Pulled the TC out of the garage tonight to drive it to dinner and once I hit the road in front of my house I had no power. It just putted along. It has not been driven in 2 weeks and it ran fine the last time I drove it. There is a consistent clicking noise also. I can not find where it is coming from. Somewhere on the passenger side or around the top of the engine. The car will idle rough under 1,000rpm and revs freely but once you put it in drive and put a load on it there is no power. I am stumped!
check your intercooler hoses and all vacuum lines. including the big plastic one that comes off of the upper intake
All the vacuum lines seem to be fine.
I found my problem....check this out...When I pulled the valve cover to find my clicking noise this fell out in my hand...
(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z79/jay102189/Uploaded%20by%20Christina/DSCN0652.jpg)
(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z79/jay102189/Uploaded%20by%20Christina/DSCN0651.jpg)
Check the cam lobe out
(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z79/jay102189/Uploaded%20by%20Christina/DSCN0655.jpg)
And the throttle body gasket could be my idle issue...
(http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z79/jay102189/Uploaded%20by%20Christina/DSCN0654.jpg)
I wonder what caused that to happen?
It's rare, but has been known to happen. Sometimes the HLAs fail.
Swap in a Ranger roller cam and followers, and replace the HLAs, and you'll be back in business. Throw on a new timing belt and tensioner while you're at it.
Not a major performance upgrade, but an upgrade nonetheless.
DO NOT try to use the roller followers with the stock cam major damage will occur.
Thats pretty much what happened to the original motor in my TC. Was at the track though. One of the HLAs took a and gave me a dead cylinder. Drove it 45 miles home like that and the headgasket went with two miles to go.
My stock cam was very worn out too, probably from my use of synthetic oil lacking ZDDP, but could have also been the mileage on it.
Timing belt is new but since I have it off I might as well replace it.
What year Ranger do I need to look for? Going to buy this stuff new so it does not have to be done again.
89-93 with the DP heads
You could get away with used though and never have any problems. Grab a new Ford valve cover gasket while you're at it.
The 94+DP Lima Rangers cam can be used as well, but you need the earlier followers, as the later valves are smaller diameter, and the followers are notched accordingly.
90-93 2.3 Mustangs used the same cam/followers as the Rangers.
Thanks! You tha man!
Unfortunately I am going out of town for work the next 2 days but when I get back I should have it all together. Guess I could do a write up for the tech section with pictures and all that good stuff.
i guess i should have looked my cam and followers when i put my head on.. if this happens to my TC, kiss that motor GOODBYE!
Dont take long to pull the valve cover and check them. Would be good insurance. Glad mine didnt let go on the highway which is where I was headed with it.
Got a ranger roller cam tonight, gonna hit the junkyard and buy a complete ranger head for spare parts and to get the followers out of it.
If you get lucky, and that Ranger has the stock, Ford valve cover gasket with the steel core around the perimeter, grab it. They are pretty much infinitely reusable, unlike the other aftermarket ones.
Yeah it had one of those rubber type blue ones.
One year off on the ranger stuff. fixed.
The blue one is Fel-pro, it doesnt have the steel core and can squish out much easier. The FORD ones I have seen and used have all been black with the steel inserts. The difference in price is worth it.
Oops. ;)
Yup, toss that blue one in the trash. Visit the dealer.
meh, i'm not a 4 banger guy, i'd rather see the motor go into something else and a nice, beefy smallblock in it's place ;) big car needs a big motor lol
x2
I have a 450hp mustang for my V8 needs, the TC is just a good comfortable car that get pretty good mileage.
I do plan to toss the rubber gasket. Thanks for the tips guys!
I have a blue ford one with the steel insert fwiw, no idea where/what I got it from. Color isnt the only designator for the good VC gasket.