Help/I should write a how Not to book

[tj37]

Hello I've been having problems with my 94 ford ranger 4.0l v6. At first it would just start to sputter and cut out all of a sudden with temp. not seeming to be the trigger. I have been fighting this battle for months. It was so intermittent that it was hard to track, finally it would not run the pump one day at all. I changed the pump and started it up and it ran great, then I put the filler neck on and lowered it off the jackstands.after I lowered it down it ran then started to cut out again. I can start it and it will run but not great. Sometimes it will die out. When it starts to die out I can unplug the Maf and it straightens out a bit. I have already swapped the Maf with one from a running truck though and another one as well. What else could be my problem? In the prior months I had changed the following:
Maf
Fuel pump relay
Fuel pump
Fuel filter
Throttle position sensor
Checked the inertia valve
What do u think could be wrong? If it is the ECM is it in the interior of the drivers side firewall that it gets pulled from? Any help is appreciated! thanks

 

[RonD]

I have a '94 with 4.0 as well, I had the original plug wires, changed them and it ran like new, wires were only 18 years old, nothing is made to last any more, lol.

Because I didn't see it on your list I will mention it.
The Fuel regulator has a vacuum line connected to it, if the regulators diaphragm starts to leak the vacuum will suck fuel into the intake, causing rough idle and missing.
Remove the vacuum line and check for fuel or the smell of fuel.