Low fuel pressure under load

[eris]

Hi all, thanks for having this forum. Looking for some ideas to troubleshoot.

I have a 2000 ranger v6 3.0 XLT. 95k miles. Sat for about 5 years before I bought it. Threw a battery and did some other work unrelated to drivetrain it started and ran. Unfortunately I can only give it about 1/4-1/3 throttle before it falls on its face. Fuel pressure at the Schrader valve at the fuel rail drops to 0 as soon as I mash the gas.

i have replaced the fuel pump twice and the fuel filter. I have also replaced the fuel lines to and from the tank to the filter. I've also hard wired the fuel pump directly to the battery to ensure it wasn't an issue with the inertia switch or a relay.
Getting a lean code on the right bank sensor. All 02 sensors have been replaced as well as the cats and muffler. I've confirmed the throttle body is opening fully too and have also disconnected the MAF which has made no difference. Obviously the fuel pressure is the issue but not sure what it could be after the troubleshooting I've done.


Any suggestions would be highly appreciated. I haven't really seen any posts that are just like the issues I have if anyone knows of anything I missed let me know!

 

[SenorNoob]

Does 2000 have a fuel pressure regulator on the fuel rail or is it built in to the pump?

 

[eris]

AFAIK it is in the tank on the fuel pump assembly. I didn't replace that yet since the pressure does initially get up to 65 PSI and stays there until i hit the gas.

 

[SenorNoob]

Maybe the rail itself is dirty? Sounds like you've replaced about everything else...

 

[eris]

Are there any posts that detail that process? I'm a bit of a noob with this stuff so im not super familiar with that.

 

[SenorNoob]

To what process are you referring?

 

[eris]

I guess cleaning the fuel rail? unless I should replace it? I saw a video of a guy swapping injectors so it seems I can follow that process to remove the rail.

 

[SenorNoob]

As for cleaning, not sure how well you can the return-less style. Should be possible to spray from one injector hole to another?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Maybe the regulator is failing?

Also, I wonder if injectors are sticking open. I’ve used a long extension to listen to the injectors before on things. Like a poor man’s mechanic stethoscope. Touch one end to the injector and listen at the other end, you should hear the injector ticking and the ticking should speed up as it gets throttle but it should always tick

 

[Brain75]

5 years... and while you replaced a bunch of stuff I didn't hear "clean out" - just checking, did you throw away the old gas and clean up the fuel tank a little?

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I mean, I’ve had vehicles sit for 3-5years and didn’t clean the whole fuel system… but I have a procedure for that. I dump 5 gallons of fresh gas in AFTER dumping a bottle of HEET (dry gas) in and usually a bottle or two of injector cleaner before starting it the first time. Then I fill the tank with fresh gas as soon as possible. I also try to get to changing the fuel filter after a couple tanks and more injector cleaner. Not foolproof, but it has worked.

 

[Brain75]

I'd say it depends a lot on the quality of the gas you get.... 3 years is a max for the cheap (high eth) crap I get here, the more full the better - a half full tank or less will absorb so much moisture out of the air it is ruined....
If you are going to store a vehicle, either fill it full to the brim (with a bottle of sta-bil) or bone dry.... but of course we don't get that luxury when it is the PO who let it sit.

 

[eris]

When I bought it, it had less than a quarter tank of gas in it. I put in a bottle of Heet and filled with premium. been through about 2 tanks of gas since then. new injectors are coming tomorrow. will report back