3.0 cranks but won’t start

JasonJ76 · Nov 14, 2017

O5 3.0 V6 Ranger- initially attempts to start and has a deep roaring like maybe a sucking at the throttle body but it dies immediately. It will continues to try and start afterwards but never totally starts. I had the heads reworked about 6months ago but hadn’t had any problems until now. I did not replace the synchro shaft. I’ve replaced the coil and wires(they are put back in right spot), new fuel filter and fuel pump/sending unit. New IAC and TPS as well. OBD2 shows no codes other than P1000 which I think was just from running the battery low. I have 60PSI at the fuel rail. The check engine lights goes out when cranking and the RPMs go up. Anyone have any ideas? I’ve been a mechanic for the last 20 years. One of first I’ve messed with that doesn’t have a distributor though.

pjtoledo · Nov 14, 2017

go old-school on it. add some gas or starting fluid to the intake and see if it will run for 10 seconds. do not put fluid on/thru mass air flow sensor, bad things happen.

how did the failure occur? while driving? first AM start? right after filling gas? right after teenager drove it?

JasonJ76 · Nov 14, 2017

I have tried putting fuel in intake. Doesn’t seem to make a difference. Yes a teenager was driving it and complaining of loss of power. I went to get it and put on car trailer. It would run but would barely pull itself up. I initially thought it had tranny problems. It had fluid. Truck has 116,000miles. I changed tranny fluid and filter. I took truck down the road and it was kind of surging. I made it to the end of the block and it died. I started back up and went back to my house with same surging/cutting in and out. It died as I pulled into the driveway.

JasonJ76 · Nov 14, 2017

I investigated my fuel pump and found my vent tube fitting and one of the other small fittings broken on top of the sending unit(I replaced this approx. a year ago. The one I took out was metal). New One had a lifetime warranty so I replaced it. Things haven’t gotten better since. It will try and start initially after it has sat for a bit or overnight but after 2-5seconds it stalls. Never really starts good. Then if you keep cranking you can tell it’s firing and tries to start but it just isn’t quite getting it done. Then finally the battery dies.

JasonJ76 · Nov 14, 2017

Sorry for the long posts. That’s it in a nutshell. I too am a military Vet. Still currently serving and work in a National Guard maintenance shop. Thanks for your service.

pjtoledo · Nov 14, 2017

that "deep roaring sound" in your first post is reminiscent of a distributor way out of time. between that and the bucking/surging I would start with the cam synchronizer. inspect & clean, check that it is still in time.

the cam synchronizer is quite similar to a distributor. actually it is identical to the lower half of a distributor. its gear driven off the camshaft, and drives the oil pump. where a distributor triggers on each cylinders TDC, (approx.) the cam sync only triggers on #1 TDC and there is no mechanical/vacuum advance.
when the computer sees the trigger for #1 TDC it starts counting the pulses on the crankshaft sensor to find the rest of the cylinders and their respective TDC. the computer adjusts the spark and fuel timing as necessary.

that's about as far as I can take this issue, I'll step back and let the real experts take over now.

JasonJ76 · Nov 15, 2017

Thanks for the input. I shall check out that synchro shaft. I recall someone else who was doing their heads. They mentioned they had ordered heads and synchro shaft from Rock. I’ll get it to TdC and pull it and look. It does resemble a timing issue as for the crank and piston they seemed to be “in line” but I didn’t check the synchro at that time like I should’ve. If anyone else can think of anything else please feel free to speak up.

55trucker · Nov 15, 2017

Have you taken a close look at the MAF?

it may have failed. It does not always set a code when it stops functioning normally.

http://easyautodiagnostics.com/ford/4.9L-5.0L-5.8L/maf-sensor-tests-1

cbxer55 · Nov 15, 2017

Multiple times in the 18 years I've had my 98. I've had to deal with hard long cranking. Every time it was plugged injectors. The last time was in January 17. It would crank and crank and crank. Finally, near the battery going dead, it would start and run on three cylinders. After awhile, a fourth would kick in. Then a short time later a fifth. Lastly, after about five minutes, it would be running on all six and purring like a kitten. Happened every time the truck cooled down.

Had it towed to a dealer after I put in a new computer, to have them flash it. Then they couldn't get it started. Ran heavy diagnostics and determined the injectors were plugged, not delivering enough fuel. I had already put in a new fuel pump, as it failed on me in December 16.

So, they cleaned it up with a heavy cleaner mix. Got it back, and for a week it started easily. Then it started doing it again the following week. I filled the tank with some E10 gasoline. From that point on the problem has vanished. Been running the E10 all year and not had another problem. Starts right up every time, hot or cold. This is the first year in a long time I haven't seen the damn Check Engine light on all year.

Lastly. My truck still has the original o2 sensors, now has 152,000 miles. The dealer diagnostics did not say word one about the o2's being bad. Truck has been running so much better than it has in years. I used to regularly get the P0171/174 codes. Used to clear them and it would take awhile, but they would come back. Did all the other things that one usually does for those codes, made no difference. Now that the injectors appear to be really clean (thanks to ethanol??), I haven't seen those codes this year.

JasonJ76 · Nov 15, 2017

Thanks for the info guys. I shall look into these and see what I find as well.

RonD · Nov 15, 2017

Well the spark system is fairly autonomous on most distributorless engines.

With Fords they use a Crank Sensor(CKP), it reads a Tone Wheel located behind crank pulley

The CKP's AC voltage pulse starts the spark when computer gets that signal

So the fact engine does NOT startup and run OK for a few seconds when you add fuel manually tells you fuel in not the issue.
But because it does start and run poorly it probably isn't a spark issue either

So...........
The Big 3 for gasoline engines are
Fuel
Spark
Compression

I would do compression test as next step, it is a black and white test, intermittent compression can happen but very very rare, lol.
3.0l should run 160+ psi at sea level to 2,000ft elevation
All spark plugs removed, cold engine, good battery for the test

Compression is either good or bad, and you can waste alot of time on non-fixes when you have a compression issue
Compression test either takes that issue off the table or tells you not to waste time and money on other things

And the 2005 Ranger 3.0l engine did have a known issue for recessed exhaust valve seats lowering compression
TSB was for 2004-2006 Ranger 3.0ls

JasonJ76 · Nov 15, 2017

Put on a new MAF and that didn’t fix it. On to a new synchro shaft. Got my TDC found and good news is my spark plug had fuel on it. It actually ran for a little longer than it has since I last drove it.

JasonJ76 · Nov 15, 2017

Thanks Ron I understand what you are saying. I’m just reluctant or haven’t steered that direction because I had the heads worked about 6 months ago. It is possible that I may be nearing that check soon though.

JasonJ76 · Nov 15, 2017

And I have replaced the CPS but that doesn’t mean I didn’t get a shortlifed one.

RonD · Nov 16, 2017

JasonJ76 said:
Thanks Ron I understand what you are saying. I’m just reluctant or haven’t steered that direction because I had the heads worked about 6 months ago. It is possible that I may be nearing that check soon though.

Point of the compression test is to take it off the table as possible problem
Black and White test
But if it is the problem then everything you do before the compression test was a waste of time and money

Your symptoms of low power when running and hard to start even with added fuel points to compression OR computer issue
Compression is just easier to test and take off the table than computer issues

Heads don't effect overall compression, if you had good power but a misfire then could be head gasket issue
Valve train is what sets compression, but again if one or two valves were a problem overall power wouldn't be effected, you would get misfires.
Timing chain is long shot but not a no shot
Crank timing gear can shear woodruff key a bit and through off valve timing, cam gear as well.

3.0 cranks but won’t start

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