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3.0 no start timing issue possibly


Joined
May 9, 2013
Messages
8
Vehicle Year
99
Transmission
Manual
Having issues with a 3.0 ranger I bought. It was a no start I picked up hoping to fix and drive. It's a 99 model with flex fuel
First thought was that flex fuel sensor wAs bad. Drained gas out as previous owner had it at a shop and they tried putting e85 in it. Fresh gas in it, previous owner installed new fuel pump, plugs and wires, fuel filter, I installed the flex fuel delete module.
Things I've tried,
Compression seems good and it kinda wants I start
Have intake off tried ether no dofference
Cranks in flooded engine mode doesn't seem to help
Has adaquate fuel psi
Tried the cam sensor and it doesn't seem to make a difference where it is. Just to make sure previous owner didn't mess with it and install it wrong I tried 180 out aligning it with engine at tdc and tdc plus 10* as some research leads to conflict ion of ford manuals and chilton. Plugs are wet after cranking and has good spark
Plug wires are oriented correctly.
Have snap on scan tool and no codes in computer other than maf and temp as I have the intake tube off any help or ideas appreciated.
Thanks Rodney
 
Having issues with a 3.0 ranger I bought. It was a no start I picked up hoping to fix and drive. It's a 99 model with flex fuel
First thought was that flex fuel sensor wAs bad. Drained gas out as previous owner had it at a shop and they tried putting e85 in it. Fresh gas in it, previous owner installed new fuel pump, plugs and wires, fuel filter, I installed the flex fuel delete module.
Things I've tried,
Compression seems good and it kinda wants I start
Have intake off tried ether no dofference
Cranks in flooded engine mode doesn't seem to help
Has adaquate fuel psi
Tried the cam sensor and it doesn't seem to make a difference where it is. Just to make sure previous owner didn't mess with it and install it wrong I tried 180 out aligning it with engine at tdc and tdc plus 10* as some research leads to conflict ion of ford manuals and chilton. Plugs are wet after cranking and has good spark
Plug wires are oriented correctly.
Have snap on scan tool and no codes in computer other than maf and temp as I have the intake tube off any help or ideas appreciated.
Thanks Rodney

fuel pressure regulator? if plugs are wet it is flooding. is it popping through intake if so look at the timing chain? and check voltage to coil.

these are what i could think of off the top of my head edit: check firing order and correct if necessary.. edit 2: crank sensor
 
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The 3 things that allow a gas engine to start are:
Spark, at the right time
Fuel, in the correct 14:1 air:fuel mixture
Compression, above 100psi, 3.0l should be above 150psi

"Compression seems good"?
Got any numbers?
If compression is low then fuel is not pre-heated enough for spark to ignite it, compression = heat, that's what ether helps to do, it has a lower ignition temp, so will ignite by spark when gasoline can't, this ignition heats up the cylinders allowing the gasoline to hopefully ignite on the following revolutions.
3.0l has a timing chain so unlikely it has slipped, but that would cause low compression on all cylinders.

Have spark but what color?
Needs to be a bright blue, yellow is weak and can be drowned out on cold start.

Fuel pressure on a '99 should be 65-70psi, older Rangers were 35-40psi

CPS(cam position sensor) is used to fine tune fuel injector timing, it wouldn't cause a no start.
The CKP(crank position) sensor on/behind the main pulley is what starts the ball rolling for spark and injector timing, this runs directly to the PCM, if it wasn't working there would be no spark or fuel, i.e. dry spark plugs

'99 has the ICM(ignition control module) in the computer(PCM), this controls spark timing and fuel injector timing.
And they have been pretty reliable.

If the spark plugs were wet then I might try pulling out the Fuel Pump relay or fuel pump fuse, and then crank engine to dry it out, 0psi fuel pressure.
Then try some ether so see if it fires up

"Cranks in flooded engine mode doesn't seem to help", this tests if a fuel injector might be leaking, engine shouldn't fire at all with gas pedal to the floor while cranking, if it does seem to fire now and then you have fuel leaking in from an injector or the pulse damper.
 
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Update didn't run for a more accurate fuel psi gauge, pulled fuel pump relay and it started for a few seconds; realized that the #1 spark plug was out, for goggles and stuff plugged the fuel pump relay in and started it and it runs, obviously not 100% with the spark plug out but here's the kicker. Put the plug in and it don't run. Tried it with plug out, runs. Tried several plugs and even if you try and put the plug in while it's runnin as soon as you touch threads it shuts off the motor. I can't understand how it can run on 5cyl with a spark plug out(don't matter which one) and then seem to flop itself out as soon as you make it hold compression on the last cyl
 
Coil pack is possible, didn't get to work at it anymore since then. But did get a fuel psi gauge on it and it holds solid at 57 no issues there. I'm thinking if going to the junkyard to get a different coil pack to try
 

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