Hello friends,

I recently acquired this "free" POS from my bother. He was moving and had it towed to my house. He mentioned he picked it up in an auction and never could get it to start and he had lost the key.

Here's the scoop. It has a brand new battery, fuel pump, fuel filter, spark plugs, oil, and starter the fuel tank was also emptied and filled with new gas.

When I first got it I had a new key made and "programmed". When i turned the key to on lights and everything works i also noticed a fast blinking theft light. I tried starting the truck and nothing no crank no nothing except one click from under the hood, which I'm guessing is the fuel pump relay. Since the theft light was pretty much screaming at my face. I Googled how to reset and triedseveral ways and times, I was able to get it to a slow blink and then it started to blink 1-5 consecutively, I'm not sure if that is a code for something. But anyhow after the slow blinking I tried to start it again just for the light to start blinking fast again without stopping. I then noticed a wire coming through a hole above the gas pedal. I followed the wires which led to the starter. So I figured that it could have a PATS issue and he probably tried bypassing by jumping the starter, not sure if that's possible. So of course I touched the wire ends together and I get a crank, but not a regular crank. The kind of crank that it's missing something like fuel or spark, I tried giving it a bit of jump by spraying the intake with a bit of starter fluid. This time I got movement from the engine like it wanted to start, I noticed a bit of smoke coming from the intake, which I'm pretty sure it was from the starter fluid. I did a spark test and I have spark. Also did a fuel pressure test and I don't have good pressure. Could the PATS issue affect the fuel pump and cause a pressure issue? I tried bypassing the inertia switch to see if that would help but nothing. How could I go about pushing the pump to create enough pressure?

if anyone has any other ideas that could solve this issue I would appreciate it.

 

Welcome to the forum

The "click" you hear under the hood is the PCM relay, fuel pump relay is disable if Theft Light is flashing with key on

Yes, PATS(passive anti-theft system) is the current issue, there is no by-pass for it
PATS disables starter motor activation, can be by-passed
PATS disables fuel pump, can be by-passed
PATS disables fuel injectors, NO by-pass for this, lol

So no PATS by-pass worth any effort

Turn on the key again and wait 45-60 seconds
Rapid flashing theft light will start to flash a 2 digit code, 11 to 16
11 Transceiver [transponder coil] not connected, or there is no power to it.
12 Transceiver internal fault.
13 No Key/no PATS key has been used to turn the ignition switch.
14 Incomplete key code received.
15 Invalid key code received.
16 CAN communications error.

If your code was 15 then your brother never got the new key programmed, or it was unsuccessful
Transceiver codes are more common and you can fix those yourself

If its 13 or 15 you will need a Mobile Locksmith to come out and add TWO PATS keys to the system, or tow it to a locksmith
If 15 you can use the current key but need to add 1 more key

Or check at the Forscan Forums
Forscan is a software that can add PATS keys to Fords, but still need the two keys

 

Hey Rond, thanks for the reply.

So I guess my question moving forward is, is there a way I can swap the entire PATS system? I was going to make a trip out the junk yard tomorrow and was hoping to find my fix there. They have multiple rangers in the lot.

I've read about transceivers and PATS deletions. But im not too sure about all that.

Thanks again

 

There is no PATS bypass

You can get a 1998 4.0l computer(no PATS) that matches your transmission, i.e. manual or Automatic, they have different computers
You will need to Ground the starter relay in engine fuse box

1997 or earlier won't work, different fuel system
2000 has PATS

 

Thanks Rond

Would I have to change anything else along with the computer? Or would the rest of the system( transceiver and such) recognize the computer?

 

No, just the ground for starter relay

1998 doesn't have PATS so there is no Key On Test
If the Theft light stays on you may want to unplug the PATS module above glove box, you can also ground the stater relay from there

 

I found a 98 explorer from one of my neighbors, would the computer from it work?

 

1998 Explorer should have PATS, so no wouldn't work, it may also have a different engine
You have a 4.0l OHV in 1999 Ranger(1990-2000 Rangers)
1998 Explorer could have a 4.0l OHV or a 4.0l SOHC as an option, 4.0l SOHC Computer wouldn't work, PAT or no PATS

Ford started using PATS in 1996
So Explorer could have PATS as a pay extra "option" as early as 1996 but it was a standard feature in 1998 and up
Ranger had PATS as an option only in 1998, and as standard in 1999 and up, except the 4cylinders, they got PATS mid-year 2001 with the 2.3l DOHC Duratec engine