first off sorry for not searching before hand, i wasnt quite sure what i could search for that was relevant, and im new to rangers so im still just trying to learn their quirks after many years with vw's. so my new to me 2000 ranger with a 4.0 motor wont start, there is no check engine light. i got it at a used dealer that sells quite a few rangers so its still under their warranty which is good for my wallet. anyways last week it had trouble starting a couple times after it had been sitting for a day or so. if i kept pumping the gas it would eventually get going and would drive fine all day long until it sat again for a day or so then it would have trouble starting again. it did this 3 or 4 times then wouldnt start at all. its trying to turn over and get started but you could hear kind of a puffing noise coming from the air box area, like its not getting air into the motor or something. so it got towed to the dealer, there were no codes so they called ford i guess and eventually decided to replace the idle air control, they also removed and cleaned the plugs. so i picked the truck up and it was great for two days then yesterday it had trouble starting again, exactly like before, but it got goin and worked great all day. today i went out to see if it would start up and it wont. anybody have this problem before? anyone have any idea what the cause might be? thanks for any help!

 

Welcome to FTE.

Check the fuel pressure at the fuel rail schader valve, when it won't start. It should be 64 +/- 8 psi.

 

Will it start with Starting fluid sprayed into the air chamber? If so it's a fuel delivery problem. Might be a clogged fuel filter. Have you run the truck to empty on the fuel gauge? There's a filter in the fuel tank. That's where the pump is too, Might be the fuel regulator going out, that's why you need to check the fuel pressure.

 

after taking the truck back to the used car dealer i got the truck from they ended up sending it to ford cause they couldnt figure it out. they told me that apparently the headbolts were loose and fluid, i guess coolant, was leaking onto the spark plugs making them wet and hence it was a very difficult to start the truck up. the dealer retorqued the headbolts down and that issue has been fine ever since.

 

I'll be the first to call BS. Blown head gasket is the result of having headbolts not tight. And that doesn't get fixed by tightening the loose bolts.

Now, excuse me, I have to go laugh my "A" off.