looking for some help getting my 1987 ford ranger back on the road ! Just picked it up weeks ago and all was smooth, then tonight it just died while driving.

the truck turns over and i can hear the fuel pump prime, but doesnt fire up.

battery shows good on the gauge cluster and there is fuel in it.

can anyone from the PA / NY / NJ area lend a hand ?

Thanks !!

here she is... !

 

That's a nice looking truck. Your other post said you had no heat from the heater and it died while driving down the road. The pump running is a good sign, but do you have fuel in the fuel rail? Check by removing the schrader valve cover on the fuel rail and depressing the pin after cycling the ignition switch from off to on to off several times. Fuel will shoot out all over the place if you have pressure, so use a rag or paper towel to prevent wild spraying. If you have fuel, then remove the distributor cap, and crank the engine over while watching the rotor. If you can, align the timing marks on the crankshaft pulley with the pointer on the belt cover first, then note where the distributor rotor is pointing. It should be pointing to the #1 plug wire position or 180 off if you are on compression for #4. If it is off, remove the black plastic plug on the timing belt cover and check that the triangle on the cam belt pulley is aligned with the pointer. All that checking and aligning is to make sure you didn't have a timing belt failure, which would throw ignition and cam timing off. In some cases, you lose all compression when that occurs, but it is not fatal to the valves as they won't hit the pistons.
If all checks out, the TFI module or the pickup internal to the distributor may have failed, or the coil. Check for spark using a spare plug inserted into the wire from the coil to the center of the distributor cap, with the outer shell of the plug grounded. You should get a lot of spark. If not, check the coil and TFI. The TFI is noted for failure, and replacements are relatively inexpensive. You do need to get the 'special' tool to remove the attaching bolts, and if you do replace it, clean off the distributor surface and be sure to spread the 'gel' to insure good heat transfer. If the pickup inside the distributor has failed, you have to disassemble the distributor to replace it. Not fun, and re-assembly is worse trying to get the driven gear aligned properly.
tom

 

Agree with Tom. Fuel & Spark are 1st steps. Take air cleaner off and try using starting fluid and see if it fires up on that and then dies. If so fuel is issue. Even though you hear pump sound - if the truck was run out of fuel on a tank this old (or filter never serviced) the filter may be plugged. Try putting new fuel filter. Then as Tom mentioned pull a plug wire and either buy a cheap in-line spark plug light or just hold plug wire with something shielded and aim at a good ground when cranked for a few turns to check for good spark.

 

Fuel pump or EEC relay may have gone bad (tank pump will run, but not rail pump.) Relays are located on pass. side next to air-filter box.

 

thanks for the attention everyone.

it appears this may be the case.. per the shop phone call i received today they stated it was a timing belt failure. the belt did not shred though. i will keep this tread updated

 

update.. it was the timing belt. i guess after 25 years and 70k miles.. it was time for a new one.

I did the water pump, thermostat, gaskets, plugs, and wires while it was in there. good as new !!