I having a problem with my 92 ford explorer, its hard to start up when cold, but starts right up when starting fluid is used. Check engine light is on. Car runs rough, when im driving and i put the petal to the floor it won’t go faster and the RPMs will not rise. But sometimes, when its hot outside and I’ve been driving it for about an hour, the check engine light will turn of, the RPMs will jump up and the car will be its normal self and drive normal. Any ideas?
Yes, find out why the check engine light is on. That light is telling you there is a problem. The car stores the error codes it reads and they can be recovered with an “old school” OBD1 scan tool.
Make sure the repair shop you want to use HAS one for a car this old.
The usual suspect in this era of Fords is the TFI-IV ignition module and which are very problematic.As Mustangman stated you need to find out what the CEL is telling you as that could be related to a module problem. He is also correct about an OBD1 code reader. Any shop will also need a timing light as the SPOUT connector near the distributor MUST be unplugged before setting the ignition timing or it will be way, way off.
Here’s how you pull the codes on your OBDI Ford.
http://straighttalkautomotive.com/OBD1/ford-OBD-I.html
Tester
yes, i took it to a shop to get the codes read with a OBD1 code scanner, but the car wasnt throwing a code, the scanner would just say, waiting for cylinder ID, witch i have no idea on what that is. it would also make me do a wiggle test. i have replaced the fuel filter, fuel pressure regulator, ECT sensor, and used a multi meter to check my mass airflow sensor along with the throttle position sensor. i would think that it is a fuel issue since it starts right up when i use starting fluid. and it stays running so i know that its not the fuel pump. also all new spark plugs.