91 2.3L Ranger cranks, won't start

[smoker_xr]

Hello,

I have a mystery on my 91 Ford Ranger XLT, 2.3L, 5 speed, 118,000 miles.

Turn the key to On, I can hear a relay or two click, hit the starter, engine turns over strongly, no hint of ignition.

Sometimes my son gets in it, and it starts no problems. He can drive it for a couple of days. We towed him home after mowing a lawn Wednesday night after it would not start again.

On the way home Wednesday, Autozone read Code 95 off of it. According to the Ranger Station Tech Library page that means:
(On) Fuel pump: open, bad ground or always on - Power / Fuel Pump Circuits
(Memory) Possible bad fuel pump ground or open between fuel pump and pin 8 at PCM (Fuel Pump Monitor signal) - Power / Fuel Pump Circuits
I did not copy the R(unning) code, since it was not. . .running.


Since January have replaced with new:
spark plugs (all 8)
plug wires
fuel pump with sensor module (fuel gauge quit within a month :-( )
coil modules (both left and right)
DIS module (with dielectric paste underneath)
fuel pump relay

This week I cleaned green (copper?) corrosion of the ground in front of and behind the starter relay, and also by the EEC in the cab. Yes, I also wire brushed the cable the bolt went through, the frame ground mount location. Before re-assembling I squirted electrical contact cleaner on everything.

Any ideas?

 

[feellnfroggy]

Does it do it immediately after you fill with gas? Or does it do it randomly? It could be corroded wires on the pump shorting out and as a little bit of fuel evaporates and the wires dry out it starts and runs again till you fill it up again. Could be....or not. Your ECU could be going bad. Fuel pump relay, the pump itself, lotsa possibilities.

 

[smoker_xr]

It does not matter if I have just filled up with gas, or not. Fuel pump and fuel pump relay replaced with the last 6 months, and week, respectively.

 

[bw619]

Next time it does it try loosening the gas cap. I have a Pontiac Bonneville that did the same thing. Turned out to be the fuel cap. Also helped a man in a parking lot get his started last week by loosening the gas cap. Started right up. Was doing the same thing, turning over stron but acting like no fuel.

Hope it's as simple a fix as this. Good luck.

 

[Bryan22]

could be the inertia switch, try bypassing it and see if the truck still acts up.

 

[standa1]

Gas cap was problem.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!. I took the gas cap off and the Ranger started right up, with NO hesitation. It seems the the defective caps "breathes" both way but the new one only allows 'breathing' into the tank. I didn't know where to go next. Blessings on you all.