Alright i own a 2.3L 94 ranger with about 170,000 miles on it. Lately it has been idleing rough. It only does this about 3 times in a day out of starting it maybe 7 times i will start it and it will be real rough then stall. I would then start it back up and play with the gas pedal, it normally idles about 500 and i have to get it at about 1,500-2,000 rpm's and hold it there for a second or two. I checked my oil it was about a quart low so i put a quart of oil in there. I recently put in a new air filter, i cleaned out the throttle body. I am clueless what it could be. After i let it idle high it idles normally and it runs great. My guess is maybe a new fuel filter, maybe i have bad gas. I am clueless help me out please

 

If you think the fuel filter is old, change it. They're not expensive.
Is the check engine light on? If so, you'll have to pull the codes.
This link is to the "READ FIRST-Technical information" thread on the FTE Ranger board...
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=107538
Do one repair/service at a time & note any changes in how your truck runs.
The guys on the Ranger board can help you through pretty much any problem/repair/service you need to do.
AL.

 

Try changing out you're IAC valve. If you've already done the basic tune up on it already though.
All the symptoms you're describing are consistent with that of a IAC valve going bad. The IAC will also be intermittent and not always appear to be bad. It will also not throw a CEL.
It did'nt in my case anyway.
Later, Allen

 

Well i talked to my auto teacher and he did tell me it was the IAC valve so i took that out i cleaned it out with carb. cleaner really good, i even went back and sprayed the trottle body out and cleaned that out and it did work. But the only thing is i have noticed it improving the idle but it did the same thing again, so is it going bad or are there other things. Im gonna do a tune up sometime this weekend so hopefully that will help.

 

Yes, that tells me that it is definitely going bad. They sometimes will not go completely bad but do what your describing, and then sometimes work right.
Wierd if you ask me.
But you're going to need to do a tuneup if you have'nt already done so.
Cleaning it alone is not enough, it needs replacement. For some reason the IAC will not last long after a cleaning.
P.S. Try " THE RANGER STATION " forums. They are awesome!!

 

Before replacing the IAC valve, get the codes pulled to see if there are any other problems.

I was in the same situation as yourself not to long ago and this is what I found to be my problems:
Faulty EGR valve position sensor (clogged)
Faulty EGR valve solenoid (clogged/mechanical malfunction...it did not throw a code because the solenoid portion of it was still functioning properly.)
Faulty Throttle position sensor (150,000 mile wear-out)

I never had to replace the IAC valve. Yes, in a lot of cases it is the problem part, but it is also one of the more expensive parts.

Good Luck