I'm sure I got a short.

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

Brain. Thanks for the advice. I will think a lot harder about jumping into the cesspool of crappy jobs.
I do appreciate your advice thanks again.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

Hi, everyone.
I hope all is going well for everyone.

I just wanted to tell everyone about the Christmas present I gave to myself.
On Monday I got a temporary license tag and insurance on my truck.

So I've been driving it around a lot for the past few days.

With that being said I've figured out that the steering has about an inch and a half of play in it.
As I said before the brake pedal is spongy but from my understanding that's somewhat normal. When I get some more time I'm going to bleed the brakes just to see if that'll help anything.

The newest thing I've figured out is when the truck is turned off the gas gauge reads just a little under a 1/4 tank. But once I start the truck the gas gauge goes to read right at the E.
My brother filled up my gas tank today. And the gas gauge still reads empty when it's running.

All my other gauges seem to be working just fine.
I haven't tried anything to figure it out yet.

Thanks for everyone's time.
Have a happy and safe new years.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

So here's today's update on my truck.
A little back ground first. My brother has had 17 rangers over the last 18 or so years.
So he does know way more about them then I do.

Okay to my update.
My brother keeps telling me that my gas gauge not working is the first sign that my fuel pump is about to die or dieing as I write this.

The next symptom is that for the last 4 days. Today being one of those days when I start my truck the first time of the day I have to hit it with some starting fluid or it will not start.

However once I use the starter fluid when I start the truck for the first time in the day it starts fine every time after that, until I park it for the night. Then the next day I have to use the starting fluid once again.

As I said in my last post I've not started in anyway to figure out the gas gauge problem.
But I do tend to believe what my brother says. Especially with the fact of me having to use starter fluid first thing everyday to start my truck.

Before I go jumping in to figure anything out I want everyone who's been keeping up with my thread here to know that I have been taking everyone's advice into account.

I've looked on eBay for the book that was suggested. And found more then one but so far I've not had the money to buy one.

I've also found some owner's manuals for my truck year but like the other book I ain't had the money to buy anything.

It seems like every time a person "I. E. me" gets to a point where they can do what they want,
life jumps in the way and they "I. E. me" have to spend their money on other things that come first.

Bills don't we all love them.

However I do get to have some small pleasures in life I'm sitting here eating pepperonis for supper aaaaaaa The bachelor Life.

 

[Brain75]

most all the users 3rd gen+ manuals are in the tech library here...

Owners Manuals - The Ranger Station

Ford Four Wheeling Supplement 2024 Ford Ranger Owners Manual 2023 Ford Ranger Owners Manual 2022 Ford Ranger Owners Manual 2021 Ford Ranger Owners Manual 2020 Ford Ranger Owners Manual 2019 Ford Ranger Owners Manual 2011 Ford Ranger Owners Manual 2010 … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

 

[Brain75]

I don't even have the right year for mine... got a '91, but own a '90... something else to do, be the first one in the morning to go into the junkyard.. for some reason the population around here strips ALL the light bulbs and users manuals right off, first thing. So if you are the first one in the yard in the morning and race to a new first day in the yard '94 you might get lucky.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

So here's today's update on my truck.
A little back ground first. My brother has had 17 rangers over the last 18 or so years.
So he does know way more about them then I do.

Okay to my update.
My brother keeps telling me that my gas gauge not working is the first sign that my fuel pump is about to die or dieing as I write this.

The next symptom is that for the last 4 days. Today being one of those days when I start my truck the first time of the day I have to hit it with some starting fluid or it will not start.

However once I use the starter fluid when I start the truck for the first time in the day it starts fine every time after that, until I park it for the night. Then the next day I have to use the starting fluid once again.

As I said in my last post I've not started in anyway to figure out the gas gauge problem.
But I do tend to believe what my brother says. Especially with the fact of me having to use starter fluid first thing everyday to start my truck.

Before I go jumping in to figure anything out I want everyone who's been keeping up with my thread here to know that I have been taking everyone's advice into account.

I've looked on eBay for the book that was suggested. And found more then one but so far I've not had the money to buy one.

I've also found some owner's manuals for my truck year but like the other book I ain't had the money to buy anything.

It seems like every time a person "I. E. me" gets to a point where they can do what they want,
life jumps in the way and they "I. E. me" have to spend their money on other things that come first.

Bills don't we all love them.

However I do get to have some small pleasures in life I'm sitting here eating pepperonis for supper aaaaaaa The bachelor Life.

Sounds to me like you're losing pressure over night. The fuel system should be able to keep pressure for months at a time.
The fuel pump only runs for 2 seconds with the key on and engine off.
If losing pressure is the problem a work around is to cycle the key on and off 4-5 times for 2 seconds each time. Don't start the engine.
Each time you cycle the key it builds ~10psi.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

Thanks for the advice on the Library Brain.
Does it cost anything to use that Library?

"Always"
I've tried to turn the key to the on position counting to 10 and turning it off then repeating three times for a total of four in the mornings. And trying to start the truck on the 4th cycle. It still doesn't start that way.
I do agree it seems like I'm losing pressure over night.
Is my 10 count to long?
Is there some way to figure out how/were I'm lossing the pressure?

As "Curious Hound" has pointed out before.

I have a tendency to jump in and try all kinds of different things. I'm trying to go very slowly and think everything through this time around.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

No cost for the Library use I see. However the oldest 1 I Saw was 1995.
Better then nothing however.
Thanks again for that advice Brain.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

"Always" you said each time I cycle the the key it cycles 10 psi. What should the PSI be if it's working properly? Should it always just be at 10 psi?

Could losing pressure over night be caused by a bad fuel pump? The fuel pump is part of the pressurized system so if it's bad or going bad could it be a releasing the pressure in some way?

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

Okay guys I just realized what time it is. I need to go to bed.
I'll post again sometime in the day time.
Good night.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

1994 truck should be ~40psi.
You should be able to hear the fuel pump turn on, then off after 2 seconds. It's a quiet hum sound, and if your hearing isn't great you may not hear it. So waiting for more than 4 seconds is a waste of time.
Some auto parts stores will lend out tools with a deposit of the cost of the tool. You get your money back when tool is returned.
A fuel pressure tester looks similar to a compression tester. You need one that is calibrated for EFI, which for your truck needs to read more than 40 psi.
You hook it up to the Schrader valve, which looks like the valve for air on a bicycle tire. I think its located on passenger side of intake manifold just behind the IAC valve.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

Okay.
Thanks for more helpful info "Always".

So this morning I cycled the fuel pump counting to only 3 before cycling again.
After the 6th cycle was finished I turned the key to start and the truck started right up.

I was doing my best to try listening for the pump to come on and go off but could not hear it.
Either I can't hear well enough or something.
I could not hear it at all.
I do live on East 3rd Street in Dayton which is a busy street.

But the traffic was not all that heavy this morning so I should have been able to hear the pump cycling.
And with the passenger side of the back window being missing I would think I would have an advantage of hearing the pump even though it's on the driver side for my understanding.

The best part in all of this is that the truck did start all on its own.

The truck does seem to start easier when it's warmer outside for sure.
Does anyone think that the temperature outside is playing a big, little or any part in this?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I doubt the outside temp has anything to do with it. But maybe the temperature sensor isn't working properly. And there is 2 sensors, one that feeds the computer, and one that feeds the dash gauge. The computer sensor is the one to look at. I believe it would have 2 wires, the other just one. I don't know offhand how to test but look in the TRS library to see if you can find a test method. Or google.

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

"Always" .Thanks once again for the good feedback.

 

[Curious Hound]

I agree with alwaysFlOoReD. You need to check the fuel pressure at rest and running. I can think of 3 common places to lose fuel pressure, other than just having a lea that let's it squirt out somewhere. First, and most likely is a bad check valve allowing fuel to drain back to the tank each night. I believe the check valve is usually part if the pump. Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong. Second would be a bad fuel pressure regulator. If that was the case, the engine probably wouldn't run right even after starting. It would run rich from fuel leaking past the diaphragm into the vacuum hose and intake. The other would be a sticking injector. That would probably cause the engine to run rough until the flooded cylinder is cleared. I'm leaning toward a bad check valve at the pump. Not a horrible thing to fix. You and your brother can do it. It'll just cost you a new pump.