Stumble When Light Throttle, Heavy Engine Load

Skoth

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2021 Ranger. After a few trips up the mountains I can confirm some kind of stumble/vibration/engine miss/trans slip when going uphill giving just enough throttle to maintain speed. Usually around 2k rpm. I am getting an inconsistent vibration as though the engine isn't getting enough fuel or ignition or torque converter trying to decide whether to lock or unlock. Makes it feel like I'm going over a rough road even though it's perfectly smooth. Downshift and it goes away, regardless of which gear. Runs fine at all other times. Anyone else?
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2021 Ranger. After a few trips up the mountains I can confirm some kind of stumble/vibration/engine miss/trans slip when going uphill giving just enough throttle to maintain speed. Usually around 2k rpm. I am getting an inconsistent vibration as though the engine isn't getting enough fuel or ignition or torque converter trying to decide whether to lock or unlock. Makes it feel like I'm going over a rough road even though it's perfectly smooth. Downshift and it goes away, regardless of which gear. Runs fine at all other times. Anyone else?
I have the same even with the ford performance tune. Give it gas it goes away, but ease into a hill the same happens to me.
 

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If you are concerned itā€™s a fuel delivery issue Iā€™d have the oil checked for gas in it and or injectors checked. A few people have had issues with those.
 

P. A. Schilke

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2021 Ranger. After a few trips up the mountains I can confirm some kind of stumble/vibration/engine miss/trans slip when going uphill giving just enough throttle to maintain speed. Usually around 2k rpm. I am getting an inconsistent vibration as though the engine isn't getting enough fuel or ignition or torque converter trying to decide whether to lock or unlock. Makes it feel like I'm going over a rough road even though it's perfectly smooth. Downshift and it goes away, regardless of which gear. Runs fine at all other times. Anyone else?
Hi Skoth,

I recommend you have the dealer see if there are any codes stored in the ECU, etc. Might not pop a MIL light but there are a few tests they can run and maybe id a bad injector or coil pack. I would be less suspicious of a torque convertor hunting....though we got out of that malady years ago...

best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 

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From what i'm reading here, it sure sounds like torque converter shutter. Not fuel system.
 
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wanted33

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I'm just gonna ramble a bit. I have noticed that the programming of the tranny will cause the engine in my Ranger to lug most of the time at low speeds, even when going up a hill. When I give it a little gas it will feel like you described. It feels like going over the rumble strips on the side of the highway. I just put 'er in "sport" mode so the rpms will stay higher, or just push the skinny pedal more which cures the problem. Not sure if it's the same yours is doing, but just throwing that out there as food for thought. Good luck, I hope there's nothing serious with your Ranger.
 
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Mitch65

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2021 Ranger. After a few trips up the mountains I can confirm some kind of stumble/vibration/engine miss/trans slip when going uphill giving just enough throttle to maintain speed. Usually around 2k rpm. I am getting an inconsistent vibration as though the engine isn't getting enough fuel or ignition or torque converter trying to decide whether to lock or unlock. Makes it feel like I'm going over a rough road even though it's perfectly smooth. Downshift and it goes away, regardless of which gear. Runs fine at all other times. Anyone else?
I Just bought a new Tremor and have noticed the same thing on mine. If I give it light throttle it almost feels like it bogs down until it upshifts. I don't necessarily get a shutter but more of a harmonic vibration that I can feel in the steering wheel. It feels as you describe like your driving over a rough section of road. I noticed it on mine right at 30mph if you baby the throttle. Is this what your describing? What did ford say?
 

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Try not to forget it is a 140 cubic inch motor. There are times it will be lugging in too high of a gear. Put your foot down and let it downshift. Or manually downshift.
 
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Skoth

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What concerns me is that my stumble/vibration is inconsistent/choppy. Like something in the trans is slipping or the programming can't decide what to do. I haven't gone to the dealer yer because I know they'll have a hard time replicating it. But if enough of us complain about it they'll be forced to make a statement I suppose.
 

Mitch65

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What concerns me is that my stumble/vibration is inconsistent/choppy. Like something in the trans is slipping or the programming can't decide what to do. I haven't gone to the dealer yer because I know they'll have a hard time replicating it. But if enough of us complain about it they'll be forced to make a statement I suppose.
See that seems a little different from mine. If your driving a stick and are in too high of a gear and go to accelerate that low rumble, vibration type bog down is what I'm talking about when the engine is labored and rpms too low. I was playing around with it on the way to work today and at 30mph if you give it just a bit of gas it will stay in 6th gear around 1500rpm and seem to bog down a bit. I'm fairly sure mine doesn't have an issue I was just pointing out that it happens and it feels weird. Now when I step on it at 30 it kicks back down to 3rd and away we go lol. I don't noticed the choppyness or stumble per say.
 

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Think your still in the breaking in period and transmission is still learning. Here is what I found early in with this. Doesnā€™t matter what gear youā€™re in. Keep RPMā€™s minimum 1800 and sweet spot is 2K to 3K. Transmission likes that and will learn it over time. If youā€™re in drive lock out higher gears with the - on the shifter. In your display you will see the transmission gears numbers in a row. You can clearly see what gear youā€™re in from here. Keep hitting minus until you arrive at a RPM in the range. So around town for me is max 6 to 7th gear. Will down shift from there is RPM goes below 1800. Same goes for hills and such. Drop it down a gear if it starts to lug or shutter.

Shifter selector works in drive or sport mode. Sport mode will act like drive if you hold button for 2 or more seconds.
 

Rp930

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See that seems a little different from mine. If your driving a stick and are in too high of a gear and go to accelerate that low rumble, vibration type bog down is what I'm talking about when the engine is labored and rpms too low. I was playing around with it on the way to work today and at 30mph if you give it just a bit of gas it will stay in 6th gear around 1500rpm and seem to bog down a bit. I'm fairly sure mine doesn't have an issue I was just pointing out that it happens and it feels weird. Now when I step on it at 30 it kicks back down to 3rd and away we go lol. I don't noticed the choppyness or stumble per say.
I know what youā€™re saying. The Ford tune helped that out a lot.
 

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Poor transmission programming, any tuner on the market will correct a lot of that. Also most tunes also adjust your electronic throttle body so that less pedal is required for a response.

A combination of sloppy tranny and poor e-throttle response = piss poor performance when entering a hill or large grade at cruising or low speed.

A simple test is go back to a large hill/grade you normally have problems with and put it in sport mode. My guess is the outcome will be different. No one ever talks about sport mode adjusting the throttle response, but I recall that it does. Sport mode is just a free tuner with high RPM hold that not many people care for, nor the other benefits of greatly increased HP/TQ.

Ford should have offered 2 Sport Mode options.

1. Standard (what we have now)

2. Mode that adjusts e-throttle response without the dumb high RPM hold.
 

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