My 95 2.3L Ranger sat for about two years without being started. It had some fuel in the tank. 2 years ago the truck ran great. I put a new battery in it and drain all the old fuel turn it over and the timing belt broke. I replaced the timing belt about 3 weeks ago and it started up but when I pressed the gas there was hesitation but still idled and drove. A week after that I went to start the truck up and it was idling ruff and whould stall out but still drove, I found out that I broke the engine coolant temp. sensor when I was replacing the timing belt so I replaced it. Now the truck won't stay running at all. It will start up and rev up to 2000 rpm and drop to 1000 rpm and then drop till it stalls out. It sounds fine when it is running but shuts off and if I try t give it gas it sounds like its getting to much. I also unhooked my return line and primed the fuel pump a couple times and did not see any fuel coming back, I took the fuel pressure regulator off and had someone blow threw the return side and heard air going to the tank. I think it might be the fuel pressure regulator and I also have my battery charging today because of all the starting and stalling it has gone threw, I have not reset my pcm yet so I'm also doing that today. I'm a newbie so please take it easy on me. Thanks for all your help and sorry if it was to long of a post. Oh and I'm a TDC on compression stroke and cam lines up with triangle and oil pump lines up with diamond, It sounded good when it was running the first day just that hesitation problam I really have a feeling its to do with the pcm and electrical and the fuel pressure regulator, please help.

 

Since it has sat for two years there is most likely moisture damage in the fuel lines.
From what you describe I recommend pulling the fuel injectors and having them cleaned. Rust from the fuel line has either plugged them open and/ or closed.

 

Thank you OTRtech for responding. Before I put the timing belt on I did remove the rail from the injectors and cleaned the rail and clean each injector as much as I could, I also clean out the intake and throttle body which was very dirty. I put everything back together and changed the fuel filter and added gas and treatment. After I installed the timing belt the truck ran good just some hesitation, it idled. The truck isn't registered but I live in the country and drove it down the dirt roads I did notice in second gear it wouldn't respond well, you would have to ease into the gas to get it to accelerate. Now it won't stay running long enough to do anything, is there suppose to be fuel flowing threw the return line? I don't have any fuel returning. I thought maybe the fuel regulator is not opening and the pressure is to much. With the return line disconnected under the truck I had someone turn the key for the pump and heard the pump running, but it sounded like gas was pouring back into the tank without the return line hooked up. Is that a leak back from the fuel pressure regulator not opening from vacuum?

 

Connect a fuel pressure gauge to the fuel rail and see what you're getting.
Moisture can sit in the fuel line between the filter and rail and cause it to rust , this will plug the injectors when the fuel runs through. Had it happen a few times on another truck of mine and it does the same thing you describe.

BTW
How's the weather down there ?
Got another inch and a half of snow here today.

 

O.k I'll go rent a fuel pressure gauge and check it out, I appreciate the info! Weather is ruff right now, was 90 the other day and now its raining like crazy! Florida is nice but the weather is f-ed up man! Snow? Whats that? Never seen it before! lol Thanks again for the info, been beating my head on the steering wheel. Might take me a minute to get the guage but I'll be posting the progress, good or bad.

 

I bought a fuel pressure gauge today and hooked it up and key on and enigine off I was only getting about 5 psi and I would have to turn the key a couple times to get that but it would loose pressure very fast and when it ran for a couple seconds I only got 10 psi, so I'm guessing its the fuel pump. Its running but I guess its not building enough pressure. I did hear fuel flowing back into the fuel tank when I was under the truck, but I had the return line disconnected. Is it leaking back through the sending line?

 

Sounds like the fuel pump is junk.
There are two ways to replace it, drop the tank or pull the box.
On a truck the age of yours I suggest pulling the box off . That will also give you a chance to inspect the frame components , brake lines , ....

 

I pulled the bed off today and pulled out the pump and inspected it. The small piece of fuel line between the pump and metal sending line had blown out so I replaced it with a 2 1/2 inch piece of fuel line and dropped it back in the tank and was getting around 40 prestart and 37 when it was running, the truck runs great. The FPR is leaking now, I tried changing the O rings but no luck. I think its not opening. You were right on with the fuel pump OTRtech. Don't know how long it will last but its doing pretty good right now until I can buy a new pump. Thanks for the info!