My 2004 ranger edge 3L suddenly won't start. Ran codes and none showed up. Battery is good. I turn the key to start and the truck the starter engages, but engine doesn't start. I pushed the fuel shut off switch down for 10secs with the key on, turned key off for 10secs, tried to start but won't start.

I sprayed some starter fluid into the air intake, tried to start the engine and it starts but stops as soon as the starter fluid is used up (1.5 seconds).

SO I think the electrical is ok (no codes and things appear to work) but I think there is a fuel delivery problem.

Someone suggested to see if fuel would come out when I push down on a bicylce tire type air valve located on the fuel rail. Where is the fuel rail-at the drivers side front of the engine compartment, or the passenger side rear. In the driver side front there is a big silver metal tube that is either for air conditioning or is the fuel rail. In the passenger side back there is one of these valves on a large black cannister.

ANyone have any ideaswhat to try and how to test? Clogged fuel filter, bad fuel pump, or bad injectors or ???

One more thing-I heard the keys can lose their code. If my truck sort of starts on starter fluid does that mean the keys are still coded correctly???

Thanks in advance
Brent

 

Has it been sitting for a while and then started doing this? Do you put E85 in your tank?

 

The truck started in the morning, sat all day, and would not start at night.

The truck has been sitting for a while, only started and stopped once a week for about 4 months.

No E85 in the tank

 

something sounds clogged...I would start with the small stuff...filter etc.

 

Will the truck start with your foot on the gas?

How many miles you got on it?

When it started in the morning was everything normal as far drive-ability was concerned? Did you drive it? How far?

Same key used as before? (although I doubt it is the key if it works with the starting fluid)

If you are familiar with engines, simply follow the fuel rail around the engine. You'll know which is the fuel rail as it periodically sends a line down to the fuel injector of each cylinder. It has a Schrader valve on it (like your tires). Unless you have a pressure tester it is kinda useless to mess with it. Sure you may get some fuel to squirt out but that won't tell you much...well, I guess if you don't get ANY then you can start with a bad fuel pump. Now, if you have a gauge you'd be able to test or verify the fuel pressure. That's some handy info in your case.

The black canister in the back you are looking at as probably the receiver/dryer part of the AC. Follow the lines that go to it. Where do they go?

I should say that I've not looked under the hood of your type of truck in awhile so I cannot be certain what it is you're looking at. But I find myself leaning towards the fuel pump but that's a WAG given the limited info I have to go on.

 

Wecome to FTE.

I agree with you that it sounds like an electrical fuel delivery problem & it could be a number of things.

Good idea to suspect & test the in cabin inertia switch.

Can you hear the fuel pump run for a couple of seconds then shut off, when going to KOER, before cranking the engine????

If you can't hear the fuel pump run, raise the hood & check the fuel pump power relay fuse, located in the black power distribution box, drivers side, back where the fender & firewall meet. The fuse & relay loaction should be in your owners manual, or maybe listed inside on the distribution box cover.

If the fuse checks ok, try thumping the fuel pump power relay to see if it'll wake up, or swap it out for a known good like relay, not needed to run the engine, say the A/C relay, & see if you can hear the fuel pump run & shut off at KOER & if the engne will then start & run.

If so, replace the fuel pump power relay, they are a common problem part.

If that doesn't do it, try thumping the gas tank, or fuel pump atop the gas tank & see if that'll wake it up. If so suspect the fuel pump, or it's wiring, or electrical connector.

Once you can hear the pump run, but if it still won't start, connect a fuel pressure gauge at the fuel rail schrader valve & post the readings.

If the fuel pressure is ok, but it still wont run, check for 12 volts B+ to the fuel injector wiring harness at KOER.
If thats ok, install a noid light in each injectors wiring harness, to see if the computer is supplying ground switching to fire the injectors.

If that checks out ok, use an inductive timing light on each spark plug wire to see if all are firing. If not, suspect the coil pack & pull it for a bench check at your favorite autoparts store.

If you don't have the above test items, most autoparts stores have the fuel pressure test gauge, noid light & inductive timing light & multimeter in their "Loan-A-Tool program, for a refundable deposit.

A bunch more trouble shooting thoughts for consideration.
Let us know what you find.

 

That's the AC... don't mess with it... and for goodness sakes, don't try to bleed that valve with your finger... you're liable to freeze your finger off (almost litterally).

Stan

 

Is it turning over?

How many miles is on the truck? It couldn't hurt to replace the fuel filter anyway... they are only $10 or so.

FYI: KOER mentioned by pawpaw means Key On Engine Running, it is the position the key is in when you are driving down the road. When you turn it to this position (right before you actually start turning the motor over), you should hear the fuel pump turn on. It's kind of a humming sound.

STan

 

Wow thanks for all the advice!!!

1. I listened for the fuel pump with the key on = no noise
2. I found the relay fuse's against my drivers firewall, and I have 3 box type and 1 small flat type of relay fuse. I switched the positions of the 3 box type relays with each other and the fuel pump still didn't run with the key on.....SO the pump seems bad and not the relays. That assumes that one of the box type relays controls the fuel pump (and not the 1 small flat type). Can anyone confirm that a box type relay controls the fuel pump???

OK I've narrowed the problem down to a fuel pump that is not pumping when I turn the key on. My concern is this- Is there anyway that the fuel cut off switch=cabin inertia switch is faulty, and will not reset when I push the button on it SUCH THAT the fuel pump will not pump with the key turned on. In english that means can the fuel cut off switch=cabin ineertia switch prevent the fuel pump from pumping when the key is turned on. I'd like to confirm if I should replace the switch or the fuel pump.

When I push the button on top of the fuel cut off switch to reset it it doesn't "lock down". You know how when you push on a ball point pen and it clicks and locks in place so you can write, and then you push the pen again and it clicks and you can't write with it???? Well my fuel cutoff doesn't click into lock down mode. It is more like a letter key on my computer keyboard. I push it down, i feel it hit bottom, I let go, and the key pops back up...

So the question is fuel pump, or fuel cut off switch=cabin inertia switch. Is there a way to confirm which is bad??? I mean confirm which of those 2 items is bad. If the switch is bad will the feul pump still pump with the key on.

Thanks
Brent

62000 miles
won't start with foot on gas
tried 2 different keys, and turns over with both keys
thumpin stuff didn't help
the anti theft light doesn't flash rapidly while cranking the engine so PAS seems aok

 

OK good trouble shooting & observation on the inertia switch.

There have been reports of bad inertia switches, & from your description of how it's behaving, it sounds suspicious, so pull it's electrical connector & bridge the connectors contacts with a piece of wire, or maybe needle nose pliers & see if the fue pump will run & the engine will start & run. If so, replace the inertia switch.

Let us know how it goes.

 

Tried jumping the switch, but fuel pump still didn't pump with the key on...so I replaced the pump and she fired right up!

Truck runs fine in park and in neutral, but in drive and reverse at 0-2mph the engine idles/shakes pretty severly. Like it is running out of gas and going to konk out. It never knoks out, but shakes pretty bad until it gets to like 5mph to 60mph where it runs fine...Maybe a vacuum line, or fuel filter??? Thoughts?

 

Maybe suspect the IAC.

 

Tapped the IAC with a hammer a couple of times...Didn't help.
With the engine running I put the engine in drive and spun the wheel right and left and the engine shook/sputtered while turning the wheel.

with the engine running I unplugged the IAC. The rpms dropped down a lot, but the engine didn't konk out. Replugged in the IAC and the rpms jumped back up to normal. Repeated just for kicks.

Now the engine no longer sputters and shakes in drive or reverse from 0-2 mph, or when I turn the wheel right and left.

I think plugging the IAC in and out reset something???

When the IAC is unplugged isn't an engine that konks out indicative of a functioning IAC??? Since mine doesn't konk out, and the rpms just drop is my IAC partially functioning, but not functioning properly???

 

More than likely, you weren't getting a good connection. By removing it, and plugging it back in, it probably hooked up a bit better. I know my '94 does this anytime the motor gets pretty wet.

Last week, while I was painting my hood, I had the truck parked outside (without the hood on) and it rained pretty hard... my truck did this for about a day, until it dried out.

Stan

 

Well it seems that the IAC was likely the cause of the rough idle.

Maybe it's carboned up & sticking & needs to be cleaned.

Some folks have good luck doing that, others don't, Ford doesn't recommend cleaning them, as it usually doesn't last, I know cleaning mine didn't last, so I recently replaced it.

If the problem returns, maybe try cleaning it if you want to, with something like CRC MAF sensor spray cleaner, or CRC electrical parts cleaner, that won't get after the internal parts. I'd not use brake, or carb cleaner & if that doean't last, just replace the danged thing, as I said thats what I finally did.