Please help

Z

zack226

New Member
I have 1989 ford ranger with the 2.3 in it. i was driving it and the truck died. At first i thought it was the fuel pump but at first i checked the fuel pump relay and changed it. the fuel pump won't turn on when the key is turned, it only turns on and keeps pumping when you jump the fuel pump relay with a piece of wire, but even when i jump the fuel pump relay fuel gets to the fuel rail but the truck wont start. It will kinda start and barely run when i spray starter fluid but wont run off of its own fuel and barely idles, it wont get to full idle on starter fluid. The fuel pressure is good when i jump the relay but that's the only time the pump will turn on but still the truck wont even try to fire. Ive gone through everything i could think of and cant find the problem. I'm down to maybe the ecm or a new pump. Please any help or suggestions is much appreciated. The motor and tranny only have about 35,000 miles on it because it was swapped by a previous owner.
 
Don't think this is a fueling issue from the pump since you get the pump to work by jumping the relay. I would check to see if the injectors are working while cranking by what you wrote it doesn't sound like they are. This sounds like a ecm or a wiring issue.
 
+1 on bad injectors...next logical step...also sounds like you need to re-install the old relay. Sounds like the new one is faulty, too.
 
Thanks for the replies. The fuel pump relay I've changed multiple time to rule out it being a faulty relay. I'll check the injectors when i get time. When i check the injectors what is the process of checking them? I'm better with carbs not efi. Also would a bad injector cause the pump not to turn on?
 
zack226 said:
Thanks for the replies. The fuel pump relay I've changed multiple time to rule out it being a faulty relay. I'll check the injectors when i get time. When i check the injectors what is the process of checking them? I'm better with carbs not efi. Also would a bad injector cause the pump not to turn on?
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I think your truck may have an inertia switch. That will cause fuel pump to turn off. Bad injectors wont cause the fuel pump to not turn on. video on testing injectors
 
Thanks for the reply. Ill test the injectors today if im not called into work. My truck does have a inertia switch and i checked it and it hasnt been tripped or anything. Friday when i get payed im buying a new ecm because so far thats what its narrowed down to that and wiring and me and other people already checked the wiring multiple times.
 
Apologies for my prior post. I didn't realize the fuel pump shutting off was your problem.
At this point, I think you need to find someone with a break out box (old diagnostic machine for Ford computer systems) and have them analyize the system...Ford works with samples, though, instead of reading in real time, so you basically need to wait until the problem occurs again, then hook up the box ASAP...or drive around with the box hooked up (its portable) and grab a sample when the problem crops up again.
 
Hey DeanMk thanks for the reply. Unfortunately the truck doesn't run due to whatever the problem is. The fuel pump wont turn on at all when i turn the key, it only turns on when i jump the fuel pump relay with a wire but the truck still wont start. But i do think i know what the problem is ill test to see if what i think is the problem friday because i did more testing today and the ecm is good.
 
Yes i do have a update. Sorry for a late reply ive been working like crazy. The fuel issue ended up being 2 things. The pump and someone put a fuse in the wrong place. That was the good news. Bad news is is that right when we turned the truck over right when it fired it threw a rod did some heavy damage unfortunately.
Thank you all for the help. I already sold the truck because i cant afford to rebuild the motor right now
 
Zack,

Thanks for the update. Sorry to hear that happened. Too bad you sold the truck. 2.3's are still a dime a dozen. Chances are you could've found a running example for just a few hundred bucks....after that, it would've just been an engine swap.
Hope you have better luck with your next vehicle.


Dean
 
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