This is a 1995 Ranger 3.0 Ltr. 153k miles.<O</O
I used the truck Friday about 4:30 to go up the road for a yd of mulch<O</O
Started ok,<O</O
<O</O

Last evening, went out and turned the key,,<O</O
Nothing at first,,<O</O
Then tried again,,and it at least started to turn over..<O</O
Tried again,,same thing,<O</O
Pumped the gas pedal and tried and it started then stopped after 2-3 seconds..<O</O

Fuel is less than ¼ tank,.<O</OI am thinking bad gas in the line or dirt?<O</O

How can I get it started so I can unload the mulch<O</O
Ideas?
<O</O
<O</O
thanks

 

Kinda sounds like a fuel delivery problem.

BU, Is the battery cranking the engine over fast, ie is the battery charge & cable connections to it up to snuff????

If so, try cycling the ignition switch from Off to Run 4-5 times (but Don't go to start to have the starter crank the engine), pause at Run for a couple of seconds each time & listen to hear if the fuel pump runs for a couple of seconds & cuts off, Then crank the engine & see if it'll start.

If you can't hear the fuel pump run, check the in cabin inertia switch to make sure it isn't tripped. If thats ok, check/thump the fuel pumps under hood power distribution box power relay & see if it'll wake up. If all thats ok, but you still don't hear the fuel pump run, thump the gas tank & see if it'll wake up.

If the fuel pump runs, but the engine won't fire & run, check the KOEO fuel pressure at the on engine fuel rail schrader vlave, it should be 25-35 psi with the fuel pressure regulators vacuum hose attached, if your FPR is mounted on the fuel rail.
If the pressure is low, check the regulators vacuum line, if yours is mounted on the fuel rail, to see if it's wet inside with fuel, if it is, the regulators diaphragm is bad, replace the regulator.
If the regulators hose is dry & the fuel pressure is low, try thumping the regulator to see if it'll wake up & control fuel pressure. If still no joy & the fuel pressure is low & your regulator is in the tank with the fuel pump assy, suspect a clogged fuel filter, low pump operating voltage, or a weak pump or acting out in tank regulator, in which case you'll have to replace the pump/regulator assy, a fun job!!!!!

If fuel pressure is ok, then look to a spark delivery problem.

BTW, what makes you suspect bad gas?????

Some thoughts for your suspect list, let us know what you find.

 

Hi pawpaw,

You and some others helped me out with the same vehicle a while back at this link..
Not knowing a lot about engines, I was really glad the forum helped.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/638078-1995-ford-ranger-intermittent-starting-issues.html

Back then, turns out then it was a bad relay. Well several thousand miles later, with some in between patching and repairs, I am planning on donating the truck and wanted to get a few more months out it.

I patched an oil pan leak and now also I think I have a Pwr Steering leak.
Here is the update. Yesterday (prior to reading your response), I tried to start it up again. This time it would not turn over at all.

I tried about 5 times. At least Sunday it started once
I have a new battery in the truck (less than 3 months). I don’t think it is the battery because I turn on the head lights and crank the engine and the interior light does not even get dim.

I don’t think it the pump because, I had an auto starter installed about 10 yrs ago and when I press the start button while standing by the driver’s door, I can hear the fuel pump engage.
What is interesting is, pressing the auto start button I hear the fuel pump but the engine won’t crank.

If I use the key in the ignition to try to start it, the engine cranks?

I don’t run it a lot and that is why I thought it may be bad gas or dirt in a line,,

If it is a major problem like a new starter, pump, etc. I am not going to fix it. I woud have to have it towed (since I am not the best at engine work).

I was hoping to get it started to put in some 93 grade gas and injector cleaner into the tank.

thanks

 

Well seeing as how it has an aftermarket remote starter, I'd begin by looking to it acting out!!!!

 

not sure I follow,,

Why would starting it with a key (when it cranks)
vs
using the remote hand held starter

stop it from turning over?

 

I was thinking maybe the anti-theft & or the after market remote start system, may be inter-acting, or one or the other acting out & not recognizing the key & preventing it from starting.

Just so we're singing from the same hymnal, when you say "turning over", do you mean the starter motor isn't cranking the engine, or that it cranks the engine, but it wont fire & run????

 

ok,
same hymnal

When I press the button for the auto start to engage, I can hear the buzzing noise near the passenger door (the fuel pump??). Also, when I press the button and I have my head under the hood near the engine, I hear the auto start mecanism click but the starter does not engage to crank the engine,


using the key,
when I turn the key, the engine cranks but will not fire/run

i could make/upload a video, but I don't think this forum allows large file uploads?

 

The buzzing noise near the passenger door is not the fuel pump. It could be the fuel pump relay. The relay is co-located with the ECM I think, and the pump is in the fuel tank. Stand on the other side, near the fuel filler. Remove the cap, or not, and press the start button. If you hear a hum for ~3-5 seconds, the pump is running. Try the same thing with the key, window down, and listen for the pump.
If one works and the other doesn't you have a bit of an idea. If you don't hear the pump run, it could be the roll over safety switch on the firewall passenger side, just above the top of the floor covering. Try pressing the button on top to reset the switch and then try to hear the pump run.
If the pump does not run at all, it could be the fuse, the relay, or the pump. If the pump does run, you can check for fuel pressure in the fuel rail, where all the injectors are fed fuel. The pressure regulator has a schrader valve, just like the valve on a tire, and you can depress the core to check for fuel. Be careful because if it has pressure it will spray whatever you use to depress the valve stem.
If you do have pressure, you would next check for spark.
tom

 

OK, well it sorta sounds like you May have two problems!!!

So the auto-start won't have the starter motor even try to crank the engine, but with the key, the starter Will crank the engine, but the engine won't fire & run, so thats what makes me think you May have two problems.

The auto-start may also be malfunctioning & I'm thinking maybe a voltage drop problem through it's relay contacts, thats affecting spark & fuel delivery when your using the key to try & start the vehicle.

SO, maybe begin by checking the Unloaded battery voltage across the battery Posts, with your multimeter on the 20 volt DC range, to determine the battery state of charge. 12.6 volts or higher indicates it's at full charge, 12.06 = 50%, 11.58 = 20%. If it's below 12 volts charge the battery.

Once you know the battery SOC is ok, turn some heavy electrical load on, like the head lights & in cabin fan on High speed with the ignition switch in the Run position so the fan is on, then using your multimeter on the 20 volt DC range, do a voltage drop test across the battery Posts, then across the battery cable clamps. They should read the same if the connections are good. If not, turn everything off & clean both battery cable posts & cable clamps to make sure they're clean, bright & tight!!!!

If you have at least 12 volts across the cable clamps with the system loaded, then move to the power distribution box & do a voltage check from the Red B+ feed lead coming into it from the battery, to an unpainted metal spot on the engine. If the B+ voltage measures the same there, your electrical connections feeding both systems are likely good.

If you have a sizeable under load voltage drop between the battery post & cable clamps, or between the B+ cable clamp & the power distribution box Red B+ feed wire & engine ground, then check for loose, corroded, or damaged B+, or B- connections at the battery cable clamps, engine ground, or power distribution box connection points.

If you don't have a multimeter for testing, you can use a good quality heavy wire gauge low resistance jump start cable, to parallel connect across any suspect B+ or B- cables, or connections, to test their electrical connection soundness, or to determine if the wire run is bad internally.

SO, if you determine your B+ & B- feeds & connections are ok, do as tomw has suggested & check to determine if you can hear the fuel pump run for a couple of seconds & cut off, when you cycle the ignition key to the Run position, before you try to crank the engine.

If you can hear the pump run & cut off, as he suggested check for fuel pressure & spark when the engine is cranked using the key.

You can easily do an under load fuel pump voltage drop test on the fuel pump, by back probing the in cabin inertia switch electrical connector at the fuel pump wire, when you cycle the key to Run like tom suggested, then you'll have a couple of seconds to monitor the fuel pumps B+ feed, to see if it's ok there. That'll check the fuel pumps B+ feed for under load voltage drop through it's power relay & the inertia switch contact.

By then you should have narrowed down the problem point or part.
Let us know what you find.

 

Hi guys,


thanks for the input,,


Probably not the pump.

I can hear it using the key and the auto starter..

I’m not sure I mentioned this, but I am not the best at under the hood work,,

Can you tell me where the fuel rail and schrader valve is on my engine?
<O</O
Any diagrams or pictures available?<O</O

 

found the fuel rail and schrader valve ..

I used a nail and depressed the valve and some gas came out...it did not spray, just cam out slow,,

 

Cycle the ignition from off to on to off a few times to build pressure in the fuel line. Use your nail, and depress the valve stem. If you don't get a good spray, doing the test pretty much as soon as you can after turning the ignition off, then your pump is not doing its job or the anti-leakdown valve(s) not working properly, bleeding the pressure off quickly.
Have you checked for spark? Take a spare sparkplug, connect one of the plug wires to it, and lay the plug on a grounded surface, such as the intake manifold, so the metal part is touching. If you crank the engine over, you should see sparking. If you don't, your ignition system is not working.
tom

 

I will try that today or tomorrow..


can I use any type of spark plug? I think I have one for my lawn tractor...

if it is a ignition module / coil / starter,,

What cost factor are we looking at?

I know a neighbor that works on cars that may be able to install it,,

 

If under load battery voltage to the fuel pump is low, you may be able to hear it run, but if the voltage is low, the pump may not be able to make the required pressure with low B+ & you say that fuel just dribbles out of the fuel rail schrader valve.

Low B+ can also make for a weak or a no spark condition, so make sure your battery state of charge is up to snuff & the battery cable connections to ground & the under hood power distribution box are good, no under load voltage drop.

Once your certain thats ok, then begin your trouble shooting steps.

 

Does your remote starter have a safety pin switch that defeats the starter when the hood is open?
If that is making a connection when it shouldn't...