help with ford diagnosis.

[outlander]

My friend has a 1993 ford ranger with the 2.3L,dual plug,ohc motor in it that revs up really slow,almost like the ignition isn't advancing fast enough.The ignition is distributorless so base timing is non adjustable.

We bought a code scanner and noticed when we hooked it up and started the motor it ran noticeably better for a minuet or two then went back to running like crap???

We have already eliminated the exhaust(cut it off)and cat. as the problem.Thats what I thought it was at first.

At idle the motor is running at 20*btdc at idle(is this where it should be?need to get a manual) and is slow to advance up to 30*

The motor doesn't miss or backfire at all....if the timing belt jumped just one tooth would it cause it to run like this???

Thanks for any help.

 

[Hellbent]

if the belt jumped it would retard the timing, just like a very worn timing chain. so that could cause a lack of power. you'd probably have to pull the cover to check the marks.

 

[outlander]

My friend was telling me that some idiot he knows put a new timing belt on it a few months ago and said he put it together one tooth off on the cam timing.Said that was the only way it would go back together.Idiot!!

he drove it like this for a few months and said it ran ok untill last week it started to rev SLOW like a tractor idling up and said it doesn't have any power.What would cause this?

 

[Hellbent]

that could do it, but if it was a tooth off then it really should have been noticeable from the get-go. unfortunately a lack of power and/or throttle response could be a lot of things. vacuum leak....etc.

 

[JJacobs]

The usual suspects.. clogged air filter, fuel pressure, base engine compression. I'd say cats but you already checked that.