94 ranger dies leaving walmart lol!

[orangebanzai]

hey guys! was leaving wally world last night (had lights on, cd player going, fan) when near the entrance/exit the truck just died (lights etc still working). i tried restarting several times as i coasted to a stop with cars behind me (of course!!). when cars were gone i pushed truck to road that went downhill and tried to pop the clutch to start truck with no luck. if i have a fuel pump problem would i have experienced any bucking and sputtering ( i did not have any) while the truck died? i replaced the electronic control module 2yrs ago, when it was bad the truck would still start but sound like hell. i went back to truck (had to leave in a neighborhood and walk home) and checked and I do have gas in tank, when i tried to start truck i got 1 big back fire and no restart. the truck cranks just fine but truck wont start. anyway, gonna get wrecker and tow truck to relative house so i can work on it (live in apartment at this time). will try to see if i can hear fuel pump start when i hit the key next time; and also will undue the fuel line and see if gas shoots out. Any ideas from you guys that i may consider before i get all greasy and begin my cussing like a sailor?? lol ! one more, if my timing belt slipped, wouldnt the truck probably still start but sound like hell etc?? any help would be appreciated! you guys saved me last time by leading me to the electronic control module area to fix my problem-----great site ! Mark

[87 XLT]

First 2 things to check are if the idiot lights & check engine light come on, and if you hear the fuel pump prime for 2 seconds when you turn the key.

If the lights come on, but you dont hear the pump, try the old standby of giving the gas tank a good dope slap. Does the pump run now?

If the pump does run, hookup your timing light & crank it. Got spark?

Hopefully around 15 minutes of the required "cussing like a sailor" will give you an idea on this.

[orangebanzai]

thanks man for info...
yes, the idiot lights do come on when i turned key (battery, check engine light etc)..will try the slap the gas tank when i get off from work, and try to hear if fuel pump makes anynoise.
I do remember putting my finger behind the timing belt shroud and could easily move the belt towards the front of shroud, but not up or down..
bet it MIGHT be the belt, kinda hope not, just read on here the trouble the guy had changing out his belt on the same engine i have (4 banger)...
someone said if belt is shot you can be in situation of not being able to start engine at all like me.
if i can stay away from the dealership having to fix this i will be happy and with a heavier wallet!!!!!!!!

[MikeB 88]

I had a very similar problem with my '88 F-150. On the way home from work on morning it just quit running. No warning lights or anything. In my case it wound up being the computer went bad. Had it replaced, and no more problems for years and years.

[87 XLT]

Yeah a bad computer/PCM was the problem with my neighbors Ford powered motorhome.

The tip off to check for a bad PCM was no check engine light with key on/engine off.

That can mean no power to the PCM or a bad PCM. We checked voltage at the PCM, It was good

Replaced the PCM & off they went on their trip to Vegas.

From what orangebanzai sez, it looks like it might be a timing belt problem.

[Old93junk]

Just to add some humor here, the most likely cause of a vehicle dying after leaving a Wal-mart parking lot, is having it worked on by the wally world automotive dept!.

[87 XLT]

LOL, & VERY good point.

[orangebanzai]

old93junk, hope the wally world fairy doesnt come after you! lol !
ditto on guns and religion, oops even ranger pickups! lol!
since i dont have another ranger at hand, if i was to also check the tension on the timing belt of a healthy ranger, would i be able to slide it forward and back with ease, or is it supposed to be very tight as is the serpentine belt??-----thxs

[Old93junk]

Timing belt should be TIGHT!.......No movement.....From reading this thread I kinda agree, your ECU may have had a brain hemorrhage.

[orangebanzai]

ok, i am getting two viewpoints here, one is the timing belt the other my electronic contol module.....
went to ford and for 225 bucks + they would replace my timing belt, was really thinking of letting them worry with it, but now not sure if that is the problem..
anywho, wrecker gonna get my truck this afternoon and take to relatives and i am gonna do the work and research....guess first i will take off the ecm and have it tested...oreilly's had them 2 yrs ago for 140 bucks if i have to replace.....
news update tonight on FOXNEWS lol!
thanks for any tips!

[87 XLT]

I would'nt blame the PCM yet.

I'd connect my vacuum gauge and even at cranking speed it should tell me if valve timing is whacked.

If the belt is broken or has slipped the needle on the vacuum gauge will be all over the place thanks to stuck open valves.

All you need to do to check for a bad PCM is to pull the trouble codes.

If you get a 111/system pass you know the computer is OK & the problem is not in the engine controls.

I've never worked on a rubber band motor, but from what Old 93junk sez
the belt should not have any slack in it.

If you like doing your own work you should have a vacuum gauge & a code scanner anyway.

Nows the perfect time to buy both for around 30 bucks each at any auto parts store.

I dont know about other scanners, but my Actron CP-9015 comes with an XLNT manual that tells you how to use it & has lots of good info on the engine controls in your truck.

[orangebanzai]

thanks 87xlt....will hit the auto stores and look around...

[g_k50]

More to the point, Stay out of the Walmart.

[Bear River]

Agreed, not that Walmart ruined your car, but if you believe in everything about being American, stay out of that money grubbing, chinese butt kissing, anti-american monopoly builder. They have violated almost every anti-trust/anti-monopoly law out there. For me personally, I never buy at wally world after seeing the economic damage they have left in their wake. When they put up a store where I live, they drove out many other businesses. My mom is into crafts. They drove out half a dozen different craft stores. After the deed was done, they tore down the old store, and built two smaller ones. Their selection went down, the staffing went down, and the prices went up. Once they achieve dominance in a market, they almost always raise prices, with many goods costing more than the local stores would have otherwise been. This subsidizes the low prices in other areas that Walmart is forcing their way into. They also manipulate the political system to get their way. When they went to build the new stores, the city council denied the claim. So Walmart representatives, more or less bribed some the council members and convinced them the new store would be a good idea. The citizens petitioned against it, collecting over 10,000 signatures, more than twice the amount needed. The new Walmart went in anyway.

[orangebanzai]

hello 87 XLT!
went to Advance Auto, saw the Actron code reader and vacuum gauge..
your right about the prices....30 for code and 20 for vacuum.
i dont think my 1994 ranger has a port to use the actron code reader!
if im not wrong, it started in '95....i think i have to do the crappy routine of connecting something and then count the flashes on my trucks instrument panel..not very acturate...
bummer!
well truck has been towed, so the fun begins, good thing i am off next week so i can piddle with it lol!..thank goodness its not 97+ degrees here yet!