Working on my friends 2005 Ford Ranger 3.0L v6, I need some second opinions

youtube.com/watch?v=1lCY6T-tg7c

the trolling is real. I'll stop feeding them with my replies.

Bump

This. Colorado 5cyl 3.5l master race

Intake manifold gasket

if it is this, you can do it at home with a socket set and a lot of patience

injectors?

>he didn't get Ecoboost

This has crossed my path, glad you reminded me. Have not checked this yet.

......mmmmmmmmm......kkkaaayyyy

shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to remove the intake manifold...

is this your guess?

spraying it down with brake clean did not trigger any RPM fluctuations.

I think am important part in doing a diagnosis is to understand the code setting criteria. What does the pcm have to see to set off that code?

I'd chase down the misfire first. Imo you might have overlooked the coils, after a quick google search it looks like that engine has a coil pack. Are cylinders 1 and 5 on one coil? If they are, switch it with a known good coil and clear the codes