Ran Rich To Blackened Plugs--Change Oil Now?

[TallPaul]

2001 Ranger 2.3L DOHC with 100,000 miles.
Running Valvoline Synpower 0w20 over the winter.

A couple months ago I noticed only on frist half mile cold start single digit temps (F) it would sometimes lose power until I clutched it and revved it good. Then it was fine the rest of the day. This happened several times then it got warmer and I didn't notice it anymore.

Last week it suddenly started two new problems: bucking sometimes (quite often in fact except at higher rpms) while cruising (from engine miss) and engine dying at lights sometimes. It was a bad O2 sensor (front unit). They replaced it and the plugs and now it runs great. Who knows if the previously mentioned severe cold problem was even related (find out next winter I guess).

So do you think that given the plugs were entirely coated in carbon but for the electrodes, that maybe a lot of excess fuel dumped into the engine and may have contaminated the oil enough to warrant an early changeout?

 

[Bluestream]

These Ranger/Explorers will buck when it snows and you don't use the Motorcraft air filter. The aftermarket filters don't seal the air box well, and the odd snow flake gets in the intake and hits the MAF sensor. Thats give you the bucking

 

[Cardenio327]

I'd say that the driveability problem in cold weather was caused by the rich condition.

I would go ahead and change the oil, it probably is contaminated with fuel. How does the oil smell?

 

[TallPaul]

I'll have to get out and smell the oil but since i was just diagnosed with pneumonia, not sure it will happen for a few days.

 

[TallPaul]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
These Ranger/Explorers will buck when it snows and you don't use the Motorcraft air filter. The aftermarket filters don't seal the air box well, and the odd snow flake gets in the intake and hits the MAF sensor. Thats give you the bucking
Never had such a problem with mine other than on initial start going very slow in first gear, something that I have experinced in many manuals and I think has to do with being out of sync wiht the crank or something--who know.

 

[jacky]

if thats one of the 8 spark plug rangers i heard it is very difficult to change plugs in them

 

[bvance554]

Originally Posted By: Bluestream
These Ranger/Explorers will buck when it snows and you don't use the Motorcraft air filter. The aftermarket filters don't seal the air box well, and the odd snow flake gets in the intake and hits the MAF sensor. Thats give you the bucking


That is one really bad seal.

 

[donnyj08]

Originally Posted By: bvance554
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
These Ranger/Explorers will buck when it snows and you don't use the Motorcraft air filter. The aftermarket filters don't seal the air box well, and the odd snow flake gets in the intake and hits the MAF sensor. Thats give you the bucking


That is one really bad seal.

 

[TallPaul]

Originally Posted By: jacky
if thats one of the 8 spark plug rangers i heard it is very difficult to change plugs in them


This one has 4 plugs. The engine is like the engines in the Focus (DOHC 16-valve) but bigger. This high tech engine was put in Rangers starting mid-2001.

Early 2001s had a 2.5L that was of an older design.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: bvance554
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
These Ranger/Explorers will buck when it snows and you don't use the Motorcraft air filter. The aftermarket filters don't seal the air box well, and the odd snow flake gets in the intake and hits the MAF sensor. Thats give you the bucking


That is one really bad seal.


Actually its a bad air box design...one of Fords better ideas...

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/4-0-sohc-4-0-ohv-tech/18901-random-misfires-snows.html

 

[TallPaul]

Air box on my 2001 Ranger seems to close nicely. The one where I had a horrible air box was the 1992 Aerostar. The lid warped and I don't think it ever closed right. I used to put c-clamps on the corners.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: TallPaul
Air box on my 2001 Ranger seems to close nicely. The one where I had a horrible air box was the 1992 Aerostar. The lid warped and I don't think it ever closed right. I used to put c-clamps on the corners.


Check the sharp of the lower air box, this often "bows" out with age. This is where the seal is bad.

 

[zpinch]

How can a motor vehicle company frig up on such an important aspect of the engine?!?! It is just alien to me. They must have gone OUT OF THEIR WAY to do such stupid things, and there are many others....

 

[mjoekingz28]

I'm telling you, the engineers are getting bored!

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: zpinch
How can a motor vehicle company frig up on such an important aspect of the engine?!?! It is just alien to me. They must have gone OUT OF THEIR WAY to do such stupid things, and there are many others....


What are you talking about?

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: zpinch
How can a motor vehicle company frig up on such an important aspect of the engine?!?! It is just alien to me. They must have gone OUT OF THEIR WAY to do such stupid things, and there are many others....

No, many engine have stupidly designed air intakes. I would often have to replace the air filter->throttle body tube on Toyota 5SFE engines. Nissan did even worse in the KA24 series engine. After changing the filter a few times, the IAT wiring breaks.

That in mind, I absolutely hate cone shaped filters found on Ford engines.