Hey guys! First post here seeking the collective wisdom of someone who has the answer to my dilemma. I purchased a nice looking 1995 F-150 for $300.00. That's why I bought it, in addition to what seems to be my passion for inline 6's as I have a few and I'm pretty good at turning my own wrenches and working on vehicles. I enjoy it for the most part. I also have a '65 F-100 shorty with 300 inline, a '53 F-100 with original flathead V-8 and a '68 F-100 long bed with 300 inline six. This particular vehicle is an XL model, 4.9, shortbed, regular cab, automatic that is absolutely bone stock and all Ford parts. Dual tanks. It has what looks to be 111,000 miles as it's hard to read with a very dim digital odometer readout. This truck is completely unmolested and there is absolutely no attempt to modify anything from factory. I have NO experience with this truck and have never heard it start or run. It's condition absolutely warranted spending $300 bucks on it, and it's locally probably worth $2200 on the open market just running. I'd like to use it as a tool with anticipated high frequency runs to the local home improvent store for a new project.

I've just now started working on this truck. The previous owner stated that they never had anything go wrong with the truck but that it had been sitting because they thought it needed a fuel pump which ended up being their first issue with the truck. I paid for it and had it towed home. It's been sitting for a couple years from what they say. I started going after the fuel pumps based on their story and found it too difficult to do the job from underneath. I removed the bed which was the best thing ever! I replaced both the front and rear tanks with Spectra products that came complete with new pumps, etc. I think this is where the previous owner left off and got disheartened. It was clear that he had no idea as how to remove the quick release fuel fittings and man-handled one off tearing the nylon insert out. Unable to repair and not interested in spending an unnecessary amount of money to return to factory, I gently sawed the clamp off that braided stainless steel hose at the fuel line and tossed it. I now have 3/8's rubber fuel injection hose and injection clamps on both the fuel pump side and aluminum fuel tubing in the frame. All other connectors are factory and clipped back up fine. I had to change out the ends of the fuel pump electrical connectors on the Ford side to match the Spectra electical connector, and no issues. Five gallons of fuel in each new tank and button her up. Turn key and she cranks fine, like you'd expect her to fire up but does not. I've been down a path which I'll outline below, but it still does not run and the biggest thing I notice is the failure of either fuel pump to start up. When I turn the key, I hear the momentary sound of what I believe to be the cold start valve each time. The battery light is on but only until I turn the key to start it and it goes out.

1) Fuel pump relay - replaced with Napa new relay. Even tried swapping with horn relay to get the pumps excited, and nothing.

2) Purchased new battery cable ends to refresh the old one. Has an Optima battery installed.

3) Sanded the ground area on the fender and sanded all the connectors clean.

4) Checked inertia switch which was NOT blown. Don't seem to get power to the inertia switch terminals with my test light, but didn't do anything other than just turn key to "run" and see if there was power. No.

5) New ECM - Purchased a remanufactured A-1 Cardone engine control module (computer) from Rock Auto and just installed. Zero changes.

6) New ignition lock (not switch near pedals) from Autozone cause original was kinda spinning around loosely.

7) Ran the engine diagnostics off the original ECM (computer) before exchanged and codes displayed from "check engine" light were 1-1-1. That code indiates all is well. Didn't really expect much from that since I constantly had the battery connected and disconnected.

8) Replaced front/rear tank switch in dash.

The one thing I notice is that while the bed is still off, I can easily hear the fuel pumps IF and when they come on. They never come on. I used a paperclip to cross two of the connectors after I pulled the fuel pump relay. The respective pumps came on when paper clipped, and this is the only time I've ever heard the pumps engage. When I switch between tanks using the dash switch, I get a guage reading on the rear tank. When I switch to the front tank, the guage needle goes dead like there is no fuel, when I know each tank has 5 gallons each. Checked the shraeder valve at the engine and there's fuel pressure from me running the pumps on a paper clip.

I put a lawnmower sparkplug on one of the sparkplug wires and waited til dark and layed it across the intake manifold. When I attempted to start, the spark seemed good or even weaker than I though it could look. Small blue/white spark. I took some fuel and dripped it down one of the plastic intake hoses and when I do that, it seems like it wants to start.

Today was the last straw after waiting a couple of days for the computer (ECM) which I was certain would fix this and didn't, so time to reach out to those who have some ideas I don't. Slowly running out of those things.

I remember reading on this bulletin board in the last couple of days that a water temperature switch may cause a no start condition. I'm also wondering about a "fuseable" link somewhere. All fuses have been checked and cleaned with sandpaper. There is also the possibility of the acutal "ignition switch" down by the pedals. Other than that, I'm tapped. I've looked at several YouTube videos to try to understand this and thought I was on to something when I watched the fella who replaced his ECM computer and solved idential problems.

Thanks guys. Sure do appreciate the help. Can't wait to love the truck.

JBeechcraft

 

I have 2 broncos with the same issue I gave up on them a long time ago but I had a thought that it was a wire between the fuel pump relay and whatever switches it on

 

The blue wire coming off your starter relay is the link. I don't think that is the issue though since the power is drawn off that and then goes to the relay. If the link was bad, jumping the relay wouldn't work. Have you tried to jump post 6 on the self test terminal to see it that fires up the 3 pumps? If you look at the plug, it's the last one down on the right. Jump that to ground. Should be two up top and four down below ( female pin holes ). On my truck, 87 f150, it's located behind the air filter housing right next to the pump relay. You can find wiring diagrams on here for our truck. If I remember right it's routed fuseable link to icu relay to fuel pump relay to inertia switch then it y's to the frame rail/high pressure pump and to the tank selector switch to the pumps/sending units. Hope that helps.