Starting problem

[Immortalfreak]

So I was leaving for work today and my truck ('00 Ford Ranger V6 3.0 - Manual Transmission) started right up. I needed to throw something away so I kicked it in neutral and rolled back to my dumpster. After pitching the trash out the window I dropped it in first and the engine started cutting out and eventually died. After that I couldn't get the truck started at all. It would turn over but it would never actually start. Sounded kind of like a timing problem, but I called dear ol' dad and he reccomended splashing some gas in the carb, which got the truck to start up, but only until the gas was gone.

The truck has a quarter tank of gas in it, the battery is good, connections are tight. What I'm starting to conclude is a fuel filter or fuel pump, or maybe just a clog in the lines. Hopefully not a fuel pump, as I hear that's a pain to change.

Anyway, the truck would get shakey without fuel splashed in the carb after turning it over, I pumped the gas and even pinned it at one point during the turn over and none of that helped.

Also, not quite sure if this has any relation, but I've noticed that my truck does not go past 75 mph unless I am going downhill. I have never seen the speedometer go above 80, even going downhill and holding the gas to the floor. There's no governor on the truck that I am aware of, and if there is I can't imagine it would come stock at 75? My dad's 4-banger Tacoma goes 90 and still has plenty of pedal left in it, and mine's a V6 topping out at 75?!

 

[Immortalfreak]

In addition to topping off at 75, acceleration in anything but first gear is pretty bad. I can drop it in 3rd at 30 and pin it without hearing any acceleration noise that a normal engine would make.

There's a clear lack of power for a V6 truck, essentially. And I think it may have to do with the current starting issue.

 

[bikerboy]

If you suspect the fuel pump you can have someone bang on the tank while you are cranking the engine. If beating on the tank makes it starts then its time for a fuel pump.

 

[MrE_Powers]

try resetting fuel cut off switch on the fire wall in the cab passenger side

 

[Immortalfreak]

RE:

If you suspect the fuel pump you can have someone bang on the tank while you are cranking the engine. If beating on the tank makes it starts then its time for a fuel pump.

That's the thing, I have no idea what it is. I'm simply making a guess.. I don't know anything about cars that some random guy doesn't know.

Anyway, I went out there this morning and it started right up.

I went ahead and changed out the fuel filter and I'm gonna go do some test driving with it right now.

 

[Immortalfreak]

Correction... No test drive. It won't start again. The sounds I was getting yesterday can be compared to the sounds today right as I disconnected the fuel inertia line on the passenger side of the cab. Now, even with that plugged back in, I don't get anything but a turnover and unlike yesterday it's clear it's not trying to start at all. Again I was able to squirt gas into the carb to get it going for a split second, but then nothing again.

Also, I disconnected one of the fuel lines from the new filter to ensure gas was flowing, and it was. I'm gonna go check the rest of the lines for clogs now.

Any suggestions?

 

[Southern3.0]

Check your fuel Pressor at the rail with a fuel pressor gauge.

 

[Immortalfreak]

Is there another way to check it without using a pressure gauge? The cheapest one I saw was 60 bucks, and that just seems a bit ridiculous.

On a side note.... I disconnected the fuel lines from the fuel filter up through the hood and shot air through them with my air compressor and there are no clogs. I didn't do anything behind the fuel filter because there's no question that gas is flowing to the filter (I disconnected a one of the hoses and gas came out).

 

[off_road_junkie21]

cheack you nutreal safty switch on the tranny. they can give you tons of headaces. there is my two cents later good luck!!

 

[pillen140]

your neutral switch will have nothing to do with it. when turning the key from off position, turn to on(not start, on!) if your fuel pump is working, you will hear it run for about 2-3 seconds, then it will shut off automatically(that is normal, because it is not being started). you may need to have someone turn the key, while you listen near the fuel filler with the cap open. if you dont hear it, its mostlikely you fuel pump, or fp relay, or a bad wire.

the gas coming out when you disconnect it , is most likely just running out of the line. if you disconnect the feed line attach a rubber gas hose to it and run it into a can and try to start it, if gas sprays out, the pump is good. this is very dangerous in the wrong hands, but it works!

 

[V8_power428@hotmail.com]

Ok u need to check three things your fuel, air and spark. easiest thing to check is spark
pull a plug out and connect the line to it hold it close to a ground and have someone crank the truck over i'f there's no spark grap a multimeter and test your plug wires and coil. ifu have good spark make sure your air filter isnt horribly clogged after that i would check your fuel line for pressure. or take off your fuel filter and see if its full of water

 

[jro0005]

My 88 BII had the same running problem, I tried everything, or so I thought. The fuel pump on the 88 sits in the frame rail(it has two pumps, low pressure in the tank, high pressure under your butt in the frame) I don't know if your year truck is setup the same way. Anyway, I noticed the normal fuel pump pre-prime didn't come on, so I crawled under the BII wiggled and slid the wire connector off and on a couple times(its exposed to the weather elements, go figure) and she fired right up, that was 4 years ago, aint had a problem since. I'm thinking thats a problem alot of non-starters have is that electrical connection. Also, the fuel pump, will always spin up for a couple seconds when first starting cold. PS spark is good if ya put fuel in the intake and it fires up till it runs dry again.

 

[Immortalfreak]

I disconnected the fuel lines from the fuel filter and had someone turn it over while I held them to a can. Nothing came out really. I shot some air through the lines with an air compressor and tried again and still nothing.

You can hear my fuel pump turn on when I switch the key to on, it doesn't sound abnormal at all. So I'm thinking A. 2 Fuel pumps, like the guy above me said, so I'm going to check the wiring. If that's good plan B. is to drop the tank and relieve any clogs from the fuel line, and if all else fails replace the fuel pump for plan C. That's the very last thing I want to do, as it's 150-200 bucks I don't have. So I'm gonna check wiring and try again, if that doesn't work I'm gonna drop the tank and start the troubleshooting.

Please be the wiring!

 

[Immortalfreak]

Looks like it was the fuel pump (I hope). I dropped the tank, disconnected all of the fuel lines, shot air through them and they were fine. So now I've my fuel tank sitting out by my truck and I am going to get a fuel pump in the morning.

I hope to god this fixes the problem, otherwise it will be a waste of money/time, and then a waste of even more time and money to fix the wiring.

 

[Immortalfreak]

Just an update, I bought the pump today but didn't really make progress. When I was removing the fuel pump sending unit there was a wire connected to something that I broke pulling out. I don't know what the name of this part is, so I've to find that one out before I can go any further.

Here are some pictures I have:
1)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/ImmortalFreak91/100_0638.jpg

Notice the hole where something used to be. The only parts I can find out there are the ones sitting in the picture. The 2 black plastic pieces and that brown piece. I have no idea what those things are.

2)
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c362/ImmortalFreak91/100_0639.jpg

As you can see I have the broken piece in the hole the way it used to be, or the way I thought it used to be rather. Of course that brown piece laying to the side goes on the other side of the broken black piece. Also, the wire with the yellow connector connects to the broken piece, and that's originally where I broke it.

Any idea what the broken piece is called?

Also, not that it really matters too much anymore, but would the fuel pump be hit and miss like it was? Like I was able to start it easily right before it shut off on me. Then the next day it started up easy, I got it up on ramps, then after I replaced the filter it wouldn't start again. Maybe gas was draining into the filter over night and that caused the engine to get just enough gas to run for the minute or so it took me to get the truck on ramps?