2000 Ranger 5.0 V8 stalled - please help

My 2000 Ranger 2WD with 5.0L Explorer motor stalled when my wife was driving home. Turns over fine, but sounds like it isn’t firing. Could smell gas, so I decided to check timing. Timing light indicated that the cam position sensor was functioning and hadn’t slipped, as well as the timing chain didn’t skip.

Put a timing light on each plug wire and found 6 out of 8 with signal. Two plug wires on the driver coil pack were not triggering the light. Swapped out the coil pack, no change. Swapped out the computer (PATs was removed from both PCMs prior to this issue and both PCMs had been run on the truck weeks prior to this issue), no change. Removed all plugs and found that cylinders 5 and 6 were gas fouled. Cylinder 5 very minor and cylinder 6 really really wet. Cleaned both plugs and reinstalled. Still wouldn’t fire. Figured even if the cylinder 6 injector were stuck open, the truck would probably still run.

Checked fuel pressure with a gauge, but couldn’t get a good seal around the schraeder valve. By just turning the key, the gauge approached 50PSI and leaked out around the fitting quickly. Appears that the fuel pressure is sufficient to fire.

Removed the fuel pump relay and turned over truck for 5 seconds and it seemed to fire a bit (trying to clean the plugs and dry the cylinders). Reinstalled the relay and tried to start again, no change.

Any help is much appreciated. Updates section below notes everything that has been done up to present time so no one needs to read the whole post..

UPDATES:
1/9/18 - Okay, I first tried the starting fluid. I disconnected the intake hose on the downstream side of the MAF and sprayed the starting fluid toward the TB, reconnected the hose and turned it over for 5 seconds or so. Didn't really notice any "firing" going on.

I then removed the #5 and #6 plugs again and see that they are very wet again with gas. I then pulled #7 and #1 and see they are dry as a bone. I then dried out plugs #5 and #6 completely and tried your advice.

Pushed gas to the floor and turned engine over like 7 seconds or so. Again pulled the #5 and #6 plugs and again they are wet with gas.

2/14/18 - 1. Installed plugs for #5 and #6 as they were out all this last month and performed the Clear Flooded Engine procedure you recommended with the coil packs unplugged. Plugs were very wet post test.
2. Dried out plugs with a blow nozzle, put a lighter to them and wiped them off really good for #5 and #6. Then turned the engine over with no plugs and the gas pedal to the floor to dry the cylinders. I then installed the plugs and performed the Clear Flooded Engine procedure a second time with the coil packs unplugged. Plugs were very wet.
3. Removed the connector from #5 injector. Dried out plugs with a blow nozzle, put a lighter to them and wiped them off really good. Turned the engine over with no plugs and the gas pedal to the floor to dry the cylinders. I then installed the plugs and performed the Clear Flooded Engine procedure with the coil packs unplugged. Plug #5 was moist, but not really wet. Don't know for sure if it was residual fuel in the cylinder or intake or if it was still leaking past the nozzle of the injector.
4. Checked voltages on the injector connector of #5 with the KOEO and found that I had both +12V and GND at the connector. This is not at all what I had expected as I figured that might possibly flood the engine before starting. I then checked #2 injector and found the voltages to be the same, so this must be the way of priming the engine and then as soon as the engine is turned over, it switches to signal from the Cam Pos Sensor?
5. Connected the coil packs, snugged the plugs and connected the plug wires. Removed the intake hose from the TB and tried turning it over with the gas pedal to the floor. It initially backfired and then nothing. I sprayed some starting fluid in the TB and repeated the process. Nothing significant. Repeated this 2-3 times, with no change.
6. Removed the fuel pump relay and sprayed starting fluid in the TB. One time it fired a little bit and then nothing from that point on.

3/31/18 - I swapped out the ECT sensor today and had planned on replacing the ACT sensor as suggested, but my intake air hose is from a 99-01 Explorer which from what I can see, there isn't one in it. Even though just about every parts store/site shows one. I've since read online that the ACT is integrated into the MAF. That makes a quick swap cost prohibitive.

I will note that when I initially turned it over this morning as well as other times where it sat for days between starts, it fires initially and almost starts and then back to the hollow cranking.

All fuel injection computers have "Clear Flooded Engine" routine

Ford, and most others, use this:
Turn key on
press gas pedal down to the floor, and hold it down all the way
Turn key to START

Engine should crank but not start, it should not even fire, if it does then yes you have gasoline leaking in

Key on, with 0 RPMs and TPS at over 4.5volt = turn off fuel injectors, leave spark on

TPS = throttle position sensor, gas pedal to the floor will send 4.5 to 4.9v to computer

As soon as RPMs get above 200 or you release gas pedal computer will end "Clear Flooded Engine"

I use this every morning starting my high mile 4.0l, I get the oil pumped up before I let it fire up.

You can also use it to find out which injectors are leaking
Disable spark
Do "Clear Flooded Engine" and crank it a few times
Pull out spark plugs
WET ones have the leaking injectors


I would also just do a 50/50 test, quick easy and its done
Spray gasoline or starting fluid(ether) into the intake and crank the engine

If it starts and dies then fuel is the issue
If it doesn't start then spark is, could be compression but usually not

RonD said:

All fuel injection computers have "Clear Flooded Engine" routine

Click to expand...

Thank you Ron, very good information! I'd never heard of this before. I will give this a try today and give feedback.

Okay, I first tried the starting fluid. I disconnected the intake hose on the downstream side of the MAF and sprayed the starting fluid toward the TB, reconnected the hose and turned it over for 5 seconds or so. Didn't really notice any "firing" going on.

I then removed the #5 and #6 plugs again and see that they are very wet again with gas. I then pulled #7 and #1 and see they are dry as a bone. I then dried out plugs #5 and #6 completely and tried your advice.

Pushed gas to the floor and turned engine over like 7 seconds or so. Again pulled the #5 and #6 plugs and again they are wet with gas. I thought since I had the plugs out, why not do a compression test, but my battery died after one rotation, so that's out for the moment.

Anyway, what's the likelihood of two injectors stuck open at the same time because of failure? I'm guessing my odds of winning the lottery are better. Could it be a short in the harness? I think much more likely... Any other suggestions from this point?

Yes, long odds unless debris found its way past the injector filters which is unlikely

You can unplug the wires on the injectors to see if its a short to ground

Fuel injectors all get 12volt with key on
Computer then Grounds each injector to open it
So a bare/rubbed injector wire back to computer could be shorted to metal and injector opens when key is on.
But you would expect a hydro-lock to show up at some point

Have you pulled any codes? Before or after the issue?

PO117 or PO118 maybe?

RonD said:

Fuel injectors all get 12volt with key on
Computer then Grounds each injector to open it

Click to expand...

Good information. I don't know if I can unplug the connector from #6, but I can definitely get to #5. Since they are responding the same, I'll try that and go from there. Working 12.5 hour shifts the next 4 days, so I won't get to this until next week, but I will update once I've tested it. Thanks again!

Jbrown1238 said:

Have you pulled any codes? Before or after the issue?

PO117 or PO118 maybe?

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I did have two codes for months, but they are both for evap system small leak. No new codes as of right after it stalled.

Rangstang said:

I did have two codes for months, but they are both for evap system small leak. No new codes as of right after it stalled.

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EVAP or EGR?

My truck won't fire with a bad act/ect sensor but it will run with a 3.0L ECM. I can't figure that out!

Jbrown1238 said:

EVAP or EGR?

My truck won't fire with a bad act/ect sensor but it will run with a 3.0L ECM.

Click to expand...

Evap, I've had the same code on a prior Ranger when I had a locking gas cap on it from Autozone. When I swapped to a non-locking Stant, no problems.

Jbrown1238 said:

My truck won't fire with a bad act/ect sensor but it will run with a 3.0L ECM. I can't figure that out!

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Are you saying that you've had both ACT and ECTs fail on your Ranger and in both cases the engine wouldn't fire? Were you seeing any spark at the plugs? Lastly, do you have a 5.0 and you're saying it will run with a 3.0 ECM?

Rangstang said:

Are you saying that you've had both ACT and ECTs fail on your Ranger and in both cases the engine wouldn't fire? Were you seeing any spark at the plugs? Lastly, do you have a 5.0 and you're saying it will run with a 3.0 ECM?

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Yes, I have a 2001 Explorer 5.0 and ECM in a 1999 Ranger. Yes, I have had both ACT and ECT codes (both codes can cause difficult starting issues) and have had both sensors fail. When they do fail is feels as though the vehicle has no spark or no fuel, just a very hollow cranking with no signs of firing off. I didn't check to see if there was spark or fuel at the time. I just went ahead and changed out both sensors. Yes, my 5.0 Ranger will run on the 3.0 ECM. It don't run well, but it does run. I mistakenly got the two mixed up and it took me a little while to figure out where my miss was coming from. Turns out my miss was two cylinders! Installing the correct ECM fixed that issue.

Jbrown1238 said:

Yes, I have a 2001 Explorer 5.0 and ECM in a 1999 Ranger. Yes, I have had both ACT and ECT codes (both codes can cause difficult starting issues) and have had both sensors fail. When they do fail is feels as though the vehicle has no spark or no fuel, just a very hollow cranking with no signs of firing off.

Click to expand...

Very strange, but worthy of note. I am going to pursue the injector direction first since I know that I have two plugs getting wet. If I determine the injectors are being opened electrically, I will give the sensors a try since my last option is a new harness. Thank you.

I re-read thread
I see it did not fire using starter fluid(ether)?

I would pull Fuel Pump Fuse or FP Relay and repeat 50/50 test, spray fuel into intake manually
You don't have to put the air hose/plenum back on each time, MAF is not used for starting engine, unless it will hit the fan

Open throttle and spray in fuel, with no leaking injector issues(Fuel Pump OFF) then it should start up if spark is working as it should.

Crank(CKP) sensor is used to start spark, and time it, also injectors
Cam sensor(CPS) is used to fine tune spark and sequential injection

RonD said:

I re-read thread
I see it did not fire using starter fluid(ether)?

Click to expand...

Correct, I will try a pile of stuff on Monday and let you guys know. Thanks for all of the help!