I recently purchased an 85 Ranger. It has been sitting for a year. Would not start. I drained fuel (which smelled bad) and replaced with new. The only way it will fire is if you squirt fuel into the throttle body. Here is what I have done...

1. Disconnected lines at various places. Fuel will flow out from gravity.
2. Tried listening for fuel pump in tank..did not hear anything.
3. Tried turning key to see if fuel would "pump" out of line (in between tank and filter) while engine was being turned over. It would not.
4. Replaces relay. No difference.

The manual says to check the fuse and relay to see if in tank pump is getting power, but the fuse diagram does not show which fuse goes to the pump. I looked at all fuses in panel, they all seem o.k.. Is there an in line fuse somewhere?

Does it sound like the in tank pump needs to be replaced? Is that a normal problem for a truck that has ben sitting for a long time? Anything else I should try first? How hard of a job will this be for a very novice do it yourselfer? Aftre I solve this problem, what are other things I should do since the truck has been sitting for so long?

Thanks for your help.

 

I don't know much about rangers but i know some had a safety switch on them. So that when the truck is in a accident it shuts the fuel off. If i remember right on a ranger it is behind the kick panel on the passenger side floor board.

 

I tried that. Thanks anyway!

 

MAke sure you replaced all fuel filters. My '86 has 2 inline. The one is the normal one along the frame rail, and the other is in the bottom of the accumulator, which is also along the framerail. the bottom screws off with an oil filter band-style wrench. I've heard though that some of these accumulators you have to replace to change the filter, the bottom is screwed on. There is also two pumps, the low pressure pump in the tank, and then the high pressure pump, along the frame. All of this is going on you saying that it has a throttle body so it is fuel injected. Carbs would only have 1 pump.
Another thing to try is to get a voltmeter or testlight and see if there is power going to the pump(s).
Good luck, and let me know if any of this helps!