Fuel pump removal without the truck bed removed

[NIGERIAN RANGER]

Recently after I had replaced another complete engine for my truck, I tried starting it but doesn't start. It cranks, but no start.

I have checked and replaced the spark plugs, and checked for spark when cranking the engine. Has enough spark.

I'm thinking there may not be fuel in the tank.
I disconnected the fuel filter under the truck, to check for fuel flow, but nothing came through. It appears the pump maybe dead, considering the truck had been parked up to a year now on my street.

Here are my questions:
%% can I remove the fuel pump without removing the truck bed, if I should just completely remove the fuel tank entirely?
That way, I'd be able to assess what actually is going on with the fuel.

%% each time I try to start the engine using the key, I just get to hear a sort of click kind of noise from the starter motor area as if the starter is faulty. But if I connect a wire to the +ve connector on the automatic starter solenoid to the battery positive terminal, I can crank the engine, but does not start.

Sometimes though, it does as if it wants to start.


Your responses would help me here.

 

[bobbywalter]

You need to pull the connector at the tank and verify voltage and that the pins have not corroded themselves to death and went off to corroded pin heaven ..

May have tripped the rollover switch or something is loose or disconnected up front...


From there....if the bolts turn easy... pulling the bed and flopping it over is usually the cake way...



...or making an access hole from the top...carefully.

Dropping the tank is my 3rd option.


This is why I prefer 3 inch body lifts.

Maintenance is much easier.

 

[Dirtman]

What he said, dropping the tank is much harder than removing the bed. I know it seems silly but removing the bed is the easiest way.

 

[RonD]

The "click" noise and no starter motor wouldn't be a fuel pump issue

1998 Ranger could have PATS(passive anti-theft system) or an alarm system that disable starter and fuel system if activated

In 1998 PATS was an Option, in 1999 and up it was standard on V6 Rangers
Alarm was also an Option if you have Keyless Entry, i.e. key Fobs

In general you would see a flashing light on the dash somewhere when you turn on the key if an anti-theft system is activated
But bulbs do burn out after 20+ years

No crank and no fuel at the same time would be what PATS or an alarm system would do to prevent theft

You can activate fuel pump manually from the engine bay
There will be a fuel pump relay in the engine fuse box

In 1998 I think Ford was using Micro Relays for fuel pumps, so slots look like this: http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/micro-automotive-relay-wiring.jpg

Pull out the fuel pump relay and use a jumper wire between slots 30 and 87(not 87A) and you should HEAR the fuel pump come on
Key on or off doesn't matter
If you don't hear the fuel pump check 20amp Fuel Pump fuse
Then check the Inertia switch in passenger side cab footwell, should be on the firewall under glove box, assuming left hand drive vehicle

If its OK then yes you can drop the gas tank to access fuel system, but its VERY hard to get the tank back in while keep the fuel lines and wires connected
It comes out easy enough, just VERY HARD to put it back in
Bed off is way way easier

If you HEAR the fuel pump come on when you jump 30/87 then try to start engine
If it still doesn't start then fuel injectors are also disabled, this would be PATS issue, for sure

 

[NIGERIAN RANGER]

You need to pull the connector at the tank and verify voltage and that the pins have not corroded themselves to death and went off to corroded pin heaven ..

May have tripped the rollover switch or something is loose or disconnected up front...


From there....if the bolts turn easy... pulling the bed and flopping it over is usually the cake way...



...or making an access hole from the top...carefully.

Dropping the tank is my 3rd option.


This is why I prefer 3 inch body lifts.

Maintenance is much easier.

I think that's the ridiculous thing with some Ford trucks. Y would checking or replacing a fuel pump for instance mean the bed got to be removed or shifted?
Is check all the connectors, and drop the tank if it does not work.
I plan to check the fuel pump relay this week though.

 

[RonD]

If you have a shop with a lift and a transmission jack(for the gas tank) then dropping the gas tank down would be the way to do it, that's what Ford Dealer or Pro mechanic shop would do

If you are at your house and don't have a lift and transmission jack, then removing or tilting up the bed is the way to do it

 

[cbxer55]

A guy on LightningRodder cut a hole in the bed and made a fancy access hatch to cover it up. It really looked nice, and makes fuel pump maintenance a snap. Some guys with their heavily modified Lightnings, they change fuel pumps as frequently was others change their undies. Stock they have two pumps, but guys running E85 have triple pumps.

 

[bobbywalter]

A guy on LightningRodder cut a hole in the bed and made a fancy access hatch to cover it up. It really looked nice, and makes fuel pump maintenance a snap. Some guys with their heavily modified Lightnings, they change fuel pumps as frequently was others change their undies. Stock they have two pumps, but guys running E85 have triple pumps.

That is option 2 for one reason...

Option 1...if it works....is so that it comes apart later...provided your smart enough to dope everything up and.put heavy duty trap nuts on....and ..put an access panel in.


I have seen too many people get into trouble trying to make an access panel with the bed in place....

My bronco and ranger are access paneled.....though the ranger is fully external with a cat system. Regardless it it is nice to have. Ethanol blend tears shit up.

 

[mtnrgr]

Dropping the fuel tank is a royal pita..

When I did my fuel pump a few years ago (ford) my dad and I lifted the front part of the bed, and we used 4 foot long 2×4's to hold the bed up..had plenty of room to work. I did the same thing a few weeks ago when I did the fuel filler neck hose assembly.

 

[NIGERIAN RANGER]

The "click" noise and no starter motor wouldn't be a fuel pump issue

1998 Ranger could have PATS(passive anti-theft system) or an alarm system that disable starter and fuel system if activated

In 1998 PATS was an Option, in 1999 and up it was standard on V6 Rangers
Alarm was also an Option if you have Keyless Entry, i.e. key Fobs

In general you would see a flashing light on the dash somewhere when you turn on the key if an anti-theft system is activated
But bulbs do burn out after 20+ years

No crank and no fuel at the same time would be what PATS or an alarm system would do to prevent theft

You can activate fuel pump manually from the engine bay
There will be a fuel pump relay in the engine fuse box

In 1998 I think Ford was using Micro Relays for fuel pumps, so slots look like this: http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/micro-automotive-relay-wiring.jpg

Pull out the fuel pump relay and use a jumper wire between slots 30 and 87(not 87A) and you should HEAR the fuel pump come on
Key on or off doesn't matter
If you don't hear the fuel pump check 20amp Fuel Pump fuse
Then check the Inertia switch in passenger side cab footwell, should be on the firewall under glove box, assuming left hand drive vehicle

If its OK then yes you can drop the gas tank to access fuel system, but its VERY hard to get the tank back in while keep the fuel lines and wires connected
It comes out easy enough, just VERY HARD to put it back in
Bed off is way way easier

If you HEAR the fuel pump come on when you jump 30/87 then try to start engine
If it still doesn't start then fuel injectors are also disabled, this would be PATS issue, for sure

Appreciate your response. But my model year is a 1995.
Does this have a PAT system too?
As regards the click I hear when I try to start the engine with the key, why is it that when I manually jumper the starter solenoid to the battery positive, the engine cranks, and you don't get that click sound?

 

[NIGERIAN RANGER]

The "click" noise and no starter motor wouldn't be a fuel pump issue

1998 Ranger could have PATS(passive anti-theft system) or an alarm system that disable starter and fuel system if activated

In 1998 PATS was an Option, in 1999 and up it was standard on V6 Rangers
Alarm was also an Option if you have Keyless Entry, i.e. key Fobs

In general you would see a flashing light on the dash somewhere when you turn on the key if an anti-theft system is activated
But bulbs do burn out after 20+ years

No crank and no fuel at the same time would be what PATS or an alarm system would do to prevent theft

You can activate fuel pump manually from the engine bay
There will be a fuel pump relay in the engine fuse box

In 1998 I think Ford was using Micro Relays for fuel pumps, so slots look like this: http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/micro-automotive-relay-wiring.jpg

Pull out the fuel pump relay and use a jumper wire between slots 30 and 87(not 87A) and you should HEAR the fuel pump come on
Key on or off doesn't matter
If you don't hear the fuel pump check 20amp Fuel Pump fuse
Then check the Inertia switch in passenger side cab footwell, should be on the firewall under glove box, assuming left hand drive vehicle

If its OK then yes you can drop the gas tank to access fuel system, but its VERY hard to get the tank back in while keep the fuel lines and wires connected
It comes out easy enough, just VERY HARD to put it back in
Bed off is way way easier

If you HEAR the fuel pump come on when you jump 30/87 then try to start engine
If it still doesn't start then fuel injectors are also disabled, this would be PATS issue, for sure

"The click noise as you said that isn't related to the fuel pump".

I just concluded might be something to do with fuel related issues, since I can actually crank the engine from the front of the hood, several times, without starting.
I even tried pouring some fuel through through intake manifold, cranked the engine from the front, it wanted to start. That was y I wanted to check the pump since it has been parked for a long time.

 

[NIGERIAN RANGER]

Dropping the fuel tank is a royal pita..

When I did my fuel pump a few years ago (ford) my dad and I lifted the front part of the bed, and we used 4 foot long 2×4's to hold the bed up..had plenty of room to work. I did the same thing a few weeks ago when I did the fuel filler neck hose assembly.

Yeah, that filler neck always leaks on mine when I'm refueling at the gas station.
As regards lifting the front, did you guys loosened all the bed floor bolts, or just those ones at the front?

 

[RonD]

Your info says 1998

No, a 1995 wouldn't have PATS, but could have alarm system

1995 Ranger will have a inner fender mounted start relay, in engine bay, often called starter solenoid
Follow battery positive cable to that relay
It will have 2 larger posts and 1 smaller post
The smaller post will have a Red/Blue wire attached, this wire is what activates this relay when it has 12volts

Remove the red/blue wire from this post
Use a jumper wire from battery positive to this post, starter motor should activate
If so then relay is OK
If not replace this relay

Rangers have a Safety switch to prevent starting "in gear", on an automatic that switch is on the transmission
When you turn the key to START 12volts is sent to the Safety switch if it's in Park or Neutral, that 12volts passes thru the switch and to starter relay via that Red/Blue wire
Hook a test light or volt meter to the red/blue wire and ground the light or meter
Turn key to START to see if the 12volts is getting to the light or meter

If not move shifter to Neutral and try again
If it works then safety switch is out of adjustment or shift cable is loose and not putting transmission fully into Park

Jumper the fuel pump relay, easy to do


You remove the 4 front bolts in the bed then loosen the rear 2 bolts enough to tilt the bed up

 

[racsan]

pulling the bed makes it so much easier, The first time I went to do a pump I left the very back bolts in and just tilted the bed like a dump truck. I dont recommend doing that, pull it completely. Its a good time to check other things out like your spring hanger brackets, spare carrier, shock mounts. Then again maybe you dont have salty winters like some of us do, but you could be getting mud in places and causing rust by holding moisture in places that are hard to wash out.

 

[mtnrgr]

Yeah, that filler neck always leaks on mine when I'm refueling at the gas station.
As regards lifting the front, did you guys loosened all the bed floor bolts, or just those ones at the front?

I did remove all of the bed bolts.