What's best way to find TDC on #2 and #3 - 4 Cylinder Gasoline - Ranger Engine Tech

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Posted: Sat Aug 28th, 2021 08:32 pm

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wh23g3g
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I'm doing a leak down test on my 98 2.5 because I'm having some intermittent stall issues after replacing a fuel pump twice. It seems the fuel system except for a malfunctioning cluster gauge is working correct. I got 65 PSI and pressure holds good after a shut down. Spark plug wires, coils, and plugs have exactly 30,000 miles on them. All Motorcraft parts. All PID data seems to be within specs on the MAF, TPS, IAC. No check engine light on but runs rough when started and smooths out after warm up. Low power and can't drive because of stalling. I did the compression test already and it's 180 PSI on all 4 Cylinders. I think Cylinder 3 was like 176 but the rest were exactly 180. Then I went on to the leak down test because I suspect valve problems. I know how to get #1 on TDC Compression and already it was bad at 32-35% leakage. I heard the most out of the throttle body. I checked #4 and I think I did it right too. It was 20-22%. It's kind of hard to me to find TDC for #2 and #3 because they don't seem to line up with anything on the crank pulley when compression is coming out. What's the best thing to stick in the spark plug hole to judge for TDC for #2 and #3? I'm curious to see what #3 is because I did pick up a P0303 in continuous memory but it hasn't come back.

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Posted: Wed Sep 1st, 2021 05:09 pm

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Scrambler82
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I am no mechanic... I have seen but not worked on a Ford 4-cyl, so please tell why you are having trouble with cylinders 2 and 3 ?

Last edited on Wed Sep 1st, 2021 05:10 pm by Scrambler82

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Posted: Wed Sep 1st, 2021 06:57 pm

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Tsquare
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There may be some information here:

https://ford-rangers.com/view_topic.php?id=491&forum_id=47&highlight=crack+in+head+between+valves

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Posted: Tue Sep 7th, 2021 05:59 pm

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TDC on any cylinder can be found with a screwdriver and flashlight, a piece of paper and or a wet finger.

Basically you rotate the engine with your wet finger in the spark plug hole. Once you feel air rushing OUT past your finger this is compression stroke
Another method for this is to place a small piece of tissue or just paper in the plug hole and rotate engine, when the paper blows out of the hole you are on compression stroke
Now with a flashlight (sometimes and a mirror) if you can see in the spark plug hole you physically watch the piston travel up to its topmost position and then when it pauses and then the moment is starts to drop back downward STOP, and back up just ever so slightly. this is TDC on compression stroke for that cylinder. If you cannot see inside the cylinder you can CAREFULLY place a long skinny screwdriver in the spark plug port and watch until the piston pushes the driver to its upmost position, again this is TDC

Boroscope is also handy for finding the exact TDC

There are other methods but these ones have ALWAYS worked for me

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