fuel delivery
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fuel delivery
Greetings guys. First post. I have a 1992 ranger v-6 auto 2wd I got for my son. Of course it has been nothing but problem after problem. I'm sure the previous owner did not take very good care of it.
I've spent a few hundred dollars at two shops trying to figure out the latest problem. It stall sometimes while driving and sometimes won't start. It has no codes and sometimes runs well. The battery, alternator, hot and ground wires, fuel pump relay(2 times), fuses and such have been replaced. The last mechanic said the relay was getting 5-7 volts sometimes (running bad) and 12 volts at other times (running well). He doesn't know why. He even tried wiring it out of the fuse box (when key is on). It still didn't run right.
I can tell when the truck will act up. The tach will jump like crazy and the check engine light starts going on (varies in brightness). If the tach is steady and the c/e light is off, it runs like a champ.
Ideas please? (it's been like this for 4 months)
I've spent a few hundred dollars at two shops trying to figure out the latest problem. It stall sometimes while driving and sometimes won't start. It has no codes and sometimes runs well. The battery, alternator, hot and ground wires, fuel pump relay(2 times), fuses and such have been replaced. The last mechanic said the relay was getting 5-7 volts sometimes (running bad) and 12 volts at other times (running well). He doesn't know why. He even tried wiring it out of the fuse box (when key is on). It still didn't run right.
I can tell when the truck will act up. The tach will jump like crazy and the check engine light starts going on (varies in brightness). If the tach is steady and the c/e light is off, it runs like a champ.
Ideas please? (it's been like this for 4 months)
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 7,868
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From: Rhode Island
This should help you
http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/?p=13
As long as you didn't disocnnect the battey, the computer should stll have older check engine codes in memory
http://www.fordfuelinjection.com/?p=13
As long as you didn't disocnnect the battey, the computer should stll have older check engine codes in memory
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Thanks for the ideas. The check engine light is not on, nor does it come on in the regular sense. It just gets brighter or goes away as the truck runs better or worse. Think of an adjustable light switch.
The tach jumps as in swings 360 degrees a couple of times. Sometimes it just goes to 6000 rpm, when the engine is really at 2000 rpm or so.
It ran great today. Started right up and drove perfect. Strange, it does that most of the time.
I have never seen the c/e light come on in the regular sense. I will try the code reading thing in a few days and report back.
As for the coil, I suppose anything is possible, but when it is acting up, it gets little or no fuel presure to the rail.
The tach jumps as in swings 360 degrees a couple of times. Sometimes it just goes to 6000 rpm, when the engine is really at 2000 rpm or so.
It ran great today. Started right up and drove perfect. Strange, it does that most of the time.
I have never seen the c/e light come on in the regular sense. I will try the code reading thing in a few days and report back.
As for the coil, I suppose anything is possible, but when it is acting up, it gets little or no fuel presure to the rail.
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Joined: May 2007
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if youre not getting any fuel pressure than i would guess the pump or filter but as far as the tach and cel, who knows. you must have a short somewhere i would imagine. has it been doing this ever since you bought it or did something happen to cause it?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,748
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From: Connecticut
A few things:
First, which V6 engine is it? 3.0L or 4.0? Ignition-wise they are very different.
For example. on the 4.0L w/EDIS, there is a seperate ignition control module ("EDIS module") that can occasionally flake out and cause jumpy tach readings, stalling, no starts, etc.
Regarding the fuel pump circuit, since the low voltage problem still exists after the mechanic jumped the relay and fed 12V directly to the rest of the fuel pump circuit, then it sounds like there may be some intermittent grounding/shorting activity somewhere. FWIW, a failing pump could cause excessive resistance in the circuit.
Also, if the CEL is coming on, then there are codes being stored. Or maybe it's just that the engine is dying and all the dash warning lamps are beginning to appear...?
First, which V6 engine is it? 3.0L or 4.0? Ignition-wise they are very different.
For example. on the 4.0L w/EDIS, there is a seperate ignition control module ("EDIS module") that can occasionally flake out and cause jumpy tach readings, stalling, no starts, etc.
Regarding the fuel pump circuit, since the low voltage problem still exists after the mechanic jumped the relay and fed 12V directly to the rest of the fuel pump circuit, then it sounds like there may be some intermittent grounding/shorting activity somewhere. FWIW, a failing pump could cause excessive resistance in the circuit.
Also, if the CEL is coming on, then there are codes being stored. Or maybe it's just that the engine is dying and all the dash warning lamps are beginning to appear...?
Last edited by Rockledge; Aug 30, 2007 at 09:18 PM.
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Former ******
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My guess is that if that light comes on, there is a stores code that you should be able to retrieve.
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From: suburban atlanta
You said the hot and ground were replaced. I *assume* you mean the large cables from the battery to the engine and relay. That is good, but I'd be checking the ground from the engine to the cab. Your trouble shows all the symptoms of an electrical connection going from bad to good to bad or vice versa.. heh.
The tach going nutty is another good symptom of an electrical problem, rather than fuel related. The voltage available at the relay is also symptomatic. There are wires on the battery side starter solenoid that go to the fuse box, and some with embedded fusible links that feed all electrical stuff other than the starter. (it also should have a wire from the alternator on there to provide the engine-running current) If any of these were loose, corroded, or had broken conductors, you could have an intermittent. If you have a EVTM, follow the route of the power from the solenoid, especially the ones that feed ignition module (tach signal generated there..). You could also have a bad ignition switch.. IIRC, there was a recall for some of them causing fires.
tom
The tach going nutty is another good symptom of an electrical problem, rather than fuel related. The voltage available at the relay is also symptomatic. There are wires on the battery side starter solenoid that go to the fuse box, and some with embedded fusible links that feed all electrical stuff other than the starter. (it also should have a wire from the alternator on there to provide the engine-running current) If any of these were loose, corroded, or had broken conductors, you could have an intermittent. If you have a EVTM, follow the route of the power from the solenoid, especially the ones that feed ignition module (tach signal generated there..). You could also have a bad ignition switch.. IIRC, there was a recall for some of them causing fires.
tom
Last edited by tomw; Aug 31, 2007 at 11:21 AM. Reason: correction