Fuel Pressure testing help PLEASE truck starts wont go

Hello I have a 2002 ranger 3.0 2wd edge that my father bought at 30k and has 230k on it now.. I dont thank he ever had the fuel filter changed but i know i know i know i know it .....for sure needs one regardless but i dont have the funds to throw away 20bucks right now my father just past away and im burried in my neck to bills and already need to save money for other vehicals that need ne radiator and tires i just can gamble with try to weat 15-20 on a filter to see if thats whats wrong but i know and i know everyone will bang me on this and eventually i have to get one to try if all else fails............................


Heres the problem i was driveing to town to buy some ply wood when i notice the vehical acting alittle funny kinda slugish i ignore it and drove 3more miles and got to the highway wher i had a almost 90% power failure couldnt make it up a tiny incline so i had to limp back to the gas station where it got worser and now it wont hardly move when you floor it just a few feet.

It cranks right up no problem turn 1sec .. vroom. at idel is very rough and vibrations when you idel it up it is very very slow geting there and very hassitent. The plugs and wires have been change twice last year because first set of plugs where defective and i return everythang and bought better quailty. only thangs wron under the hood is i had to block off the in/out heater hose that has the t that wraps around the pcv valve because a leak had occured and i could not find a cheap replacement so i rain a streight hose and just blocked off the other t hose. I researched and thought this hose was just to keep the valve from sticking in cold condition but it dont get that dang cold in the south where its still in the 70 at day. other from this odd situation i have replaced the mafs a long time ago and also all the 02 sensors and the pcv valve.

Instead of writeing a story heres where im at. I got a nice quailty fuel pressure gauge set and a chilton repair book or maybe its a haynes.. Im trying to check the fuel pressure to single out the filter being bad and pump.
when i turn the key own with gauge hooked up i here the pump kick on squill electronic nosie for about 3sec then go off and the gauge reads up to 50 or so lbs and drops off to 0 in a matter of 2-3sec after key on engine off. the engine cranks right up fast and reading on gauge starts going back and forth 55-65 and when i turn off and leave key on drops back to 0 in a matter of 2-3 sec..............

I cant find no leaks any where and have researched 20+ topics dealing with pressure and drop off but i need some more attention and help please guys. I promises i have read stuff about this issue like it could be leaking injectors or fuel pump relieaf valve but i thought i share my whole situation in hope of someone helping me trouble shoot things. I cant afford a tow to a shop and some 100 doller diagnoses and be told they have to charge more to go into more stuff hell by time i pay for all that i could have a rebuilt carb 302 on hand lol i really hate these new electronics there nice when they work but damn when they mess up look at the 100`s of wires and sensors and relays and computers injectors etc... errrrrr.

but lets face it im a poor man on a budget that has a family to feed and need a runing work truck now. please all help. im going back outside to ponder around this is like day 40 now with no working truck. I know i need to change the dang fuel filter but im hopeing the fuel pressure test will singal out it being to cloged up and point to something else. Please tell me how to pressure test key on engine off key on engine on and the correct pressures and any other method i havent tried checked or test.

55 psi seems pretty high...

Should be more like 30-40 psi. It could be running rich due to too much pressure.

Any black smoke from the exhaust? How do the spark plugs look? Black and sooty perhaps?

no black smoke have not checked plugs but will they have less than 1000miles on them but i thank i will pull one out if you thank i should are all of them let me know. The book is outside but for 3.0 flex 2002 engines i thank it shows 55-65pst runing and off i have to look at it get my butt out side and also write down my pressure readings and post again. I will be back later to post the book spec and what im geting once more. I not sure if the key on postion with engine off is suposed to maintain pressure or drop streight down to 0... none of these damn mechanic shops are any help they want you to spend money then answer questions. all 15+ ones i called couldnt answer a simple pressure spec and if pressure should maintain at engine off key on even ford they all want money and dont want to answer basic questions.

also to note the engine has had the rattle knocking noise for a long time 100k+ miles the chattering or rattle knock in the top end when accel up hill or with a load but the sound always stayed kinda quite so the engine was never service for that couldnt afford it faimly is poor with to many other important thangs ahead of spending alot of money in a engine.

also dont bang me to bad this was never my vehical untill recently I always thought the vehical was up kept but seem the timeing and fuel filter and flushes where never done just reg oil changes....also im useing a mobile phone with number pads so i mis spell alot and mis type im very sorry for that it takes a lond time to write this

55psi seems pretty high...

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2003 specs are 50 - 65psi, I'll bet the 02 is the same.

Pressure loss with key off is probably anti-drain back valve leaking, but since it seems to start right up I'd think the fuel pump is ok. You can check pressure with koeoff or koerunning at the shrader valve. You can also vary rpms to see if pressure flucutates much. The idle issue could be separate from running issue. The IAC may need cleaning to fix idle. You don't know if power loss is electrical. Do a vacuum test to determine if exhaust restriction.

Instead of writing a story heres where im at.

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Thanks for sparing us the story.

Rearanger said:

2003 specs are 50 - 65psi, I'll bet the 02 is the same.

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Well shoot...outta the loop I guess.

Ok guys back with some results... I rented a fuel pressure gauge to make the one i had was`nt damage and i guess mine was the new readings are as followed. key on engine off 58psi engine runing 58-60psi engine reving maybe 2 or 3psi fluncuation engine off key on pressure dose not drop. key off after a few min it goes down a bit not much .......... I seen in manule about the psi should drop a few psi after start up if it dosent then to perforum a vacume test on the regulator. WELL MY psi stayed the same never drops after crank up stays stable so is that a issue should I go on to try a vacume test? the book says to apply vacumme to the regulator and if it drop are rises or dose nothing there is a list of possiable problems. Anyone familure with this procedure and wher the vacume line and regulator is located if im looking at the shedder fuel valve. i seen a note in the book about the regulator is in the tank so how do i apply vacume...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ok i pulled the plugs intresting all passanger side look new the electroid and gap good ... under the electro tip in the holder base they are mostly white and outside plug white the bent tip has some graying and black the driver side plugs look old the gaps are good the electroid looks alot more darker black the base to the tip is all smothy black and wont wipe off they just look alot dirtier/stain black and the bent tip is all black. everythang looks dry. looks like someone spraypainted the ends of the sparkplug all smuty black but the outside coatings are all white..... the plugs have only a few hundered miles on them. Im going to do a search im not familure with sparkplug discoloration....................................... only thang else wrong with vehical is a small water leak comeing from water pump .............

Sorry for bad spelling this cell phone wont let me go back and trys to auto spell i hate cell phones sorry no internet accese via pc. bare with me.

Im ready to go out and try to buy new plugs to see if it will run right but again 12dollers right now may take a few days to collect and spare lol but even if it did run right which i dont thank it will after the change the problem would only happen again why are only one side black

You don't need to buy new plugs. Simply cleaning them off will do in this case.

When an engine is running rich, it tends to discolor the plugs and make them black. With only one side of the engine running rich, I would suspect too much fuel is being added from a bad O2 sensor reading on that bank.

Is the check engine light on? Any codes?

no engine codes all o2 sensors replaced at 170k.........whats the best way to clean the plugs i wiped as good as i could........ how do i do a vacuum test to determine if exhaust restriction my self.

did you get it hot? check compression. sounds like exhaust could be clogged (catalytic converter(s) or i have seen tubing collapse inside and not out. check exhaust temp by touch front to back if exhaust is cold or cooler after cat or muffler could be clogged sounds crazy but it happens!

+1 to the cat being plugged, if its running rich one of them could be all plugged up. Any rotten egg smell at all?

no egg smell. no muff streight pipe and i thank a converter was cut off with the muffler not 100% sure. how many converters are on this thang? my model is the 3.0 ranger 2wd 2002 tremor/edge.

I have not done a fill test to see if the exhust is colder than befor the cat but will try this out. I never had the egg smell but know what u mean. i have not done a compression check yet dont have a gauge. my plan of attack to trouble shoot was to start with the whole fuel system then do a compression check. so i want to make sure my pump/injectors/regulators are good first. all the testing equipment are loaners and i have to take them back to get my deposit back to use on other testing equipment so i cant have everythang at one time... i know i need a vaccume gauge and a noid light set and a compression gauge.

Can anyone help out with my next steps in order if possable specialy with the regulator testing and why my pressure dosent drop by few psi after start up as the repair book says? the book doesent really point out the regulator and vacumme hose on the 3.0 and im just a avg joe when it comes to these damn computer injection vehicals im just not familure with all the sensors/wires/relays/regulators/vacumme/computer controled stuff but im not discourge to doing everythang my self.

It be a few days before i try new thangs out its raining bad for few days. but im open to all input and really need it.

The 2002 does not actually have a fuel pressure regulator, as it does not have a bypass and return fuel line. The diaphram unit on the fuel rail that looks like a regulator is a pressure modulator, it is design to take the pulsing out of the fuel rail and keep the fuel pressure consistant. It sound to me like you Fuel delivery is fine. I would follow the suggestions above as well as a compression check. You mentioned a small coolant leak. Any coolant leak is a problem, a leak from the pump face is signs of pump failure. The 3L is very bad at telling you that you have a major coolant issue. These engines are now to run with the temp gauge reading cold and the water pump shot. One symptom of this is no heat coming out. Back to the coolant leak, this will cause an air pocket in the coolant system which will cause hot spots in the engine. If you have lost enough coolant you and end up with a large air pocket you could end up blowing a head gasket do to starving that section of the head/block of coolant.

Ok. so i cleaned all the plugs carefully. I use a soft bronz/copper brush. i got most of the carbon build up off the plugs. I used some 91% alchole to help take off stuburn deposits. I let completely dry over few hours just to make sure it wall all dry. I clean both ends and under the bent electroid tab and on top of the electroid. i took the 3 good looking plugs and switched sides with the ones that had way more build up. I crunk up It sonded and idel better but then after few min of warming up and try to move nothing it wont hardly move with it floored. and idel and rev hesatation was back i took the plugs out to compression test and behold the 3 good plugs i switched looked like the 3 dirty one i pulled out it really build up quick the 3 dirty plugs now clean on the oposit side had no carbon build up but did have a goldish tint to them on electroid and tab and the electroid inside jacket. whats up with the goldish color and why are 3 plugs on one side geting so dirty so quick.

a check engine light lite but no damn reader but i did leave the batt connected to not lose it and hopefully i can get it read soon but i never look fowward to check eninge light codes they never have helped me in past but maybe valuble.

so I got a compression gauge I warm truck up to operateing temp turn off unhook all wires and connectors and pulled the fuel fuse.. hurride as fast as i could to test each cyl while it was hot heres what i found 1234 and 6 where reading 148-152 150avg but 5 was reading 160-165 5 is same side dirty plugs. I triple check all reading and even went back to 5 to triple check again. I made sure all connection where tight i was takeing the highest reading after 6strokes. I did not go thru or remember other thangs like adding oil to each cyl. I cant remeber the compres on the first strokes and thak i should retest to pay attention on how it builds up. I thank i was hiting 150 by the 3rd stroke.

Im hopeing you guys can help me out further on my next testing steps. fuel pressure good check wires/plugs good check . to muddy to check cats but air from exhust was nice and hot. the maf sensor and 02`s replaced 50k ago i thank maybe longer/shorter. pcv replaced. no vacume leaks yet found.no blown fuses found. air filter good. oil level good fuel filter is way past due but good pressure.

i see some fresh oil on pasg side engine i thank comeing from where valve cover meets engine above the spark holes also the driver sides looks old oily caked up. i thank i here a rattle/chatter noise comeing from driver side wher dirty plugs are happing. around the valve cover top engine area. when i turn the truck off i here like a ticking noise comeng from the top end area that last under a min like something is cooling off poping/ticking noise. Also I noticed a swriling noise like a leakey water hose and i seen small driping from the warter pump area so i unscrew cap this was aout 15min after cool down and still hereing this noise and noticed a small amount off pressure come out this is the first time this has happen but after pressure was release the hiseing noise went away im guess the noise was the leak.

I know my truck needs some seriouse attention but before i go unbolting thangs what else can i learn and test while everythang is togather. What tests and steps should i take next. get a noid light set. continue to look for vacumme leaks and lose/damage wireing. I know I need to test to coil pack and injector electronics also check test and clean any valves/sensors which would be check 02 wireing, check tps sensor wireing " can this be clean or tested", check clean mafs, ac clutch control should this be tested or checked, iac valve clean and check test?, ok what about the cps/cmp sensor looks complcated in the book and ckp sensors . ok what else the egr system what can be clean/checked replaced? what about the dtr sensor and is there anythang im leaveing out? ok i see iat sensor and clean throttle body.. err so much lol..... ok only thang i can thank of...... next i thank would be start tareing stuff down like removeing valve covers checking the valves/timeing and what ever else.


Ok Guys if your still reading i must say Thank you very very much for reading my posts and helping me out. I know all my crap runs togather and im all out of order and mis spelling but thank you for your understanding and your time and your help. I takes a nice person to sit here and listin and reply and i realy praise everyone for there time i know how valuable time can be. Im going to get off now and hope to come back to some reply on what thoughts and steps are next I promis to stick around and check in and not be lik alot of other people who dont finsh troubleshooing i wont give up and im prepared to take all the correct steps im not a idoit so please help.

PS: Should i change the title of my post or leave it alone. I dont want to piss anyone off or confuse anyone by changeing title i just thought i get more views