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Owns A Torsen
Joined: Mon Sep 18th, 2017
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1. Had one that I tried everything on and it sat for over 6 months because it was unpredictable and would quit altogether for no reason. After tearing about every wire out of it I found it would stall when I shook the plug going into the cam synch (cam position sensor). Crimped another one in there using free parts I already had, still runs great. Spent plenty of money.
2. Had one that blew an exhaust gasket and fried a plug wire. Ended up being a clogged cat on that bank.
3. Had a case (non ranger) where I swore the cats were plugged. When you loosened the pipe before the cats it was loud but would run. Replaced the cats. SAME PROBLEM. Looked at the old cat, rear one was empty. It was in the muffler! So it would run good, as the cat fragments gathered around one of the baffles it would start choking it. Hitting a bump or turning the car off for a while would make it run well for a while.
I'm still leaning toward a pinched wire somewhere on yours or one burned by placement close to the exhaust OR a bad connection. Start it cold, before it gets hot start shaking connectors and wire bundles see if something changes the attitude. Putting an engine in (long block in your case) anything can happen.
OH do you have a reliable ground wire between the engine and chassis? Those braided one get nasty corroded and may look like they are OK but can have resistance.
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