I have a truck that doesn't have a distributer but a coil pack that the spark plug wires are plugged into. Is there any way of testing this to make sure it is working correctly?

Also is there a way to test a Delta Pressure Feedback EGR sensor? This is the way it is worded in the paper I downloaded. Does this mean EGR sensor or EGR valve?

Vehicle: 98 Ford Ranger 4x4 3.0 V-6

Any info. would be greatly appreciated.

Auto Zone will read your computers fault codes for free or at least they are supposed to.  That should help narrow down the problem area.  

The computer doesn't show any fault codes.  

Have you checked the timing?  If the timing is off it is most likley the crank position sensor.

Have you checked your fuel pressure?

Have you pulled each spark plug out and looked at them?  What do they look like?

You talked bad about 2wd trucks and now I don't feel like helping you.  

I talked to my kid ( the ex mechanic ) - not ASE though.

He said you can test the spark on the coil packs by grounding a long screw driver and pulling off the wires one by one so you can see the spark when you get the wire close to the srewdriver. Try not to short it or it could be dangerous and painful. He thought coil packs only came on the newer fords like '01 and newer, but ha said he could be wrong. Do you have a Chilton's repair book on this model truck ? those are pretty helpful too. You may want to go to one of those ASE techs and ask 'em to put the question up on their web-based tech info applications. Most of the larger shops and also big high schools and colleges with automotive programs subscribe to formats like these. One very common one is called "Mitchell on demand" It's web based, and expensive to subscribe to unless you are a dealership or large school.

I believe you said you changed your oil ? - in reference to that pinging noise your'e getting ? My kid reminded me of a problem I had a long time ago on one of my boat engines (Chevy 350) - The factory fuel pump diaphram went bad and was leaking gasoloine into the oil. The oil pressure went down to around 25 -- gradually and I got a lot of pinging.Marine engines are differnet in that the fuel pumps overflow into the carb's flash supressor, (air intake) and not into the bilge - which can cause a very explosive problem! You should never install an automotive fuel pump on a marine engine.

I had to keep the boat below 1200 rpm until we got back to shore. We were about 22 miles out on a 4-5 ft day, so it took a while. ( about 2.5 hours).

Hope this helps you some.

I don't care if you try to help me out or not. I've have had plenty of try this or try that in this forum to go by for now. I don't think I ever was negative about a two-wheel drive truck for off road duty. My previus truck was not a 4wd and did pretty dam good for a two-wheel drive truck. But in reality 4wd is much better off road than a two-wheel drive truck.  

I'd hate to test it like your son said. I've been shocked before by the Chevy HEI system and didn't like it too much. It freaked me out too much, as I hate electricity. I myself won't get too close to a plug wire again. Maybe I could get one of my fearless friends to do it. HaHa

The Chilton's and Haynes manual's aren't too helpful. I have had both manual's before and there not the best books in my opinion.

I believe the fuel pump on this truck is in the fuel tank.

Tell your Son 4x4 Ranger said thanks for the info.

As long as you're not actually touching the metal parts on the screwdriver, or holding the wires. - You can use a pliers with plastic coated grips. But I know how you feel about electricity - better to be safe that sorry, and hurtin' from it. I used to feel the same way until I became an Electrician in the Nav.

I know those books are not the best, but they give you some basic info on diagnostics and how things work - the basics.  I know there are a lot better publications out there.

I'll let my kid know. He gets a kick outa helping people. He does stuff like you said you do. All his friends ask him to work on their cars & trucks. H e doesn't mind this sort of thing, but he hates working in that profession. Just the way the world is these days - Takes somehing you love, and makes you hate it! - The big bad dollar & big business at work!

I didn't touch the metal parts. But I still got shocked. Like I said before I hate electicity and I myself will never try something like this again. I guess this freaked me out too much too ever try this sort'a thing out again. Nuff-said.

( Electrified Again )

It can be a 'shocking' experience. Best not to tempt fate I guess.  I don't remember if you mentioned it but have you taken it in to a mech to check what codes are coming up on it's computer ?  Some codes can be pretty old and you need to have them cleared out, and go drive the truck around for 30-mins and run the test again so you can see the valid diagnostic codes.

I've read that it is possible that the high energy ignition could kill you.

The computer is showing no codes.

I've cleared the previus codes before.

It's pretty screwed up to have an engine thats not running right and not have any codes that show up! I'm pretty much done with taking my truck to any mechanic as I have given over $350 to these worthless people.

Out of all the possible problems that I found on the internet, I have started with the easiest and cheapest and will work my way up until the problem is resolved.

The Ranger Station and Ranger Power Sports are the places where I have found most of the info. on the 3.0 V-6 and I'm not the only person that has this problem. This is a known 3.0 problem.

Last weekend I ran the Seafoam thru the upper intake manifold thru the brake booster line, but I still have the pinging problem. I wanted to clean the MAF sensor but didn't have the tool to get the security star screws out of the sensor. They say that the fine wires can get dirty and screw stuff up in the computer. I did spray some electrical contact cleaner thru the port where the sensor is located. I may be able to get one screw out with a pair of pliers and the other one out with a pair of needle nose pliers, if not I will purchase the tool. I will try again to clean the sensor this weekend. The truck seems to idle better but it still pings.

As for testing the coil pack like you son said, just because you see current doesn't mean its operating at peak performance. The only reason I say this is because (The Ranger Station) said that some of the older coil packs have a weak spark and Ford knows about the problem. This is why they say to replace it with a new one. I myself don't know for sure if this is true. I hope I never get to this step because I'd hate to replace a part that might not even cure the pinging as you can't return electrical parts.

Yea, I've heard that ignition coils can pack a lot of voltage and kick. It's not the voltage that kills you, but the amperage which is inversely proportional to the voltage. We used to work on huge old pbx telephone systems that had a large copper 5V bus bar in the backplane. Most people thought that 5 volts could not do much to ya, but that 5 Volts had 30-amps behind it!  It'll kill you deader than a doornail if you touched it and grounded yourself accidentally.

I know what you mean about ferds and their "intelligent diagnostics" I had a power steering leak on my Taurus one day that shot out all the fluid and made a huge white cloud behind the car. The diagnostic system said that there was nothing wrong! ...and the car was not driveable. Figures! It's a ferd!

Finding a good mechanic you can trust to work on modern cars & trucks can be an ordeal. I found one in the last place I lived but we moved from there a few years ago, and I have not found one I trust since. My kid knows some things, but not a lot. It takes years of experience to become good at your craft, as in any field of endeavor.

It can cost a small fortune to work on your own car with all the computers, diagnostic equipment and special tools needed. Just be glad you don't have to work on an old Chevy 262ci small block on a Monza. This engine  was designed so that something as simple as changing the spark plugs was almost impossible!

Your best bet is probably to keep going on new forums until you get someone who has encountered this particular problem, and can tell you exactly what the cause is, and how best to fix it, and if it's even worth fixing at all. It may be cost prohibitive. - just some more ideas.

There's a guy down the street from me who owns his own auto repair business. He seems to be an honest mechanic. He's done some simple stuff for me like electrical checks twice and didn't charge me a dime. I took my truck there a long time ago when I had a problem with it and I knew what was wrong with it. I was just testing him to see if he was going to try to rip me off. This to me is a good way to see if a person is going to be honest. You might want to try this method one day.

Have you ever heard of a fuel system that had excessive vaccum that would cause a problem?

When I first took the truck to the above mechanic about the pinging problem he put it on the computer and said it had excessive fuel vaccum but didn't have the machine to fix the problem. He told me the machine needed was too expensive to buy and he didn't really want to waste the money on buying one. Well since he couldent fix the problem he only charged me $30.00 for putting it on the computer. This is the find of person he is.

This is when I went to Plaza Ford and told them what the previus mechanic said the problem was. They didn't say anything about the fuel system having excessive fuel vaccum but told me that the computers octane setting was wrong. So they reajusted it but of course it still pinged. You never know but the mechanic down the road from me just might be right about the problem, but I guess I will never really know since he doesn't have the machine to find out.

Ask your son if he has ever heard of a fuel system that has had excessive fuel vaccum. I myself have never heard of a problem like this.

I'll ask him about that and let you know.  Most systems have some type of return hose back to the tank to equalize the pressure of the fuel system and avoid excessive vacumm problems. Have any of the mechanics made any mods that would cause this on your truck ?

You may also want to follow the fuel lines from the engine to the tank to see if a hose is pinched somewhere along the line.

I'll ket you know what the kid says about this.