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Stopped at intersection??


Wilcox

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Before I tear in to it. Got towed home and I can't here fuel pump, it cranks and cranks with no start. It just died in in the intersection, did not stumble like ran out of gas just died. Any suggestions were to start. Thanks for any suggestions.
 


fastpakr

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Grab a can of starter fluid and give it a good shot. If it runs for a few seconds on that, you've got an ignition problem rather than fuel. a fuel problem. Otherwise, focus on ignition.

Edit... I wrote that backwards.

What I should have written was RonD's version. Doing too many things at once, sorry about that!
 
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RonD

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Do 50/50 test
Spray fuel into intake(ether, gasoline, carb cleaner, ect....)
Try to start
If it starts and dies you have a fuel delivery issue
If it doesn't start then its a spark issue
50/50 no guessing

Watch the CEL(check engine light), should come on with key on, means computer has booted up
CEL should go OFF when cranking engine over, that means computer is getting a good timing pulse from distributor, no pulse no fuel


Fuel pumps usually don't quit once running, normal failure is they just won't start working one day
On fuel injection, fuel pump quitting would be a sudden stopping of the engine, like turning the key off, no stumbling like in the carburetor days, lol
Stumbling could occur with dirty fuel filer

Anyway do the 50/50 test and start from there
 

Wilcox

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Ok
So I sprayed starter fluid in to intake and she funs for a second or two, so must be fuel pump??? On drivers side frame rail on my 1988 ranger closest to engine is the fuel filter then heading back a plate that says high pressureized fuel system then another cover plate farther back. Is that the fuel pump???.
 

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It's a fuel system problem. But you don't know yet that it's the fuel pump specifically. Ron can give you specific troubleshooting tips. But you can check for voltage coming out of the fuel pump relay going to the pump, check for fuel pressure at the rail, etc.
 

RonD

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Could be fuel pump or fuel pump relay

On a 1988 there will be an OBD1 connector in engine bay, on the main wiring harness on passenger side just before it goes into the firewall to the computer

Locate it, it may still have a cap on it that has "EEC" on it

Then look here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tech/testing-eec-iv-equipped-engines/

In the drawing of the OBD1 plug the Fuel Pump Slot is labelled
Turn on the key
Use a jumper wire in that slot and GROUND the other end of the jumper wire, this grounds the Fuel pump relay, relay should "click" each time you ground it, Fuel pump relay is GREEN, on inner fender
And that send 12v to fuel pumps, there are two

If relay "clicks" then its OK

You can leave jumper grounded and then go under the truck to see if you can hear either the pump in the tank or the pump in the frame rail(you described) running, both failing at the same time would be long odds

If the pump in the tank is running then yes, replace the high pressure pump in the frame rail
Both pumps share the same 12volt wire

If neither are running then you have a bad wire, fusible link or inertia switch



High pressure pumps, needed for fuel injection, have no suction, they can not pull fuel out of a gas tank like the old mechanical pumps could
So as a temporary measure, 1986 to 1988, Ford used a "lift" pump" in the gas tank to feed the high pressure pump fuel
In 1989 Rangers got high pressure pump in the gas tank, also different fuel gauge system
 
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Shran

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On an '88 I would check these things first:
#1 failure point I have seen is the negative battery cable and the smaller ground cable that connects directly to it. It is either a medium size black wire or two medium size black wires that run down from the battery terminal and into the harness... originally there would have been a round connector there about 8" after the battery terminal but that often gets eliminated. This is your fuel pump ground and the truck will never start without it being connected.
#2 is the inertia switch which is found screwed to the firewall under the glove box and is usually covered up by carpet. There is a button on it that you can push to reset it... you can pull the harness connector off and jumper the two wires with a paperclip for troubleshooting purposes. I have seen a lot of these go bad and it will kill voltage to your fuel pump in that case.
#3 is the fuel pump relay(s) on the passenger side fender. There may be two or three relays there. I have had several go bad. Test by turning the key from Off to Run (but not all the way to Start) and see if you hear them click.
#4 is the connector on the high pressure fuel pump...inside of driver side frame rail near the front of the truck. Sometimes this connector gets loose, sometimes the spade connectors on the pump itself get corroded or loose.

Could be a bad pump but in my experience ^ those things are MUCH more likely
 

alwaysFlOoReD

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I've found most of my frame rail fuel pumps are fine once I either make the spade connector a little tighter, or replace the spade terminal altogether. It took me awhile to figure this out, only after removing and testing the pump on several vehicles over time... And those terminals arent really obvious, they are under a rubber boot on the pump that looks permanent.
 

Wilcox

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Thank you guys I will try all above and let ya know what I find. Thanks again
 

Wilcox

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I've found most of my frame rail fuel pumps are fine once I either make the spade connector a little tighter, or replace the spade terminal altogether. It took me awhile to figure this out, only after removing and testing the pump on several vehicles over time... And those terminals arent really obvious, they are under a rubber boot on the pump that looks permanent.
I was able to swing metal cover plate out enough to get to the fuel pump and the pump has no rubber boot for power leads but a actual gray plug that i Have not removed yet. To remove plug you have to unbolt pump and pull away from frame. The top most forward bolt on the cover plate will not come out because the floorboard is within 1/4" of top of bolt. So my question I must not have same pump with no boot.
 

Wilcox

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I do not here click at relay on right fender, there is 3 of them. Dose anyone know witch relay dose what. I tested inertia switch seems fine. I have looked and looked for old plug but do not think my 88 has one atleast have not found one.
 

alwaysFlOoReD

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The green relay is for fuel. If you follow the wires back from the pump there will be a connector about 12 to 16 inches back. Disconnect that and then check to see if you are getting power from the vehicle side. You will need a helper to turn the key. The fuel pump only runs for 2 seconds at a time unless the engine is running, then it runs full time. It's a safety thing. Alternatively you could supply ground and 12V to the fuel pump side of the harness and see if the pump runs.
 

RonD

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Do the OBD1 jumper and inertia switch and fuel pumps wire will have 12VOLTS all the time with key on, for testing

But ONLY if fuel pump relay "clicks", yes its the green relay

Brown relay is EEC relay
Black relay is AC/WOT relay
 

Wilcox

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OH MAN OH MAN you guys are the best. Shran you nailed it. Of corse I started at the hardest spots. But I had replaced the ground cable a couple months ago and the small ground fell against the alternator fan blades and cut it in half instantly killed power. Always learn alot from you guys thank you so much.
 

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