2.3L ('83-'97) fuel system inquiry

[Kailash]

So this weekend I Replaced my fuel filter. My crank time has been a little long and I bought the truck at auction so no clue if it was ever replaced. While doing this I noticed a couple strange things.

#1
I removed the fuel pump relay and tried starting the engine a few time to rid fuel pressure. The engine never turned over.

Is this normal or does indicate a bad check valve?

#2
This is more concerning. The old fuel filter I removed loudly rattles when shaken. Basically I think the filter has been disconnected for who knows how long.

What would be my best next steps for helping whatever damage that did?

 

[scotts90ranger]

Not starting with the fuel pump relay out isn't surprising, they're supposed to run on I think 35psi in that year, fuel injectors don't work great at 0psi... I'd call that normal and is my experience as well...

As far as any damages from a broken filter, worst case is junk getting to the inlet of the injectors, any damage is done... there's a sock on the fuel pump inlet and the fuel tank is plastic so not too likely for there to be anything too bad in there...

 

[Kailash]

Okay cool. I guess I thought that the check valve was supposed to maintain pressure even with out power but I guess not.

Thanks again

 

[Kailash]

So I was expecting like one or two rotations from whatever fuel was still pressurized

 

[scotts90ranger]

Wait, so it didn't crank at all or didn't fire? The fuel pressure regulator is on the fuel rail and the check valve is in the fuel pump and there is no pressure vessel (fluid is non compressible) so any injection into the intake will go through any residual pressure very quickly. If it didn't crank (IE turn over with the starter) at all then you might have gotten the starter relay not fuel pump relay somehow or something else that controls more...

The fuel filter is pretty much the low point in the system so no real way to bleed the fuel out of it other than disconnecting it, unless you pulled the bed and pulled the fuel pressure line and put air pressure to it so it pushed the fuel through the pressure regulator and back to the tank but that's a lot of work

 

[Kailash]

OK yea I guess it cranked but just didn't fire. I could have probably done a little more investigation on this one