'88 ranger 4x4 took a dump on my today...

[RedneKRangeR]

so i was on my way out to rescue a friend who had a flat out here in laramie, wy... the roads are really rough on things... so while i was cruising down the road over the wash board i noticed my mil light was flashing but would go off immediately as i got to a smooth part of then road...

later it did this thing with the light and then died and wont restart. i am getting spark, but that is it the fuel pumps are not running. i checked all my conections and they look good. at this moment i dont remember if the fuel pump relay was working or not... as i got back to my place i remembered it may be the inertia switch.

i am going back up to get it tomorrow. if it is not either the inertia switch or the relay.. what else could it be?

thanks in advance

 

[Rammunition360]

the fuel pump itself???

 

[RedneKRangeR]

well it shouldnt be the one on the frame rail, as that was replaced not too long ago.. i really hope it aint the lift pump in the tank... i hate dropping fuel tanks...

 

[mkpecor]

you might have a loose ground some were from the truck bounceing around. it happend to me when i was camping acouple years back, we were rippin around on the logging roads one night and my truck just shut down a couldent start it, it ended up being a loose ground on the block. good luck.

 

[Boggin]

that same thing happened to my 88, there was a wire off in the ignition somewhere..

 

[RedneKRangeR]

ok...
before we got towing it back to my place, i played with it a little bit, and found that none of my relays are working so i guess its back to looking at my wiring schematics and the mess under the hood.

 

[RangerMan64]

I don't know if you have tried this yet, but if you can't hear the fuel pumps kick on maybe try the inertia switch located under the dash on the passenger side...

 

[88ranger2.95sp]

You could try bypassing the intertia switch with a piece of wire and if the pumps turn on, then you know it was the switch...

Relays are a good place to start though.

And to change the fuel pump, I would pull the bed over dropping the tank any day. It's alot easier.

Rob

 

[RedneKRangeR]

well im about to give up on this damn thing.
i've replaced the ecm/engine harness, ecm relay and the fuel pump relay.
still got nothing
i looked at the wires coming out of the drivers side firewall and they look good no obvious damage, under the dash everything looks good along with the wires going up to the switches on the column.
im thinking it may be the ignition switch... but i dont know any good way to test it and i dont have a way to get it off because it has them wonderful break-off bolts that hold it on...

should i just push it off the nearest cliff? there are lots out here in wyoming...

 

[IMenriched]

well im about to give up on this damn thing.
i've replaced the ecm/engine harness, ecm relay and the fuel pump relay.
still got nothing
i looked at the wires coming out of the drivers side firewall and they look good no obvious damage, under the dash everything looks good along with the wires going up to the switches on the column.
im thinking it may be the ignition switch... but i dont know any good way to test it and i dont have a way to get it off because it has them wonderful break-off bolts that hold it on...

should i just push it off the nearest cliff? there are lots out here in wyoming...

don't get over done just yet.

Some came with a inline fuse on the power line ...either in front or after the solenoid....maybe both....purhapes it is bad.

now some may have other opinons on this...but when mine was giving me fits,
and was doing a fair amount of testing I noted that if I had the Key On & unplugged the TFI...I could hear the Fuel pump prime...every time. SO from that I concluded that the TFI had a connection to the Fuel pump..or at least a controling element. What I'm tring to say is that check your TFI...get it tested. Usually one looses spark with the TFI but in your case it my be the other way around. specially with all you bouncing around you may have lost connection just about anywhere.

check your ground connections....there are several.

 

[RedneKRangeR]

don't get over done just yet.

Some came with a inline fuse on the power line ...either in front or after the solenoid....maybe both....purhapes it is bad.

now some may have other opinons on this...but when mine was giving me fits,
and was doing a fair amount of testing I noted that if I had the Key On & unplugged the TFI...I could hear the Fuel pump prime...every time. SO from that I concluded that the TFI had a connection to the Fuel pump..or at least a controling element. What I'm tring to say is that check your TFI...get it tested. Usually one looses spark with the TFI but in your case it my be the other way around. specially with all you bouncing around you may have lost connection just about anywhere.

check your ground connections....there are several.

i've checked every fuseable link i can find.. they're all good. all fuses under the dash are good. and i decided that the ignition switch is still good.... after i broke it and had to duct tape it back together. so then i moved to trying to get the TFI off so i could test it. i got one of the little 7/32 bolts out of it. i cant seem to get the other out with either of my sockets, one being a deep 6pt another being a shallow 12pt and the last being a 6pt shallow. so tomorrow i will either figure out how to get it off or break it off. i got another that im fairly sure is good... after this i dont know what to try. everything looks good...

 

[IMenriched]

i've checked every fuseable link i can find.. they're all good. all fuses under the dash are good. and i decided that the ignition switch is still good.... after i broke it and had to duct tape it back together. so then i moved to trying to get the TFI off so i could test it. i got one of the little 7/32 bolts out of it. i cant seem to get the other out with either of my sockets, one being a deep 6pt another being a shallow 12pt and the last being a 6pt shallow. so tomorrow i will either figure out how to get it off or break it off. i got another that im fairly sure is good... after this i dont know what to try. everything looks good...

Works A LOT better with right tool, (thinking its 5.5mm), most parts stores carry them, not too exspensive either, generally<$10. some closer to $5....if your stuck with your sockets...you might have to grind the outside wall down, to make a thin wall socket. those little bolts sit in a recessed pockets.

don't forget the dielectric grease/compound when going back together.

 

[RedneKRangeR]

Works A LOT better with right tool, (thinking its 5.5mm), most parts stores carry them, not too exspensive either, generally<$10. some closer to $5....if your stuck with your sockets...you might have to grind the outside wall down, to make a thin wall socket. those little bolts sit in a recessed pockets.

don't forget the dielectric grease/compound when going back together.

arg.. i made myself feel dumb today...
got her figured out.. it was a dumb ground for the relays.. the one that comes out of the harness near the battery and connects to the neg. side of the battery had come apart being that my truck has been rather pieced together... its the one connection i never really thought anything about... so now i know and its put together real nice like with shrink tube and everything.

 

[Hahnsb2]

I was about to say check grounds, I too had a similar problem with my 2.9 from a bad ground once or twice.

 

[RedneKRangeR]

ya... so now after it gets good and warm it runs real rough until i open up the throttle body, thinking i screwed up the ignition module.. i cracked it when i put it on and decided to be a retard and us it as leverage in turning my dist. back to where its supposed to be, so tomorrow i'll remove it and put my spare on and see what happens... unless someone has a better idea.

also earlier i was getting a lean system code... not sure if this would cause a bad a** misfire after everything gets good and warmed up.

edit:
ok, figured it out/ think i fixed it.
forgot to plug the oxygen sensor back in. so plugged that in and put the different one on. all better now.