Ford mechanic question

[waksupi]

My '88 Ranger 2.3 fuel injected died on the side of the road yesterday. I figured it had got wet, as I'd been driving through slush for about ten miles. Lost power like I was out of gas, switched tanks, nope.
Today I change plugs, rotor, distributor cap, and plug wires.
No go.
Any idea what to check next?

[Petrol & Powder]

I'm about 99% certain that engine uses a timing belt. That's where I would look first.

[1911sw45]

Are you getting fuel to fuel rail? Have you checked for spark?

[AllanD]

I'm about 99% certain that engine uses a timing belt. That's where I would look first.

It does but look for simple causes first as the boy scouts say you need three things for fire: "fuel air and a source of ignition", mechanics say fuel, air, spark. make sure you have all three

[bdicki]

If it's like an F150 of that era there are two relays on the driver side inner fender, might be the passenger side on the Ranger. One is for fuel pump and the other is for ECU power. The contacts get corroded and the truck stops. If the relays bad you can use a jumper to get it home. I used a paper clip I found on the floor.

[Petrol & Powder]

A broken timing belt IS a simple cause. It's also a easy cause to rule out.
I don't know how many miles the OP has on that 30 year old engine or how many miles the current timing belt has on it but wouldn't surprise me if that's the problem.

[jcren]

I don't remember where the oil cap is for that engine, but if you can see the cams through the oil fill or pcv hole, watch to see if it turns when cranking. No turn, no timing belt.

[bdicki]

I had to edit my post to the fuel pump relay instead of spark.

[waksupi]

It turns over just fine, and "almost" fires sometimes. Timing belt was replaced a year ago. It hasn't been driven much over the years, 138,000 miles on it. I'm wondering about the fuel pumps?

[Petrol & Powder]

Could be a fuel pump issue or a plugged / frozen fuel filter (water in gas and then freezes in the filter - which is under that truck)
Could also be a power supply issue to the fuel pump(s) or even a dead pump but your post sounds like you have duel tanks.
You could check to see if you're getting fuel to the engine.
However, the "almost" fires sounds suspiciously like a timing problem.

[richbug]

Ignition control module. Mounts on the side of the distributor. About $40, any auto parts store should have one. Takes an oddball socket to change. When I ran that era Fords I carried one in the glove box along with the special socket.

[richbug]

A snort of ether would tell you is it was a fuel problem.

[rmcc]

What (richbug) said. It is called a "stator" (around here, anyway). When they go, you have nothing! Not hard to fix, once you figure out what the heck it is!! Good luck.

[Finster101]

Easy way to tell if it's a fuel issue is to spray throttle body cleaner or carb spray into it and see if it fires. Stay away from starting fluid.

[waksupi]

Easy way to tell if it's a fuel issue is to spray throttle body cleaner or carb spray into it and see if it fires. Stay away from starting fluid.

I don't know how to do that with fuel injection.

[waksupi]

Ignition control module. Mounts on the side of the distributor. About $40, any auto parts store should have one. Takes an oddball socket to change. When I ran that era Fords I carried one in the glove box along with the special socket.

I'll check that in the morning. Hope I have the right odd ball socket around!

[starmac]

Socket is 5.5 millimeter, if it has the thick film module on the side of the dist. It is easier to just see if the plugs are firing, you will either need someone to turn it over for you or a remote start button.

Can you listen at the tank while someone turns on the key, to see if the pump is cycling on?

[Finster101]

I don't know how to do that with fuel injection.


Remove the tube from the air box to the throttle body, open the blades and spray inside. If you have help, have them crank the motor while you spray into the throttle body, leave the throttle closed using this method.

[Petrol & Powder]

Any luck ?

[bob208]

check the fuel filter. I had this problem on a 88 s10 blazer. from that time on I change the filters every two years. it is cheaper and less hassle then setting along the road.

[kycrawler]

Check for spark at a spark plugs. Screw a compression. Gauge in a cylinder. And snap a noid light in one of the injector harness plugs. Hooking a fuel pressure gauge up also. If it has spark and injector pulse. The pickip coil and module are good. 125-150 psi compression. Will rule out a timing belt. I would have to look up fuel pressure spec for that motor. But in that year range. Ford used an in tank booster pump that was low pressure high volume and a frame rail mounted pressure pump. The frame rail pump was mounted on the inside of the frame about where the driver's feet sit if it has one. Those trucks also had an inertia cut off switch for the fuel pump. To cut power to fuel pump in case of accident. Usually mounted on fire wall by glove box or in passenger kick panel . A heavy footed passenger. Kicking around can trip that switch. I learned that one 20 years ago with a pretty little blonde.

[waksupi]

Found the problem, clogged fuel filter.

Thanks for all the help!

[Rick Hodges]

Found the problem, clogged fuel filter.

Thanks for all the help!

Not bad for a 30 year old truck eh? Of all the possibilities....a fuel filter seems like a good deal. My son had one of the very early Rangers with a 4 cyl. Outside of the fact that it barely had the power to get out of its own way it was a solid little truck.

[bdicki]

Ranger is coming back in 2019.

[Finster101]

Glad you found it. It's nice when a thread like this gets kinda finalized so folks don't keep wondering.

[jmort]

^^^ Agree
Closure is good

[waksupi]

Not bad for a 30 year old truck eh? Of all the possibilities....a fuel filter seems like a good deal. My son had one of the very early Rangers with a 4 cyl. Outside of the fact that it barely had the power to get out of its own way it was a solid little truck.

A friend says they don't have enough power to pull a sick ***** off of a p*** pot! True.

[Tenbender]

check the fuel pressure.

[white eagle]

I had a similar experience with my 04 150
seems in all their wisdom Ford engineers put
the gas line for the tank in such a spot that all the
road salt collected there and ate the line
I lost power just like you did like no gas

[starmac]

Hopefully that is the end of it, but that has not been my experience. 9 out of 10 times I have had a ford quit because the filter stopped up, it had already basically killed the pump trying to pump through a mostly stopped up filter, and it had to be replaced in the next week or so. hopefully this is not the case in yours.

[waksupi]

Hopefully that is the end of it, but that has not been my experience. 9 out of 10 times I have had a ford quit because the filter stopped up, it had already basically killed the pump trying to pump through a mostly stopped up filter, and it had to be replaced in the next week or so. hopefully this is not the case in yours.

Pump seems to be running strong so far.

[starmac]

Hopefully that does it, the only real way to see, is either wait and see if it does all right on longer trips, where to see if the pump heats up, or run it for an hour or so and then check fuel pressure with the vacuum line pulled off of the regulator.
I expect it will be fine this time of year especially combined with your location, even better if not running over an hour between cooling off periods, it might just last forever.
I had an 89 regular cab with a 5 speed for a parts chasing pickup, everybody and their dog drove that thing and it did a fine job for about 160,000 miles till the tranny literally exploded. I always thought the guy that was driving it at the time stuck it in reverse on the interstate.

[Petrol & Powder]

Glad you got fixed

[largom]

Good idea to carry a spare fuel filter. Easy to get dirty gas or have rust in the fuel tank.

[William Yanda]

Good idea to carry a spare fuel filter. Easy to get dirty gas or have rust in the fuel tank.

'specially in a 30 year old truck!

[tomme boy]

Change the fuel filter every 40K miles. You will be replacing that pump shortly. About as bad as running them out of gas.

[bdicki]

This thread inspired me to change the fuel filter on my new to me 1998 F150 hunting truck. It needed it.

[myg30]

Went thru similar troubles past few years with 91 F150. Dropped the tank to replace the fuel pump and it had a gallon or better of sludge/ water in it which clogged the fine screen on pump.
This year was intermittent start/ spark. Found a NEW distributor on line complete with cap,rotor and the little module on the side for $60 shipped.
Old 300 cui 6 runs like a champ. Guess it’s time to change my fuel filter again !

Glad you got er running.
Mike

[bdicki]

Went thru similar troubles past few years with 91 F150. Dropped the tank to replace the fuel pump and it had a gallon or better of sludge/ water in it which clogged the fine screen on pump.
This year was intermittent start/ spark. Found a NEW distributor on line complete with cap,rotor and the little module on the side for $60 shipped.
Old 300 cui 6 runs like a champ. Guess it’s time to change my fuel filter again !

Glad you got er running.
Mike
When I dumped the fuel out of the input side of the filter it was a little milky, so some water in the tank I guess. Next project I guess, it won't be as bad as the heater core change.

[Petrol & Powder]

myg30 - The Ford 300 (4.9L) inline 6 was one of the best engines ever made. It's a shame that Ford stopped making them. (it was in production for about 30 years) In addition to Ford trucks; the 300 was used to power aircraft tractors (tugs), generators, UPS trucks! and about a hundred other applications. That engine was a workhorse and nearly indestructible if given just a little attention.

And I'm not even a big fan of Ford products :-o

[myg30]

myg30 - The Ford 300 (4.9L) inline 6 was one of the best engines ever made. It's a shame that Ford stopped making them. (it was in production for about 30 years) In addition to Ford trucks; the 300 was used to power aircraft tractors (tugs), generators, UPS trucks! and about a hundred other applications. That engine was a workhorse and nearly indestructible if given just a little attention.

And I'm not even a big fan of Ford products :-o

Yes it is. Mine was a farm truck with granny gear 4 spd tranny. I do my best not to over rev engine driving on the interstate. Speed limit here is 70 mph and man that motor sounds like it screaming. Don’t run er on the highway much, mostly to town and back or Lowe’s/Home Depot run. Bought it in 2006 with 92k original miles and I think I’m near 105k on the odometer.
I keep oil changed and chase the mice out of the inside glove box. Glad them and the chip monks don’t eat the rubber hoses or wires.
If it had 4wd and over drive gear I’d be in heaven. It can pull, that’s fer sure!
65 degrees here today, I should go change that dang gas filter now !

Mike

[AllanD]

If it's like an F150 of that era there are two relays on the driver side inner fender, might be the passenger side on the Ranger. One is for fuel pump and the other is for ECU power. The contacts get corroded and the truck stops. If the relays bad you can use a jumper to get it home. I used a paper clip I found on the floor.

On an '88 Ranger the relays are between the air filter box and the PASSENGER side inner fender.
The relays frequently fall off their mounting bracket and dangle upside down on the wiring harness and get filled with splash water and fail.

Also, bear in Mind that '88 was the last year before ford largely switched from fuseable links to Maxi-Fuses

Are you aware just how rare Dual-fuel tanks are on Ford Rangers? or that 1988 is the LAST year for that option?


I have an '87 Supercab 4x4 myself that has dual-fuel tanks, but NOT from the factory, I had to junkyard pillage two other rangers to aquire the pieces you need.

My advice you is go to another site the rangerstation.com and ask there and expect some good advise.

[AllanD]

Ignition control module. Mounts on the side of the distributor. About $40, any auto parts store should have one. Takes an oddball socket to change. When I ran that era Fords I carried one in the glove box along with the special socket.

It is called a "TFI module" and the "oddball" socket required is a thin DEEP 5.5mm, because the screws are in a deep recess

[AllanD]

Socket is 5.5 millimeter, if it has the thick film module on the side of the dist. It is easier to just see if the plugs are firing, you will either need someone to turn it over for you or a remote start button.

Can you listen at the tank while someone turns on the key, to see if the pump is cycling on?

On that Era Ford Ranger there are TWO fuel pumps (since the truck in question has dual-tanks there are three) there are low pressure "lift" pumps in each tank plus a high pressure pump mounted to the frame rail (just forward of the radius arm cross-member) There is also a "six port Selector valve"

The selector valve is complicated because the valve must switch return fuel as well as the low pressure fuel Fed to the pressure pump. This prevents the most disasterous of circumstances Cross-feeding from the "active tank" to the "other tank" which may already be full. In aircraft this is called an "uncommanded crossfeed" and is one of the most undesireable things that can happen!

[waksupi]

On that Era Ford Ranger there are TWO fuel pumps (since the truck in question has dual-tanks there are three) there are low pressure "lift" pumps in each tank plus a high pressure pump mounted to the frame rail (just forward of the radius arm cross-member) There is also a "six port Selector valve"

The selector valve is complicated because the valve must switch return fuel as well as the low pressure fuel Fed to the pressure pump. This prevents the most disasterous of circumstances Cross-feeding from the "active tank" to the "other tank" which may already be full. In aircraft this is called an "uncommanded crossfeed" and is one of the most undesireable things that can happen!

My pickup must be an odd ball. Two exterior pumps, no internal pumps.

[starmac]

My pickup must be an odd ball. Two exterior pumps, no internal pumps.

Did not know ford ever built such a thing, but a ranger with dual tanks would be an oddball by itself.

[Sweetpea]

Did not know ford ever built such a thing, but a ranger with dual tanks would be an oddball by itself.

Shoot, I had one with dual tanks, and a mazda diesel from the factory.

Thing was a turd! :veryconfu