Hey guys,

I am normally on the pre-97 F150 forums, but I need some help with my 1993 Ranger 4.0L 4x4 5spd. I was clipped the other day by some clown turning left from the far right hand lane (he claimed fault right after the accident, but now he is telling the insurance that I hit him!!). Not too much damage to the truck besides the front bumper and right front fender. After the accident I was able to drive home no problem. A few hours later I started it up and got some snacks at the gas station and got stranded. I had to trailer it back to the house. Truck turns over, but doesn't start. It'll start with a shot of starting fluid so I know its a fuel problem. So far I have tried the following:

1. Inertia switch wasn't tripped.
2. Fuel pump relay wasn't blown.
3. I jumped the inertia switch to see if the switch itself was bad, but still nothing (I also couldn't hear the fuel pump turn on).
4. Connected direct power to the fuel pump. Heard it turn on checked to make sure it was getting fuel, then tried starting the truck and it still didn't turn on (makes me stumped because it started with starting fluid).
5. Bought a code reader to try and see if it spit out any codes, still nothing.

Is there anything on the passenger fender that could have gotten bumped to cause a problem? The inside of the truck does smell like burnt wires, but has no signs of anything.

Please help with anything else, I am being forced to drive my restored 68 Bronco and gas is killing me!!

Thanks!

-Locos

 

Locos,

I was thinking electrical problem given the cabin odor and apparent fuel advancing issue. Maybe related to the accident...maybe not. If you have a direct short and no power to the pump, then an inactive fuel pump is the same as a bad fuel pump. Given it works when electrified at the source, perhaps somewhere in between is where your issue resides. Could the accident have pinched a wire and created a short (leading to an open condition)? Accidents have a funny way of manifesting issues elsewhere in the vehicle sometimes (not as obvious as a crease in the fender).

Good luck on the diagnosis!

Kevin

 

Trip the inertia switch and then reset it. Sometines those things are not the best at what they do.

 

Does this truck have the two pump system consisting of a 'lift pump' in the tank and a high pressure pump somewhere along the frame rail? That would explain why running the in-tank pump did not deliver fuel to the injectors.
tom

 

There really isn't much under the right front fender, aside from the air intake "snorkle" that feeds the air filter box. I don't think there is any kind of electrical component hidden under there.
Of course, there's always the plastic inner liner that *could* have gotten pushed against the exhaust manifold and caught fire.... That inner liner only bolts to the underside of the raditor core support, 2 spots above the tire (about the middle and towards the rear), along the wheelwell opening, and a plastic clip under the door. (replaced one a couple weeks ago)
Have a look under there and see if that has evidence of melting. If it does, it could have burned the wires at the ECU or along that side of the engine.

I replaced the inner liner on my truck due to it having somehow caught fire, but the truck was never wrecked. The paint on the underside of the hood has minor bubbling, and the top side shows no evidence of a fire ever happened below it.
So yeah, an inner liner fire is not unheard of, particularly since the fender got "relocated" by an idiot driver.......

 

First off thanks for all of the replys!

-Tripping the switch manually and resetting had no luck.

- I am unsure if the truck has the "two-pump system". I will try to check this and the inner fender, as Rogue_Wulff suggested, when I get home, but sadly it might have to wait till the weekend (business trip). As suggested by Rackster and Wulff, the odor is really making me believe that there is a short somewhere.

Thanks for the help and I will keep you guys posted,

Locos

 

check all your fuses. if something is burning it should pop a fuse

 

Try removing the passenger side kick panel, under the dash, all the way to the right. That is where the computer is hidden. You can get it out of its 'rack' and inspect the wires to look at the gozintas and gozoutas. If any of them are fried, file a claim with the insurance company for a likely total. Fixing wiring is expensive. There are multiple fusible links that are connected to the battery side of the starter relay. On my truck, they are all on the passenger side, leading back towards the cab. Get one of them shorted by impact or have its insulation broken by the impact, and there you go. The stuff under the hood is 18 years old, has had underhood temperatures for that long, and in some cases the insulation gets hardened and brittle. Whack it with the equivalent of a hammer, and it might break.
In short, I would inspect all the wires alongside the inner fender on the passenger side.
tom

 

Your fuel pump and EEC relays are on the pass.side next to the air box, under a cover on 86-92 Rangers...........I do not know about 93 and up.
Possible if they are there, they may have been damaged.

 

Not positive about 93/94, but on my 95 all that stuff, including the battery, was moved to the driver (left) side, not counting the airbox.
Granted, my truck is pretending to be a Mazda, but it's just a Ranger with a face lift......