Common Ford Ranger Turbo Problems

Ford Rangers are sturdy cars, but their owners still have to deal with Ford Ranger Turbo problems. The fact is that turbochargers in your Ford Ranger offer a range of benefits, and that’s why they are now so popular in modern cars. But turbos are also prone to wear and tear, and other issues. Therefore, you may need to replace your Ford Ranger Turbo engine.

At SRP Auto, we have the best quality, Ford reconditioned replacement engines and spare parts. Since most modern diesel cars are fitted with a turbocharger, we are your best bet when it comes to getting the most fitted turbos for your Ford Ranger.

What Are The Benefits Of Your Ford Ranger Turbo Engine?

Turbocharged engines make use of wasted exhaust gases to pull more air into the intake valve. Unlike naturally-aspirated engines, turbo engines do not rely on natural air pressure to draw air into the engine. Turbos speed up this process, and they therefore produce more power than standard engines.

Here’s how turbos work in your Ford Ranger. Turbos have a shaft with a turbine wheel on one end and a compressor wheel on the other. A snail-shaped housing featuring an inlet port houses these components. The wasted exhaust gases pass through the inlet port at a high pressure.

As the air goes through the turbine, the turbine spins. Then the compressor turns with it, drawing in vast quantities of air. The air gets compressed and passes out of the outlet port.

A pipe feeds this compressed air back into the cylinders via an intercooler. This then cools the air before it gets to the cylinders. Because the turbos run at pretty high speeds, an oil cooling system is a necessity, to ensure that they don’t heat up too much.

Most turbo systems have a valve known as a ‘waste gate’. The job of the ‘waste gate’ is to divert excess gas away from the turbocharger when the engine produces too much boost. This in turn limits the rotational speed and prevents damage to the turbine.

The benefits of having a Ford Ranger with a turbocharged engine include:

Turbocharged engines produce more power in the same sized engine. With every stroke of the piston, it generates more power than in naturally-aspirated engines.
Turbocharged engines are smaller. They make the car lighter and less cumbersome to navigate.
They are more economical than their larger counterparts.
Turbochargers produce more torque. This helps the engine to feel more refined at higher speeds on motorways and roads.
Turbos improve fuel economy and reduce emissions.
Turbos are quieter engines. Because the air in a turbocharged engine gets filtered through more pipes and components, this reduces and refines the intake and exhaust noise. Thus, the turbocharged engine noise is smoother.

What Are The Benefits Of Your Ford Ranger Turbo Engine?

Despite being a great engine choice with many benefits, Ford Ranger Turbo also comes with its downsides. It is important to know these common problems that can occur with your Ford Ranger turbo. Knowledge can help you troubleshoot your Ford Turbocharger problems and save you from many expensive repair trips.

Here are some common Ford Ranger Turbo problems that you should know:

1. Turbo Lag

Sometimes, you may experience a brief delay in response after pressing the throttle. This happens when the engine isn’t producing enough exhaust gas to spin the turbo’s intake turbine as quickly as it should.

This only really happens when you drive your Ford Ranger in an aggressive way, or from a closed throttle position.

2. A Faulty Head Gasket

This is a very common Ford Ranger turbo problem. A symptom of a leaking head gasket is white exhaust smoke or coolant consumption. Other symptoms include: a rough or an uneven idle, power loss, and milky oil.

Often, the reason for a faulty head gasket is a faulty cooling system. With time, a faulty head gasket can lead your engine to overheat. Other reasons for this problem are poor coolant flow, bad thermostat, and a low engine coolant level.

3. Poor Efficiency Connected To Driving Style

For a turbocharged engine to be fully efficient, it requires careful throttle control. This means that you must not press the accelerator too hard. The reason for this is that when a turbocharger is ‘on boost’, the cylinders are burning fuel more quickly. This results in poor efficiency.

If you were formerly driving a naturally-aspirated car, you need to adjust your driving style when you move to a turbocharged Ford Ranger if you want to maintain good efficiency. This is especially when you’re first setting off.

4. Carbon Build Ups

Turbo engines use direct-injection (DI), not port-injection (PI). DI is an impressive innovation and a great technology but it also has its drawbacks.

The DI injector pump moves fuel straight into the cylinder while the PI sprays fuel into the intake ports. Because DI does not allow fuel to flow over the intake valves to clean them, the carbon deposits can stick to the valves. Accumulated carbon deposits eventually lead to a carbon build up.

Carbon build ups can limit the air-flows into the cylinders. It could also cause one cylinder to have more carbon build ups than the other cylinders. When the air-flow is restricted in a cylinder, it can result in a power loss. It can also cause a rough idle, vibrations, shaking, or a misfire. This decreases your Ford Ranger’s performance and can increase fuel consumption.

5. Ford Ranger Turbo Noise and Vibration

Your Ford Ranger may vibrate and make an unusual noise when you accelerate on low speed at about 10 kph. The car gives a shudder from take offs and this lasts for just a couple of seconds.

This vibration and unusual noise may be as a result of other Ford Ranger turbo problems like:

a bad transmission mount,
an unbalanced drive shaft,
a problem with the start-stop technology, or
an issue with the ignition timing.

This problem may improve when you reduce your vehicle’s tire pressures. All you need to do is lower the PSI in all four tires down to factory specifications

6. Popping Check Engine Light

There are instances where the Ford Ranger check engine light pops on. This generally means a fuel injector code.

If this happens, you may need to have your Powertrain Control Module (PCM) replaced. The PCM is the unit that helps to control the engine’s control module and the transmission’s control unit.

7. High Repair Costs

Turbochargers are a complex addition to an engine. These complexities make it expensive to repair any fault in your Ford Ranger turbo engine.

Let SRP Auto Handle Your Ford Ranger Turbo Problems

Despite the drawbacks discussed above, the Ford Ranger’s turbocharged engine can provide all you need for a thrilling ride. It comes with an impressive fuel economy, better price, less space consumption, and lower weight.

If you notice any problem with your Ford Ranger turbo, then SRP Auto is the best place to go to. We are an online only spare parts store that can help you solve your Ford Ranger turbo problems. We also have top quality Ford Ranger spare parts for great prices if you need to replace any part of the engine. You can enjoy our services all over Australia.

Whether you have a mechanic workshop, or you have home garage projects, we’re your go-to store in Australia. Our professionals are experienced and trustworthy, and they aim to provide the best value for all our customers.

We will give you advice on how to maintain and service your Ford Ranger turbo engine, and what replacement parts you need that will prevent future Ford Ranger turbo problems. That way, you can enjoy your ride for a very long time.

Need help with your Ford Ranger turbo engine? Then don’t hesitate to contact us.