Issue 1:
'89 2.9 with about 40k on bottom end and less than 2k on top end.
Blew a head gasket at 73k and Ford put a long block in (100k mile bumper to bumper warranty.)*1

It was totaled last year. I have driven it about 500 miles since the frame was straightened.

After replacing some salvage panels with new ones and general buttoning up of things, it decided not to start.

When the key is turned on and fuel should be pumping and pressurizing the system nothing happens.

There is a breakdown in power or signal between the fuel pump and it's relay. The fuel pump, only 1,5 years old, works perfectly well when voltage is applied directly to it and a new relay makes no difference. I jumpered the relay connector and the inertia switch connector, just to double check, and this yielded no positive results.

The wiring diagram shows only the fuel pump, the inertia switch and the fuel pump relay, in that order. Otherwise it shows signal coming from the ECM unit.

My next idea is to check continuity in all the wires leading to the pump. There is no corrosion and the wire insulation is not brittle.
Also I may put power to the pump manually to see if the truck will run that way.

Issue 2
Prior to the fuel pump issue I had put everything back together after the last issue with the heads and drove it for roughly 1000 miles in mixed conditions.
Started fine, ran smooth and seemed to have plenty of power around town. To date I have not attempted to tow anything heavy which use to be routine.
On the expressway, past 55 or so, it had practically nothing left. Past 70 is like stepping in a hole. Lack of power is most evident when it would not stay in cruise while in overdrive, except on the flattest of pavements.
Also, as you might imagine, it is sucking gas like there's no tomorrow. It was never thrifty, due to the towing package, but now gets between 10 and 15mpg.
Compression in all cylinders is within norms.

Since I can't see this issue at normal driving speeds I have been tempted to pay for a Dyno test so a possible cause might be found at the speeds where the problem arises.

Also, my local Ford dealer has lots of issues diagnosing something on a vehicle over 5 years old.*2


*1) 2.9 heads cast around '89 and later, though cast iron. exhibit issues once they have 70k+ miles on them.
The original castings were poorly made causing the valves to receded into the heads and/or heads to warp just enough to blow into water jacket or across cylinders.
I have had all 3 conditions on 3 separate sets of heads. The last time it happened I was able to find new recently cast heads and, hopefully, will not have this issue again.
If I had not just rebuilt the tranny (Auto w/overdrive) I would have dropped
something more substantial in the 2.9s place.

*2) I had a bad vibration when I got the truck back together. They said it was the carrier bearing. I disagreed but replaced it anyway. The old one, not the original, was fine. Turns out new rear tires I had just bought were out of round and the Ranger is sensitive to that factor.

 

RE: Issue 1: Fuel pump voltage short.
Looks like another member had a similar problem with the fuel pump, though theirs was intermittent. https://www.ranger-forums.com/genera...roblem-135723/
(I had an '87 E150 that did the same thing).
Their solution was to replace the EEC relay.
I will try that tonight.

 

EEC Relay checks out.
Even with constant power to fuel pump, though it runs, the truck will not start.

 

Newest discovery:
No spark. I didn't look this direction originally because I could not hear fuel pump running and thought that to be the issue.
So far the coil, wires and distributor check out.

Either these 2 are related somehow, ie: ECM, or a big coincidence.

I'm going to rent n analyzer to see if I can get closer to the problem.