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relays


Dav

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riverview, fl
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
ranger xlt
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
, 2.9
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Automatic
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2WD
Total Lift
none but it is a convertible
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i have an 88 with the 2.9 auto. have just changed the rail mounted fuel pump. first i took the fuse labeled fuel pump (number 18 on the decal inside the fuse panel cover) out and ran it. it didn't die.
so i put the fuse back and disconnected the relay. lowest of 3 and hardest to reach. the cover came off the relay before the clip came out of the bottom. okay, that's disconnected. ran it and it didn't die.
pushed in on the stem in the schroder valve. a little pressure but not much. Now the system is depressurized.
changed the pump.
tried starting it before i reconnected the relay. fired right up. hmmm.
so my question is, which relay is the fuel pump? there are 3 relays by the air box. and what are the other two?
the owners manual i have is for an 86 and does not mention relays at all.
 


alwaysFlOoReD

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I remember the color of the passenger inner fender mounted fuel relay by saying this;
Green is go....
 

RonD

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The 3 relays have color coded bases, plug-ins.
Brown base is EEC Relay, powers computer(EEC), and most engine systems, i.e. injectors, and fuel pump relay, just the relay not the pump

Green base is the fuel pump relay, computer grounds this relay to power fuel pump
In 1988 fuel pump power may be from a Fusible link on the starter relay(solenoid) post, same post Battery Positive is connected to, so pulling a fuse from engine fuse box may not cut power to pumps

Black base is the WOT relay, it will shut off AC compressor when you push gas pedal to the floor, wide open throttle(WOT)

Over the years previous owner may have "hot wired" the fuel pump power
 

Dav

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riverview, fl
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
ranger xlt
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
, 2.9
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
none but it is a convertible
Tire Size
stock
i pulled the wrong relay- the black base. tomorrow i will mark them so i know what's what.
i went for a test drive today and the problem is still there; a stumble like i'm out of gas. since the only part of the fuel system i haven't replaced is the injectors, i will start looking at the wiring
 

Locotomb

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Ford Ranger
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2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.3l
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Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
6inch custom fab lift/86
Total Drop
Bagged 3 inch custom drop beams 88/89 Custom triangulated and step notched rear
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35/12.5/r18
My credo
Everything looks better lower
The relays have a letter embossed on the inside of the colored cap. F for fuel pump. And it also sounds like your TFI module is going out. Running a 185 thermostat will keep your module from being cooked, due to the cooler engine bay ambient temps. Also, How does it run when its warming up?
 
Last edited:

Dav

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riverview, fl
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1988
Make / Model
ranger xlt
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2.9 V6
Engine Size
, 2.9
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
none but it is a convertible
Tire Size
stock
the engine runs fine until it warms up. usually it gets me about 10 minutes down the road, then stumbles. catches right back on and keeps going.
BUT....couple of nights ago, it ran fine for 20 minutes, then kept stumbling as i limped back home. (made me miss putting it in the antique car parade)
i did find fusible links. from the solinoid 1 wire becomes 3 wires, each with the bubble that the link is in. don't know yet where they go and have no wiring diagram. one of them has a patch of insulation cut off like a p.o. was testing it
 

RonD

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Have a look at this fusible link: https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/wcsstore/CVWEB/staticproductimage//N3062A/large/5015391_dcd_85627_pri_larg.jpg

The black "bubble" is not the fusible link it is just a label, the whole wire is the fusible link

This is also a fusible link: https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS29MvW5eOHePfI4pjlbNEzwgmkosriLT0BneM0ixPRWyhoWwQ3TA&s

A fusible link acts like a slow blow fuse, better, its a smaller gauge wire that allows higher amps temporarily

If you had a circuit using 14 gauge wiring, you would protect that circuit with a 16 gauge fusible link, a smaller wire/gauge fusible link, so it would heat up first in the event of a short.
The insulation and type of wire used in a fusible link won't "burn" it will melt and separate without starting a fire, like a fuse
 

Locotomb

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Ford Ranger
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2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.3l
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Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
6inch custom fab lift/86
Total Drop
Bagged 3 inch custom drop beams 88/89 Custom triangulated and step notched rear
Tire Size
35/12.5/r18
My credo
Everything looks better lower
the engine runs fine until it warms up. usually it gets me about 10 minutes down the road, then stumbles. catches right back on and keeps going.
BUT....couple of nights ago, it ran fine for 20 minutes, then kept stumbling as i limped back home. (made me miss putting it in the antique car parade)
i did find fusible links. from the solinoid 1 wire becomes 3 wires, each with the bubble that the link is in. don't know yet where they go and have no wiring diagram. one of them has a patch of insulation cut off like a p.o. was testing it
I'm pretty positive that's a bad o2 sensor. I'd bet the pot on it.
 

bobbywalter

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sawzall?
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sounds like shitty injectors to me.
 

Dav

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riverview, fl
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1988
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ranger xlt
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
, 2.9
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
none but it is a convertible
Tire Size
stock
does an 88 even have an O2 sensor? i can't find one but a p.o. may have eliminated it doing an exhaust replacement
 

alwaysFlOoReD

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Yes, they have one o2 sensor. It should be where the 2 pipes turn into one. It will be on top in one of the most inaccessible places the engineers could find.
 

Dav

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Joined
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Location
riverview, fl
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
ranger xlt
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
, 2.9
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
none but it is a convertible
Tire Size
stock
yep, it's there. just once i'd like to make a car designer fix his own designs!
my '58 t-bird convert ya had to undue a motor mount and half pull the mill to change starters. my next 2 were british and had lots of space under the bonnet. 4th one was a 57 ranchero which i put the t-bird 352 into (matter of necessity) and i still had lots of room.
if, i say IF..the sensor comes out easy, i'll put in a new one. not too expensive but this truck is going way over budget. gonna put a noid tester on my vmas list, one with the long lead so i can put it where i can see it while driving. got enough parts and wiring harnesses around to make up a pigtail to allow normal running and testing at the same time, i hope
 

alwaysFlOoReD

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If it doesn't come out easy, it needs changing....and vice versa.
One of Murphy's corrolaries.
 

Locotomb

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Location
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Vehicle Year
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Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.3l
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
6inch custom fab lift/86
Total Drop
Bagged 3 inch custom drop beams 88/89 Custom triangulated and step notched rear
Tire Size
35/12.5/r18
My credo
Everything looks better lower
I had to buy a special tool to get mine out. And I never buy specialty tools. It went bad after I worked on my cat. it got a little bit of cat inerds on that fouled it out.
 
Last edited:

Locotomb

Active Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2017
Messages
111
Reaction score
62
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28
Location
Puyallup, WA
Vehicle Year
1988, 1986
Make / Model
Ford Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.3l
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
Total Lift
6inch custom fab lift/86
Total Drop
Bagged 3 inch custom drop beams 88/89 Custom triangulated and step notched rear
Tire Size
35/12.5/r18
My credo
Everything looks better lower
yep, it's there. just once i'd like to make a car designer fix his own designs!
my '58 t-bird convert ya had to undue a motor mount and half pull the mill to change starters. my next 2 were british and had lots of space under the bonnet. 4th one was a 57 ranchero which i put the t-bird 352 into (matter of necessity) and i still had lots of room.
if, i say IF..the sensor comes out easy, i'll put in a new one. not too expensive but this truck is going way over budget. gonna put a noid tester on my vmas list, one with the long lead so i can put it where i can see it while driving. got enough parts and wiring harnesses around to make up a pigtail to allow normal running and testing at the same time, i hope
I had a 65 Ranchero With a Boss in it and my first vehicle was a 65 f100 with a 352 in it. That thing was a tank, and bulletproof.
 

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