Further assistance

[Sobe]

Hey there everybody i was just wondering if i could get some further assistance from the knowlegable members here on the forum.

So i'm still having starting issues with the 'ol girl so here's the issue:

*the truck will turn over and turn over but not start up when its damp out (after it rains),when its cold out at night, or sometimes just in the middle of the afternoon for no apparent reason

*occasionally it'll start if i pump the gas like mad while turning it over

*it will usually start up after spraying gas into the throttle body

I had a dyagnostic test run and no codes came back so i'm kinda stumped here if anybody could help i'd really appreciate it, it's my DD so it really gets to be a pain in the a$$ after a while

thanks, Taylor

 

[abrush]

Have you checked the fuel pressure? If it will start when you spray gas into throttle body it sounds like a fuel issue.

 

[Sobe]

Yea that's what i was thinking too but i thought a fuel pump either worked or it didn't there wasn't really an in between? Could it be a problem in the choking process?
Like the engine has an electric fuel injection system so pumping the gas really shouldn't be doing to much should it?

 

[WhiteBroncoII2WD]

Have you checked the fuel pressure? If it will start when you spray gas into throttle body it sounds like a fuel issue.

Second the idea of checking the fuel pressure....you shouldn't have to pump the pedal to get it to start; actually it shouldn't really even do anything to make a difference

 

[KELLY88]

My 4.0 used to have an awkward time starting when the humidity was high. Never really found out why. Although after a tune up it didn't seem to have that problem any more. If you're having a fuel flow issue then it could be the fuel filter.

 

[Sobe]

I just replaced the fuel filter and i still had the same problem. I replaced the fuel pump and sending unit last fall.
And as stated before, i know it shouldn't really be doing anything when i pump the gas when starting it but you can watch the tach jump when i do until the engine catches.
Like when the engine doesn't want to start the tach will just stay flat lined until you pump the gas to get 'er going.

 

[WhiteBroncoII2WD]

I just replaced the fuel filter and i still had the same problem. I replaced the fuel pump and sending unit last fall.
And as stated before, i know it shouldn't really be doing anything when i pump the gas when starting it but you can watch the tach jump when i do until the engine catches.
Like when the engine doesn't want to start the tach will just stay flat lined until you pump the gas to get 'er going.

check that fuel pressure on the fuel rail, could be a bad fuel pressure regulator

 

[Sobe]

All right i'll try that but what i can't figure out is i would only be having these issues in certain weather conditions/temperatures?

 

[Donnie strickland]

I had a similar issue with my 94 Ranger. It turned out to be the fuel pump relay under the hood.

Intermittent faults like this one are really aggravating to diagnose. I checked my fuel pressure; it was ok. I checked every electrical connection I could reach. The clue that solved the problem was that I noticed that sometimes when I would turn the key on to start the truck, I could hear that the fuel pump would not run for a few seconds initially as it should. The relay was failing intermittently, which was the cause of the no-start condition. $10 later it was fixed. Maybe you'll be this fortunate.

 

[Sobe]

Sorry for the delayed response. I just checked the fuel relay and that wasn't it.
So far every time i've had issues getting it started i just sprayed fuel into the throttle body and she'd fire right up, except for today. I sprayed it in and still nothing.
My dad decided to check one of the spark plug leads and one of the plugs didn't have any spark but then all of a sudden fired up on 5 plugs....
I don't get this! All the other times it required a shot of fuel and now a bad plug?!?! I think this prick is cursed...

 

[Sobe]

Okay, we need some help here.
This thing has an ignition/electrical problem that is puzzling to say the least.
This is the Dad talking this time and I'm at my wits end.
Every three days or so this truck won't start. No spark.
I'd started doing the classic spark test, remove the plug, re-install the lead, hold the plug against the exhaust manifold and have my son turn it over.
At first there is no spark, then a weak spark and suddenly, as my son has mentioned, it'll actually start and run on 5, even with the plug out. We turn it off, re-install the plug (doesn't seem to matter which one, I've tried it on number 5 and 6) and it starts, idles and runs like nothing happened.
We've changed the coil pack (it's distributorless) and the ignition module but not the crank sensor. There's also a condensor near the coil pack taht has me interested.
It'll start and run fine for a couple of days (he's a student so it's short hauls, 10 miles or less) then it repeats the symptom.
It seems like cranking it with the one plug out, creates a draw on something and "builds up" a charge. I don't know if I'm making sense, but as I mentioned, that condersor has me interested.
Thoughts please!

 

[Donnie strickland]

That "condensor" is a capacitor for radio noise suppression.

I feel your pain. Intermittent faults are the toughest to diagnose. Just keep checking for loose connections. How do your battery cables look? Sometimes a bad ground can cause these types of faults -- the cable(s) might look ok on the outside, but when you look under the cable sheath it can be Corrosion City.

 

[Explorin94]

Another thing to try is find your EDIS modual. It should be in front of your battery. Make sure that is plugged in all the way. I had a problem with mine when it was wet and raining out. The piece that the clip hols to broke off the modual and came loose. I zip stripped it to the mudual and put dielectric grease in the connection. Never had a problem after that. Oh by the way if the modual isn't in front of the battery as the screw that held it to the doghouse worked it's was out.

 

[289-tiger-]

Unplug and clean the MAF connector see if you see any difference when you restart. If I remember right a couple of months ago, your earlier threads pointed toward this area of the vehicle and the original was reinstalled. Don't know if you replaced since then. This part seems to cause a lot of problems on well maintained high mileage 4 litres.

Good luck

 

[Sobe]

So had a busy week tryin to get this damn starting problem solved.
Ended up changing the coil pack, igntion module with no luck. Eventually got around to changing the crankshaft positioning sensor and so far it looks like that was the ticket. Haven't had any issues with it so far. I'm still skeptical as i've had nothin bud bad luck with her but my fingers are crossed so hopefully this might have corrected the problem...