My 250 wouldn't start yesterday, and i ran the battery down trying. I charged it up this morning, and it still wouldn't start.

It wasn't until I cycled the key back and forth a few times to cycle the fuel pump, that it finally started.

Is this a pump failure or a relay going bad?

 

Pretty hard to tell from the problem statement. A meter would help diagnose if it was an electrical issue. A fuel pressure gauge would help diagnose if it is fuel.

Your ears may be the cheapest tool as a first step. Can you hear the fuel pump cycle for 1-2 seconds each time you turn the key to the RUN position? If not....pull out that meter. If it does cycle then get the pressure gauge on the fuel rail.

 

The pump was cycling when I paid attention to it...LOL

If it happens again, I'll listen closer. When I decided to cycle the pump a number of times, I heard it each time, and it started after cycling it.

At least I now know what to do to start it if it happens again.

Also, something I neglected to state earlier, it rained yesterday...all day. I went ahead and picked up another dizzy cap and button, just in case. I learned, after driving old Dodge trucks and cars, to keep a spare cap and button in the glove box.

I didn't swap it out yet, because it did finally start.