So, I have had my truck for some time. It has had more issues than you can shake a stick at, which I have been solving one by one, but there is one that has been particularly frustrating. I have searched the internet a number of times trying to figure out how to fix it, but to no avail. All suggestions are vague, and none promise to actually fix the problem.
The problem:I am more or less out of ideas, and flat broke. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. This seems like a really great forum among ranger forums, so I thought I would ask here. (What I would really like to do is drop a V8 in the sucker, but... i'm broke...)

 

sounds like you may have a vacuum leak

 

With the line running to the tank? The thing that has confused the heck out of me is that it almost always happens at half a tank or below. Sometimes just after filling up, bust mostly below half, then its sporadic. I am no expert, so it may have a connection I don't see though. If it is a vacuum leak that is causing this, where do I start?

 

well that line that you saw that looked cracked is a good place to start

 

Cool, I'll give it a try. I am not sure if it requires a special type of hose, but i think I have some fuel line hose that should work.

 

that might also be the root of the check engine light for a lean bank

 

So i pulled the hose out. It looks wore than i thought. Just about fell apart in my hand. Strangely it went from a box to a sensor to another line to another sensor, and the other lines all looked fine. Ill drive it around for a few days and see if it helped.

 

id replace it right away...that will make your problem worse if you drive without that hose

 

I replaced the line with some rubber fuel hose. It fit really tight, so i doubt it is leaking, but it didn't fix the problem. I cleared the check engine light, and that came back on, as well as had the same starting problem about an hour ago.

 

Defiantly didn't fix it. Anybody have any other ideas? Is there a way to test if there is a vacuum leak? I did an "Ether Test" (Spray ether around the fuel rail and headers in general listening for the engine to rev to check for seal leaks) to see if that was my check engine problem, is there a simple test I can do for vacuum leak?

 

Try swapping out the fuel pump relay. Over time the contacts get pitted and will intermittently supply power to the fuel pump.
There may be another relay in the box (under the hood in the aux fuse/relay panel) that you can swap around.

 

I just swapped them. When i burn through most of my tank I should know if it worked. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

mine did the same thing. i pulled the whole intake and throttle body off, my mass air flow sensor net was super dirty. after doing a whole throttle body and intake cleanse it ran like new

 

So, the relay fixed the starting problem. Thanks for the suggestion. Now all i need to do is fix the running lean problem. I think i will try cleaning the throttle body for the lean condition. Thanks everyone!