ve been binging your videos for about a year and I gotta say you’ve brought more entertainment and knowledge to my life than anything else on the internet, big thanks man 👊
That fuel pressure regulator is one of the first things I check on these old Ferds. 20 years seems to be their lifespan, at least here in Arizona. I've had a couple fail in that exact manner; one burned out a cat and melted the downstream O2 sensor, the other just severely fouled it's spark plugs. Thank goodness it's easy enough to pop that vacuum hose off lol.
I've been holding off watching this video because of other things I needed to get done so you may not see this comment (728 before me). I have an 86 Crown Vic and have found the books by Charles Probst really helpful in understanding how things work and diagnosing problems on my 86 Ford. Very interesting watching what you did on this one. So far I've been really lucky that not many parts have died because replacements are getting really hard to find. Still running strong at 302,000 miles!
Nostalgia: check ✔️. My first Ranger was an '88 2.9 standard long box, with 200000 km of previous enjoyment already clocked. I put almost another 100k of perfect motoring before it started to exhibit these exact complaints! Multiple diagnostics from the dealer included over 40 hours of "computer connected diagnostics", a new/used ECM, then a brand new ECM, replacement of most of the electro-mechanical do-dads...all to no avail: it stalled in the parking lot when I went to pick it up. The dealer stopped charging me shop time, because the head mechanic was then on a mission to get to the bottom of this. The entire book and read-outs were eventually sent to Ford. Their considered response: "Tell your customer to buy a new truck" 😡
When I watch your videos I realize how far things have come from the old points and condenser days I’m used to. I’m impressed by your diagnostic talent. I’ll stick to the 50 year old and older stuff
I like the 50 plus year old cars. Simple and somewhat reliable. Easy to fix. It shows that cars do not need all of that fancy electronic stuff to work. I miss working on my 73 Buick Lesabre. Plenty of room to work in!!!
I know the parts situation makes you question any preventive maintenance. I have a 96 Mazda B2300 that I pull behind my motor home and the clutch is getting close to the end. I keep thinking about replacing it, but sometimes it’s better not to touch stuff that still works. 😂😂
Fields look nice and green. Be curious to see how the beans produce though. Gotta love the parts problem we have in this country. America needs to be producing their own!!!
I know it's not always an option, but when a part is available that's made in the USA how many people are willing to pay more for the better quality? I ordered a wheel bearing for my '00 Blazer the other day, on Rockauto there's a ton of options. Cheapest is $26.99, then the made in the USA Timken is $135.79. I bought the Timken for a number of reasons, but how many others would look at those prices and make the same call?
I like the rusty Ranger. I owned a 1983 Ranger V6 2.8 4x4 for 10 years. Hauled a 900 pound camper all over British Columbia . Heard a balsey sound from tranny so got all the bearings changed. A great ride. Thanks Wes.
I'm a huge Ranger enthusiast, especially these 1st Gens. Currently restoring a single cab 83' Ranger 2.3L 4x4 '4 Speed stick shift and absolutely love it. I bought mine out in San Diego while I was there for the Navy back in February, drove it to Norfolk in May. Drove over 2700 miles and it made it with out a single issue. Every Ranger I owned that had that dreadful 2.9L never ran right and always had issues. They aren't bad motors, it's the 80s emissions and technology that plagued the 2.8/2.9Ls. It's why I bought a carbureted 2.3L and currently about to throw in a Holley 350 that is jetted and tuned down for a 2.3L along with a RacerWalsh cannon port intake.
Wish they still made Ford Ranger trucks today here in 2024 going into 2025 instead of those hideous 4 door station wagon trucks that are out there today. Not everyone wants and needs a 4 door station wagon truck when a regular cab truck suits them just fine.
Thanks for stirring up lots of memories, Wes. Spent a lot of time under those hoods chasing DPFs, EGR problems, module's and pick up some on Fords. The DPF would short the 5 volt line and kill the truck. Kept dozens of them in stock. Sold them as maintainence. Made lots of mortgage payments of those 80s ford's. Thanks for another good show.
I had a 91 Ranger 4x4 with the 2.9L. Put over 210,000 miles on it. I sold it and saw it around town for several years and it kind of made me sad that I got rid of it. Was a great truck.
Can't imagine how you know all those intricate electronic schematics, and then know how to fix them!!! I doubt that your "local garage mechanic" would have a clue about this. Your amazing and your ability to explain these issues so that we "lay" folks can understand and at least be entertained. Love your channel!!
Can't be a "local garage mechanic" and not know these things, not for the last couple of decades. Have to know all the version of the data plugs just to plug in a monitor, and know the "why" of the codes reported, too.
The aftermarket ignition modules are usually junk too! I never had a specialty tool just (several) turned down deep well sockets in my toolbox. I never could find the specialty one when I needed it and ended up turning down multiple. Good diagnostic video Wes! 👍😁
This brings back memories. I had a 1984 Ranger that I purchased brand new and it was almost identical to the Rusty Ranger. My Ranger only cost about $10,000, if I recall. Those were the good ole days. I had a part time job barely above minimum wage and was able to pay for college and make payments on my new Ranger and had money left over.
Wes, when you are dealing with loose connections or even one connector, you can twist the prongs a little and make connections that way. If it is on the outer side connection shell portion, crime the rolled portions a little to tighten it up. Could allow a part to work that way... Another great video and troubleshooting issue. Thumbs Up!
It's funny how we learn these quick fixes. I've done it on cars, refrigerator, washers and dryers. You always have to tweak these things to make them play nice.
Subscribed. I saw your comment on Eric O's fix of an Ecoboost Ford; about the parts man finally letting you know the part you ordered months ago and the look on his face handing it over to you was that of a guy with a record setting bass........and thought, let me check this guy's channel out. Glad I did, too. Loved your troubleshooting and repair work on this 2.8 Ranger. I miss my own 89 Ranger STX with the 2.9. Keep up the great work, I love what you have here.
What a great Video. The Methodical Troubleshooting is why I like the Channel. I appreciate you showing the voltage difference between bad and good part, amp draw of bad and good Solenoid. Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge, Wes.
The chirping cricket is a nice touch...at least it is not in your food...yet. Your diagnostic and mechanical skills always amaze me. Thanks for all you do!!!
Wes, You put out the best content with a great sense on how difficult the repair/ parts industry has gotten. Thank you so much for taking all your viewer along on your ever changing daily adventures in automotive repair. Have a great labor day weekend!
sweet to see this sweet old truck cruising down the road again when it was left to deteriorate down to a 300 dollar vehicle. its way nice now how nice it goes and looks.
Excellent work, as always Wes. Keep it up. 21:47 you're just asking for trouble, you didn't flip down the battery positive post cover. That'll short to the hood, that's about six inches above it, and the truck will burn to the ground... 🤣🤣
@@WatchWesWork Every time you say Rusty Ranger I immediately think of some sort of crap cowboy version of Rusty Venture from The Venture Bros. animated action comedy TV series...🤣🤣🤣
Wes you have to love the quality of the new parts now days. If you get more the the 1 year warranty off of them you did good. Not all that way but most seem to be on that . Good video today. Have a great day 👍🏻👋
You also can't buy the absolute cheapest part you can get and expect it to last, either. I buy made in the USA Timken wheel bearings for my vehicles, where one of them typically costs 5 times as much as the cheapest option, but I don't end up replacing it a second time, either.
I had an 85 Oldsmobile Calais and the ignition module went out. Swapped it out and 3 months later the module died again. Swap, run and fail 3 months later. Bit the bullet and bought an OE GM module. Never had a problem again....
Wes is the man and he never uses Clickbait unlike rain man Ray not saying that I don’t enjoy his videos but Wes you’re the best mechanic and I so enjoy you doing what you do in teaching everyone these engines I think a really good they just have to be taken care of and looked after thank you for finally doing a series on this engine
In the past I've soldered up a bit of a bead on male spade connectors to snug it up into the female connector which couldn't be accessed easily to bend them back into shape. Works good in a pinch.
Oh here we go again with the rusty ranger I had one on the trucks mine was really good to me I mostly got one that was built on a Wednesday or something this truck had been built on a Monday or Friday LOL. But we have the master diagnosis on the job this guy can diagnose anything it seems like damn wess you are one smart man. I learned a lot from watching your channel I appreciate it thank you for the hard work you put into it for us.
When a vehicle gets to be that old it seems to want the parts cannon let loose. I know it sucks but if that fixes it and it goes a long time then it's worth it. Wes you have the patience of Jobe and again a great video.
As a retired (mostly industrial) electrician I like your approach to troubleshooting. I sometimes had to train apprentices and would ask them "do you want to be a technician...or a parts changer"? They always said technician but down the road they would proceed to just change out parts to troubleshoot.
Great job and diagnostic. I do have the TFI socket. I had a 1985 T-Bird that I had new. I learned about the fact that the distributor had to some apart back then. They were a real weak point. I think they had an issue with getting too hot. I had a 1987 Bronco with that engine too. The 1991 Ranger I had with the 3.0 was much nicer and more powerful. It reached 340K miles with only an oil pump and other wear items. Trans started slipping and I sold it for $1000 in 2000 ish.
you know what’s sad wes with the part shortage going on you still was able to locate 3 different “sensors” for this old ford lol people wonder why we keep a hold of these vehicles lol
I’m kinda disappointed that you didn’t show how much fun getting the dizzy in and out is! But hey I still have a 2.9 so this video may come in handy for me. I even screenshotted the wiring diagram. Good job!
I used to have an ‘83. None of these issues. But the carb was a trick. Glad to watch i always find your candor pleasant. Thanks for sharing. I always find this era of transition to a more modern standard so curious. Granted im not doing the work😄
Geesh. I'm so sorry you have to relive this stuff. w/o input from the old guys(people like me; old but still enthusiastic) Those old(original) distributor so-called 'pick-ups' deteriorated from oil fumes...especially the white and orange ones. Super easy to diagnose only because it happened so often. Pull the TFI module off and the connector body was nothing but jelly. Happened all the time. BTW, I don't think there is a check engine light on Fords of that time. There is a wire on the DTC that get's grounded but there was nothing on the dash. Ford got away with that for a long time. Worst thing with replacing the pickup is that techs would no mark the distributor gear and end up breaking it on re-install...the pin hole is NOT drilled on center. It is drilled with gear in place. 50/50 chance you get it right. Also, the 2.9 has hydraulic lifters. It was the 2.8 that had solid lifters and required adjustment. Thanks for the memories.
Great Job Sir. Actually sounded very decent at the end...... Not sure there's many techs left who would be willing to look at old OBD 1.... And you're pretty young, so.... By the time you're 50, people will be coming from a long ways away to get that stuff looked at... Heh heh! Well, maybe....
This is ford Country, these were a nightmare to diagnose, my shop wound up with lots of backyard diagnoses that had the parts cannon shot at them and never fixed before my shop got them, good breakdown and analysis nice work.
I had this same problem with my '87. It was notorious for the PIP sensor to overheat and quit working. Autozone even stopped providing the warranty from replacing it too many times in a short period. Come to find out it was a combination of a bad EGR valve, TPI sensor, PIP, and crankshaft sensor. If either goes bad, they burn out the others. I really miss that truck. It was my best friend. I put 493,000 miles on it before it finally gave up the ghost. Wish I could find another like it.
It still made for good viewing bro. Glad I grew up in an age were engines were so uncomplicated, if it had spark and fuel it went. Just about need a college degree just to open the door of a new car these days. Safe travels
All the diagnostic work you do is really awesome you just don’t load the parts cannon you verify I hope your customers appreciate all you do I know the shops around here don’t do none of that!
It is still a pretty cool truck, not too many of that first body style left still running. I enjoyed the video. I bought a brand new ranger in 86, I think I paid more for my new mower this spring!
I owned an AMC Gremlin back in the 70's. I would drive down the road and the engine would die. I would turn the key to start and it would start within seconds. This would only happen once in maybe 20-100 miles. I was afraid to take it to the dealer because they would think i'm nuts. Finally about 2 yrs' later I received a recall that the plugin for the distributor sensor needed cleaned and lubed with electrical grease. Back then they didn't have computers, most machanics didn't have electricial knowledge like today.
Wes I just need to say thanks. At my job, since I'm the more mechanically inclined of the bunch I usually am tasked with figuring out and fixing our various pieces of equipment. And your various video's on many different types of equipment have helped me tremendously. Although now I'm thinking about it that's probably why I have to work on everything now😆. As always great video mr Wes.
I have an '86 XR4Ti. Been there, done all that 🤣 Don't have the right tools, so just replaced the whole distributor when it happened to me. Great vid, as usual Wes!
I have a 97 Ranger 3.0 4x4 bought it new, have always said Snap-On tool owns Ford. That said where have you been all my life you must have Ford training to explain the sequence of operation so well. Great job.
Wes, I always enjoy your videos. You have a boatload of patience and perseverance. Just about when a lot of guys would be ready to throw in the towel, you're just getting warmed up! Hope you have a Happy Labor Day!
Had an 85, with the last year of the carb and 2.8, and the ign module went out (died when hot, but would run when cooled,off, until it didn’t). When I went to replace it, found the connector on the part inside the distributor had melted. Had the little tool, too. Ended up swapping the whole distributor in the parts store parking lot. Got lucky, and got the gear in the right way on the first try. Also did the egr controller at some point. But my favorite fix was the carb would ice over on hot humid days. Would have to let it sit and thaw. I put a bolt in the flapper in the air cleaner from the manifold heat riser so it would always draw hot air, and it ran great from then on.
Amazing Work as always! Thanks for your video on diagnosing and fixing these older vehicles!! I love your practical approach! You blend good critical thinking with what is needed from new technology! I wish i was closer to you I could definitely give you some more vehicles!
I love that Wes doesn’t have an opening graphic animation, theme song or any other waste of time. Straight to the problem at hand.
Nothing fancy here.
Yeah hes putting other youtubers out of business.
And, he still manages to have both an intro and an outro that neatly bookend the videos Excellent stuff.
I concur . I cant stand that crap . IM a direct to the point no fluff and b.s type of man and i Appreciate how its Simple and to the point . Thats how it should be .
I 100% always skip over those. You've seen them once, you've seen them a million times.
How does Wes only have 200k subs? Awful lot of folks missing out on Saturday and Sunday mornings before kids and the wife wake up (and between hunting seasons).
One of the top 3 repair shows!
@@pootthatbak2578 Yep... I like Wes, Ivan at pine hollow and south main auto.. But also Deboss Garage, Diesel Creek, Vehcor and a little 'zip ties and bias plies.. and scanner danner. lol... And then I like the tow channels: Trail mater, Matts off road recovery, Fab rats, Merlins garage... Also channels like Grind hard plumbing, Rich rebuilds, vasily builds and Merricks garage.. There are probably a half dozen other's I'm not thinking of. I guess I didn't realize I watch so many mechanical channels. lol... Heavy equipment channels like Andrew Camrata, Loger Wade, Captain Kleeman, etc. Then there's all the milling channels like This old tony, AvE , dudley toolwright, abomb, and others... and don't make me list the gun channels, because I'd be here all day.
@@Beauloqs - also, there's none of that "But first, a word from the sponsor of this video - AmbiguGen Man Bun Hair Scrunchies..."
People prefer makeup tutorials and bitcoin videos. What can you do...
@@calholli Be sure to check out Mortske Repair if you haven't already, he's got some of the best long-form automotive stuff out there.
The engine tick is designed to be the best harmonic match for the power steering whine.
Thanks for keeping this little beauty on the road!
If you feather the throttle just right to change the ptich of the whine and the tempo of the tick, you and your ford can sing along with what you're playing on the radio. Sounds like a feature to me. lol
I think every non-V8 Ford I've owned has had a tick of some sort. My 4.0L Ranger had EVERY SINGLE hydraulic lifter seized from gunk in the tiny pressurized oil passages. No more hydraulic valve lash, combined with less than ideal top end oiling to begin with, and the push rod tips get flat. Ticking ensues.
Is this frank fritzs truck?! Lol
@@samholdsworth420 yup
@@rhekman My 1986 F-250 with the EFI 302 had the same "ticking" sound I heard on this Ranger at the end when he was letting it run on the base timing. I was told at some point it was the injectors, but I have no idea. :)
Wes has a lot of patience, a neat mouse chasing dog and a cute wife.
no relation
@@calholli I'd hope his wife is no relation, that's just wrong
She sure is cute!
Dimples is the best.
sus comment
Working on old Harleys taught me that aftermarket stuff can be junk. Fortunately for the Harley crowd, a whole ecosystem developed of "better than OEM," stuff like Jim's and S&S and other companies. Here we see how the aftermarket distributor company bought a module with improper alloy contacts. They are supposed to be beryllium-copper alloy so they stay nice and springy. It's a classic problem, the terminal looks springy when they assemble it, but after some heat cycles and vibration they bend open. The distributor company never knew they were getting ripped off since cheapo aftermarket companies don't do exhaustive incoming inspection. The module company might have been clueless as well.
This reminded me of when I was an engineer at Ford Light Truck in the early 1980s. We had an ignition module mounted on the fender. It had a paper-phenolic circuit board that would crack and cause the truck to die. After it cooled off, the board would flex back and the truck would start again. I said, "simple, just replace the circuit board with an FR-4 board". They looked at me like I was insane. This module was used in all the cars and trucks, six million vehicles a year. It would cost a dollar to change-- and they explained that Ford engineers were supposed to save money, not cost money. I saw guys lose a career for a 5-cent mistake and managers get fired for a 50-cent mistake. A dollar mistake would have gotten the whole department fired. Finance whiz kids ruined that company back then. So in the end, they poured sand in the die cast housing and placed the crappy board on top before potting it in. This fixed the problem for a few cents, in fact, since sand was cheaper than potting compound, it might have been booked as a cost savings. The reliability of the module was 12 or 14 Rs per hundred, in another words, 12% of the modules failed in the 12-month, 12.000-mile warranty period. It was the worst reliability part in Ford history, and I was the truck guy that had to use it.
I quit Ford and went to Silicon Valley, where I met a tech that had the same problem with his old Capri or Pinto. He learned he could wedge a "drunk bump" highway marker under the module against the potting, and when he screwed it down, it warped the board enough so it stopped cutting out. He figured this out on the side of the road. His skills were as amazing as yours, great episode.
Well, clearly Ford is still suffering the same problems with the financial whiz kids ruining Ford's quality and reputation. We only have to look at their recent recall record to verify that.
I remember very well the issues with those EEC modules. They didn’t do much better with the first TFI modules. I used to carry a spare module and tools in my Ranger, just in case……
Thanks for the story. As a machinist with 40 years' experience and plenty of manufacturing war stories, I also had my own go-arounds with managers and engineers about quality. I enjoy hearing from those who were trying to put out quality products and the backlash they were forced to deal with.
Iam with ya on Harley stuff sheez
Beryllium copper is not allowed in a lot of places because of the risk of Berylosis. Copper plated nickel alloy is the only real replacement. Not cheap.
Who knew remote starters could cause problems , now we know thank Wes
There’s no way a normal shop would do half the diagnosing that you do. They would fire up the parts cannon and hope to get lucky.
Parts cannon! LOL!
agreed
@@TroubadourJuggernaut Agreed. Our company had a "mechanic" that was a loser high school friend of the owner. We had over 30 vehicles. His best tools were a Walmart code reader and a parts cannon. He spent so much time replacing parts that even we knew had nothing to do with the problem.
Yeah especially the "highly trained dealerships" lol
Back in the day my dad owned an 86 2.9 Ranger from almost new. From the word go, if it was colder than 20 degrees out, it wouldn't start. If we were ice fishing, we had to go out and start it every couple of hours so we wouldn't get stranded. Finally, after 170,000 miles, the TFI module finally failed. After it was replaced, the cold weather start issue was resolved! He drove that truck all those years like that...
I just love seeing the 86 ranger. I had one years ago and kept it down in florida to pull a sailboat. 2.0 liter. Basically it ran on air.
Thanks for the trip down memory lane seeing that interior
Congratulations on 200K Wes! Lots of stuff repaired nice job!
Had an old 87 Ranger with the 2.9L. The EGR pipe between the manifold and the valve had rusted through and caused a loud ticking exhaust noise. Took it out, drove a brass plug in the manifold, folded the pipe over and sealed it and put back in the valve to keep from sucking dirty air. Miss that truck
Dad and I continue to work on our 87 2.9l Ranger 4WD manual, so I love it when the Rusty Ranger gets some screen time! Over the years I've replaced a lot of those top-end parts, but i haven't gotten into those parts you replaced in this video (i've done injector cleaning, IACV, fuel pressure regulator, among other fun vacuum parts). Come to think of it, I bet they are playing a part in the overall weirdness in the performance. You had that thing sounding better than ours has in decades! Thanks for this - sending it my dad's way to discuss later!
I can't properly verbalize my appreciation for the level of detail you go in to, Wes. I've worked on Ford EEC-IV stuff, even as recently as a month or so ago, and as a high schooler. I didn't have the gizmos for testing, but I could short out two pins on the Ford OBD1 connector to read stored codes and to also run the KOER test. Something like this would have forced me to go to a mechanic. Thanks for putting in the effort to film and describe all the steps involved in the solution. You continue to fascinate me!
Same! I don't either my rangers running on $20-30 ebay sensors every once and a while, it currently has this exact issue and I was watching this for entertainment but found it helpful as it's detailed and he said the names of the part
Nicely done! My '84 Escort consumed one of those 3 pin TFI modules every 40k or so and at least 1 pickup coil in 120k. Yes, I always used fresh thermal grease. I put 150k on an 87 with the later TFI setup (7 pins) and had no issues. Makes me think the early stuff was junk.
Every Ford owner carried a spare TFI at one time.
@@WatchWesWork Got mine with heatsink behind the seat ready to go
They even had some sort of service bulletin on them, so they knew.
@@rolandgsl lawsuit/recall.
stalling in traffic=not fun
I'm always excited to see the parts counter person bring out a faded box with rounded edges. It means I'm probably getting a functional part.
Tested, known good lol
@@petermolnar8667 shoot, I'm just happy I'm getting NOS parts. 😅
@@mphilleo ah I see, I thought more of the rounded off edges (indicating it may have been bought as parts cannon cartridge and returned) 😅
Or in it's third wrong box.
Very thorough testing, nice seeing positive results
Been running into a bunch of junk new parts. Just did a timing belt on a Dodge 3.5 and the kit I bought was from Gates. The timing belt idler pulley bracket was supplied by GMB and when tightened down to 61 Nm the tensioner would not allow the idler to pivot. I removed the new idler pulley from the GMB bracket and used the factory bracket. Gotta be careful with these parts nowadays.
Wes, EXCELLENT diagnostic!! Pre-OBDII stuff can be very difficult, and I know 20-30 year Leed techs that won’t touch that stuff because they don’t have the ability to diagnose it. I really appreciate how straightforward you are. Thank you!!
I literally never comment but I’ve been binging your videos for about a year and I gotta say you’ve brought more entertainment and knowledge to my life than anything else on the internet, big thanks man 👊
Glad you like them!
That fuel pressure regulator is one of the first things I check on these old Ferds. 20 years seems to be their lifespan, at least here in Arizona. I've had a couple fail in that exact manner; one burned out a cat and melted the downstream O2 sensor, the other just severely fouled it's spark plugs. Thank goodness it's easy enough to pop that vacuum hose off lol.
I've been holding off watching this video because of other things I needed to get done so you may not see this comment (728 before me). I have an 86 Crown Vic and have found the books by Charles Probst really helpful in understanding how things work and diagnosing problems on my 86 Ford. Very interesting watching what you did on this one. So far I've been really lucky that not many parts have died because replacements are getting really hard to find. Still running strong at 302,000 miles!
Nostalgia: check ✔️.
My first Ranger was an '88 2.9 standard long box, with 200000 km of previous enjoyment already clocked.
I put almost another 100k of perfect motoring before it started to exhibit these exact complaints!
Multiple diagnostics from the dealer included over 40 hours of "computer connected diagnostics", a new/used ECM, then a brand new ECM, replacement of most of the electro-mechanical do-dads...all to no avail: it stalled in the parking lot when I went to pick it up. The dealer stopped charging me shop time, because the head mechanic was then on a mission to get to the bottom of this.
The entire book and read-outs were eventually sent to Ford.
Their considered response:
"Tell your customer to buy a new truck" 😡
Yeah, I love my 09 Ranger. 4 cylinders, 5 speed, 2 Wheel drive. And 33 miles to a gallon! It does everything I need it to do.
When I watch your videos I realize how far things have come from the old points and condenser days I’m used to. I’m impressed by your diagnostic talent. I’ll stick to the 50 year old and older stuff
I like the 50 plus year old cars. Simple and somewhat reliable. Easy to fix. It shows that cars do not need all of that fancy electronic stuff to work. I miss working on my 73 Buick Lesabre. Plenty of room to work in!!!
I like to watch you work, no rush, very methodical, same way I make repairs. Rainman Ray is very good, but his speed makes me nervous.
Keep it up Wes.
That distributor was bad when it was made, You got to love it! Thanks Wes!! Somewhere I read that Frank Fritz had a stroke.
she's wallered out
I know the parts situation makes you question any preventive maintenance. I have a 96 Mazda B2300 that I pull behind my motor home and the clutch is getting close to the end. I keep thinking about replacing it, but sometimes it’s better not to touch stuff that still works. 😂😂
That Sun Tach brings back 1974 thru 1976 memories!
Wes; Congratulations on hitting 200k !! Seems like yesterday I was watching "Hi Mom" videos..time flies.
Fields look nice and green. Be curious to see how the beans produce though. Gotta love the parts problem we have in this country. America needs to be producing their own!!!
I know it's not always an option, but when a part is available that's made in the USA how many people are willing to pay more for the better quality? I ordered a wheel bearing for my '00 Blazer the other day, on Rockauto there's a ton of options. Cheapest is $26.99, then the made in the USA Timken is $135.79. I bought the Timken for a number of reasons, but how many others would look at those prices and make the same call?
I like the rusty Ranger. I owned a 1983 Ranger V6 2.8 4x4 for 10 years. Hauled a 900 pound camper all over British Columbia . Heard a balsey sound from tranny so got all the bearings changed. A great ride. Thanks Wes.
Thanks for sharing Wes, always enjoy your solutions and your humor! Its always the wires!
I'm a huge Ranger enthusiast, especially these 1st Gens. Currently restoring a single cab 83' Ranger 2.3L 4x4 '4 Speed stick shift and absolutely love it. I bought mine out in San Diego while I was there for the Navy back in February, drove it to Norfolk in May. Drove over 2700 miles and it made it with out a single issue.
Every Ranger I owned that had that dreadful 2.9L never ran right and always had issues. They aren't bad motors, it's the 80s emissions and technology that plagued the 2.8/2.9Ls. It's why I bought a carbureted 2.3L and currently about to throw in a Holley 350 that is jetted and tuned down for a 2.3L along with a RacerWalsh cannon port intake.
Wish they still made Ford Ranger trucks today here in 2024 going into 2025 instead of those hideous 4 door station wagon trucks that are out there today. Not everyone wants and needs a 4 door station wagon truck when a regular cab truck suits them just fine.
Thanks for stirring up lots of memories, Wes. Spent a lot of time under those hoods chasing DPFs, EGR problems, module's and pick up some on Fords. The DPF would short the 5 volt line and kill the truck. Kept dozens of them in stock. Sold them as maintainence. Made lots of mortgage payments of those 80s ford's. Thanks for another good show.
Changing the differential module on my Skoda diesel on Monday to hopefully sort my EGR fault .
Oh for the days when the most complex thing in a car was the nut behind the wheel. 🤣
Congrats on the 200K Wes.
I had a 91 Ranger 4x4 with the 2.9L. Put over 210,000 miles on it. I sold it and saw it around town for several years and it kind of made me sad that I got rid of it. Was a great truck.
Interesting to see that diagnosis and fix, well done Wes 👌
Nice job! Good to see her running so well.
Can't imagine how you know all those intricate electronic schematics, and then know how to fix them!!! I doubt that your "local garage mechanic" would have a clue about this. Your amazing and your ability to explain these issues so that we "lay" folks can understand and at least be entertained. Love your channel!!
Can't be a "local garage mechanic" and not know these things, not for the last couple of decades.
Have to know all the version of the data plugs just to plug in a monitor, and know the "why" of the codes reported, too.
The aftermarket ignition modules are usually junk too! I never had a specialty tool just (several) turned down deep well sockets in my toolbox. I never could find the specialty one when I needed it and ended up turning down multiple. Good diagnostic video Wes! 👍😁
Nice work fixing the Ranger..again! 🤣 I hope you and the misses have a wonderful Labor Day weekend. 🔧
Your knowledge never ceases to amaze me.
Bored on a Sunday afternoon, you just made my day Wes.
This brings back memories. I had a 1984 Ranger that I purchased brand new and it was almost identical to the Rusty Ranger. My Ranger only cost about $10,000, if I recall. Those were the good ole days. I had a part time job barely above minimum wage and was able to pay for college and make payments on my new Ranger and had money left over.
You certainly made that look easy. Well done and enjoy the long weekend.
Wes, when you are dealing with loose connections or even one connector, you can twist the prongs a little and make connections that way. If it is on the outer side connection shell portion, crime the rolled portions a little to tighten it up. Could allow a part to work that way... Another great video and troubleshooting issue. Thumbs Up!
It's funny how we learn these quick fixes. I've done it on cars, refrigerator, washers and dryers. You always have to tweak these things to make them play nice.
Subscribed. I saw your comment on Eric O's fix of an Ecoboost Ford; about the parts man finally letting you know the part you ordered months ago and the look on his face handing it over to you was that of a guy with a record setting bass........and thought, let me check this guy's channel out. Glad I did, too. Loved your troubleshooting and repair work on this 2.8 Ranger. I miss my own 89 Ranger STX with the 2.9. Keep up the great work, I love what you have here.
I envy you. You have 250 videos to watch. Start from the very beginning...
What a great Video. The Methodical Troubleshooting is why I like the Channel. I appreciate you showing the voltage difference between bad and good part, amp draw of bad and good Solenoid. Thanks for sharing your time and knowledge, Wes.
The chirping cricket is a nice touch...at least it is not in your food...yet. Your diagnostic and mechanical skills always amaze me. Thanks for all you do!!!
Wes, you have some of the best content and I love your sense of humor. I also like the in house brake bleeder assistant and her prodigy. Max too.
Thanks Wes, we look forward to watching your vids. Thank God for guys like you who fix this stuff cause I ain't doin it
Love that background noise, the crickets are awesome! You should include them more often, gives the video a more homey feel, relaxing. No joke.
Wes, You put out the best content with a great sense on how difficult the repair/ parts industry has gotten. Thank you so much for taking all your viewer along on your ever changing daily adventures in automotive repair. Have a great labor day weekend!
Nice diagnostic Wes. It’s a nice old truck. Most of the problems are related to an accumulation of birthdays😏
Same as us!
Awesome job Wes. Most complete Tech on UA-cam #1 for sure. Aloha from Kansas
sweet to see this sweet old truck cruising down the road again when it was left to deteriorate down to a 300 dollar vehicle. its way nice now how nice it goes and looks.
Thank - you, for posting Wes.
Happy Labor Day too...
You, your wife, son and pup.
LOL...Wes, don't worry about the traffic noises.... while you were fixing the distributor, it was that dang cricket in your shop that was really loud!
Excellent work, as always Wes. Keep it up.
21:47 you're just asking for trouble, you didn't flip down the battery positive post cover. That'll short to the hood, that's about six inches above it, and the truck will burn to the ground... 🤣🤣
Hmm. Another comeback!
I think that would be an acceptable means to and end for this vehicle.
@@WatchWesWork Every time you say Rusty Ranger I immediately think of some sort of crap cowboy version of Rusty Venture from The Venture Bros. animated action comedy TV series...🤣🤣🤣
Wes you have to love the quality of the new parts now days. If you get more the the 1 year warranty off of them you did good. Not all that way but most seem to be on that . Good video today. Have a great day 👍🏻👋
You also can't buy the absolute cheapest part you can get and expect it to last, either. I buy made in the USA Timken wheel bearings for my vehicles, where one of them typically costs 5 times as much as the cheapest option, but I don't end up replacing it a second time, either.
Short, informative and entertaining video. Just the way I like them. Thanks, Wes. Keep them coming.
Wes is an awesome mechanic. A great problem solver. Fantastic with electronics. He keeps producing- I keep watching.
I had an 85 Oldsmobile Calais and the ignition module went out. Swapped it out and 3 months later the module died again. Swap, run and fail 3 months later. Bit the bullet and bought an OE GM module. Never had a problem again....
Wes is the man and he never uses Clickbait unlike rain man Ray not saying that I don’t enjoy his videos but Wes you’re the best mechanic and I so enjoy you doing what you do in teaching everyone these engines I think a really good they just have to be taken care of and looked after thank you for finally doing a series on this engine
In the past I've soldered up a bit of a bead on male spade connectors to snug it up into the female connector which couldn't be accessed easily to bend them back into shape. Works good in a pinch.
Oh here we go again with the rusty ranger I had one on the trucks mine was really good to me I mostly got one that was built on a Wednesday or something this truck had been built on a Monday or Friday LOL. But we have the master diagnosis on the job this guy can diagnose anything it seems like damn wess you are one smart man. I learned a lot from watching your channel I appreciate it thank you for the hard work you put into it for us.
That Ranger comes equipped with a Dwight Yoakam cassette in higher trim levels.
When a vehicle gets to be that old it seems to want the parts cannon let loose. I know it sucks but if that fixes it and it goes a long time then it's worth it. Wes you have the patience of Jobe and again a great video.
As a retired (mostly industrial) electrician I like your approach to troubleshooting. I sometimes had to train apprentices and would ask them "do you want to be a technician...or a parts changer"? They always said technician but down the road they would proceed to just change out parts to troubleshoot.
We can all learn from this guy ! Thanks for sharing wes !
Great job and diagnostic. I do have the TFI socket. I had a 1985 T-Bird that I had new. I learned about the fact that the distributor had to some apart back then. They were a real weak point. I think they had an issue with getting too hot. I had a 1987 Bronco with that engine too. The 1991 Ranger I had with the 3.0 was much nicer and more powerful. It reached 340K miles with only an oil pump and other wear items. Trans started slipping and I sold it for $1000 in 2000 ish.
Lots of progress and repairs done in this truck good video as aleays @Watch Wes Work
That snap on setup takes me back to the 2000s - one enormous blow-moulded case for the scan tool, another for the cables, keys and adapters!
What did they call those? Personality Keys maybe?
@@WatchWesWork that rings a bell! I've still got them somewhere
you know what’s sad wes with the part shortage going on you still was able to locate 3 different “sensors” for this old ford lol people wonder why we keep a hold of these vehicles lol
I’m kinda disappointed that you didn’t show how much fun getting the dizzy in and out is! But hey I still have a 2.9 so this video may come in handy for me. I even screenshotted the wiring diagram. Good job!
I used to have an ‘83. None of these issues. But the carb was a trick. Glad to watch i always find your candor pleasant. Thanks for sharing. I always find this era of transition to a more modern standard so curious. Granted im not doing the work😄
Wes helping people who own that type of vehicle. Great analysis on wire issues, thanx for sharing.🙂
That cricket chirping in the background would drive me nuts! I would have to go find that sucker........
Always great when the fix can be confirmed 👌 good repairs Wes this old girl got a few problems but she still kicking @Watch Wes Work
Wes you brought another one back to life !! Thanks for sharing
Geesh. I'm so sorry you have to relive this stuff. w/o input from the old guys(people like me; old but still enthusiastic) Those old(original) distributor so-called 'pick-ups' deteriorated from oil fumes...especially the white and orange ones. Super easy to diagnose only because it happened so often. Pull the TFI module off and the connector body was nothing but jelly. Happened all the time. BTW, I don't think there is a check engine light on Fords of that time. There is a wire on the DTC that get's grounded but there was nothing on the dash. Ford got away with that for a long time. Worst thing with replacing the pickup is that techs would no mark the distributor gear and end up breaking it on re-install...the pin hole is NOT drilled on center. It is drilled with gear in place. 50/50 chance you get it right. Also, the 2.9 has hydraulic lifters. It was the 2.8 that had solid lifters and required adjustment. Thanks for the memories.
Would you happen to know what and where that DTC wire is? Wouldn't mind installing a custom check engine light lol
Great Job Sir.
Actually sounded very decent at the end......
Not sure there's many techs left who would be willing to look at old OBD 1.... And you're pretty young, so.... By the time you're 50, people will be coming from a long ways away to get that stuff looked at... Heh heh! Well, maybe....
Love your videos. Always interesting and informative. Keep them coming. Thanks
This is ford Country, these were a nightmare to diagnose, my shop wound up with lots of backyard diagnoses that had the parts cannon shot at them and never fixed before my shop got them, good breakdown and analysis nice work.
As usual, pure genius
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✅✅✅✅✅
I had this same problem with my '87. It was notorious for the PIP sensor to overheat and quit working. Autozone even stopped providing the warranty from replacing it too many times in a short period. Come to find out it was a combination of a bad EGR valve, TPI sensor, PIP, and crankshaft sensor. If either goes bad, they burn out the others. I really miss that truck. It was my best friend. I put 493,000 miles on it before it finally gave up the ghost. Wish I could find another like it.
It still made for good viewing bro. Glad I grew up in an age were engines were so uncomplicated, if it had spark and fuel it went. Just about need a college degree just to open the door of a new car these days. Safe travels
All the diagnostic work you do is really awesome you just don’t load the parts cannon you verify I hope your customers appreciate all you do I know the shops around here don’t do none of that!
Great job on the rusty Ranger, It's just like a bad penny it keeps rolling back
Wasn't that Frank's truck? It's on the road again.... Thank you Wes... beans in central Illinois are almost 4 1/2 foot tall
It is still a pretty cool truck, not too many of that first body style left still running. I enjoyed the video. I bought a brand new ranger in 86, I think I paid more for my new mower this spring!
I owned an AMC Gremlin back in the 70's. I would drive down the road and the engine would die. I would turn the key to start and it would start within seconds. This would only happen once in maybe 20-100 miles. I was afraid to take it to the dealer because they would think i'm nuts. Finally about 2 yrs' later I received a recall that the plugin for the distributor sensor needed cleaned and lubed with electrical grease. Back then they didn't have computers, most machanics didn't have electricial knowledge like today.
Your lucky with finding the parts for the rusting ranger not too many of them left great job and video God bless from GA and stay safe
Wes I just need to say thanks. At my job, since I'm the more mechanically inclined of the bunch I usually am tasked with figuring out and fixing our various pieces of equipment. And your various video's on many different types of equipment have helped me tremendously. Although now I'm thinking about it that's probably why I have to work on everything now😆. As always great video mr Wes.
Thanks for sharing this video, it’s enjoyable, informative and I like your style. Keep on wheeling them in and driving them out!
I have an '86 XR4Ti. Been there, done all that 🤣 Don't have the right tools, so just replaced the whole distributor when it happened to me.
Great vid, as usual Wes!
I have a 97 Ranger 3.0 4x4 bought it new, have always said Snap-On tool owns Ford. That said where have you been all my life you must have Ford training to explain the sequence of operation so well. Great job.
Wes, I always enjoy your videos. You have a boatload of patience and perseverance. Just about when a lot of guys would be ready to throw in the towel, you're just getting warmed up! Hope you have a Happy Labor Day!
Had an 85, with the last year of the carb and 2.8, and the ign module went out (died when hot, but would run when cooled,off, until it didn’t). When I went to replace it, found the connector on the part inside the distributor had melted. Had the little tool, too. Ended up swapping the whole distributor in the parts store parking lot. Got lucky, and got the gear in the right way on the first try. Also did the egr controller at some point. But my favorite fix was the carb would ice over on hot humid days. Would have to let it sit and thaw. I put a bolt in the flapper in the air cleaner from the manifold heat riser so it would always draw hot air, and it ran great from then on.
Amazing Work as always! Thanks for your video on diagnosing and fixing these older vehicles!! I love your practical approach! You blend good critical thinking with what is needed from new technology! I wish i was closer to you I could definitely give you some more vehicles!