Battling Electrical Problems

[ty.forestcom]

Good Evening everyone.

1988 Ranger 2.9 2wd, manual transmission.

I have been constantly tackling electrical problems. Just when I think I’ve got em, they strike again. Today I stalled out in a parking lot, had a faint burning smell.. I noticed the past couple days it was trying to stall when going from a stop, thought I was doing something wrong. After it stalled out, no fuel pump prime. Cranks strong, wants to turn over. I tried jumping it and it primed, no start. Got it to prime by jumping, eec relay. Jumped the 2 and sent a direct ground to battery. Put an inline fuse from eec power to battery. Probably not a good idea. However, She cranked. Let her warm for a few minutes and tried to drive home, around the corner. She sputtered again few times, caught with clutch. As soon as I ad a decent load, she dies.

Does this sound like eec power? Relays are all good, tried a confirmed working one to no avail. I just installed a 5 channel amp and each channel has its own speaker/sub. Could it be pulling too much power? I’ll be able to work on it more tomorrow. Hoping you have some guidance.

Thanks.
T

 

[Curious Hound]

Sounds more like fuel pump. Let's start with some tests.

1. What is battery voltage with engine off? What is it Immediately after startup? What is it after running for about 5 minutes?

2. You need to check fuel pressure with a gauge. It should hold around 35psi at any engine rpm.

3. When did you last replace your fuel filter?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I’ll also add, check your inertia switch because sometimes that connection goes bad.

While you’re in the passenger footwell, pull the EEC, pop the cover off and check for blown capacitors

 

[ty.forestcom]

I’ll also add, check your inertia switch because sometimes that connection goes bad.

While you’re in the passenger footwell, pull the EEC, pop the cover off and check for blown capacitors

Was my first thought, jumped it with a paper clip and had no success.

 

[ty.forestcom]

Sounds more like fuel pump. Let's start with some tests.

1. What is battery voltage with engine off? What is it Immediately after startup? What is it after running for about 5 minutes?

2. You need to check fuel pressure with a gauge. It should hold around 35psi at any engine rpm.

3. When did you last replace your fuel filter?

Can’t get the truck to crank again, it melted my jumper wire from feeding it so much power. I can check fuel pressure, oem fuel filter.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Was my first thought, jumped it with a paper clip and had no success.

Paperclip is too thin to handle the current there, if things work the way they should, that paperclip can get red hot.

Can’t get the truck to crank again, it melted my jumper wire from feeding it so much power. I can check fuel pressure, oem fuel filter.

When you say OEM filter, do you mean it’s never been changed? One tank of bad gas can clog a filter, they are usually recommended to be changed every 25-50k.

 

[ty.forestcom]

Paperclip is too thin to handle the current there, if things work the way they should, that paperclip can get red hot.


When you say OEM filter, do you mean it’s never been changed? One tank of bad gas can clog a filter, they are usually recommended to be changed every 25-50k.

From my understanding the truck wouldn’t crank if the inertia switch is triggered, am I wrong? The little button never came up either. I’ll try with a fused link today.

To my knowledge filter has never been changed. I’ve got all the service records from the last owner and didn’t see it. I will add, in tank fuel sender is new. He had that done shortly before I got it. Could still be bad. In-line pump is probably original.

 

[Curious Hound]

If filter has never been replaced, that should be done even if it's not the problem.

Fuel sender jist shows how much fuel is in the tank. It has nothing to do with starting and running the engine unless the tank is empty and it doesn't show it on the gauge.

Engine will still crank with inertia switch tripped. It just won't get fuel to fire and start running. Inertia switch is just in the fuel pump circuit.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

From my understanding the truck wouldn’t crank if the inertia switch is triggered, am I wrong? The little button never came up either. I’ll try with a fused link today.

To my knowledge filter has never been changed. I’ve got all the service records from the last owner and didn’t see it. I will add, in tank fuel sender is new. He had that done shortly before I got it. Could still be bad. In-line pump is probably original.

Inertia switch has nothing to do with cranking. You can unplug that thing and crank it till the starter melts. Inertia switch is purely a fuel pump thing. And they can go bad without popping and they can develop a resistance connection at the plug. I usually give it a good visual inspection, clean the contacts a bit, and stick a little 14-gauge solid copper wire jumper I made out of a piece of Romex household wire that I flattened the wire ends with a hammer so it fits without stretching the contacts. Then I proceed with troubleshooting. Once I’m done with troubleshooting, I’ll reconnect the inertia switch and if it suddenly goes from working to not, I know the switch is bad.

Your filter likely isn’t helping matters.

 

[ty.forestcom]

Inertia switch has nothing to do with cranking. You can unplug that thing and crank it till the starter melts. Inertia switch is purely a fuel pump thing. And they can go bad without popping and they can develop a resistance connection at the plug. I usually give it a good visual inspection, clean the contacts a bit, and stick a little 14-gauge solid copper wire jumper I made out of a piece of Romex household wire that I flattened the wire ends with a hammer so it fits without stretching the contacts. Then I proceed with troubleshooting. Once I’m done with troubleshooting, I’ll reconnect the inertia switch and if it suddenly goes from working to not, I know the switch is bad.

Your filter likely isn’t helping matters.

Thank you, I will try this after work,

 

[ty.forestcom]

If filter has never been replaced, that should be done even if it's not the problem.

Fuel sender jist shows how much fuel is in the tank. It has nothing to do with starting and running the engine unless the tank is empty and it doesn't show it on the gauge.

Engine will still crank with inertia switch tripped. It just won't get fuel to fire and start running. Inertia switch is just in the fuel pump circuit.

By sender I meant the whole in tank pump assembly is new, not to rule it out.