ive got a 2000 ranger, 2.5L 4 cylinder. it was parked for past 3 months, pretty cold a lot of the time. now i cant get it to start. did start up pretty easy with starter fluid but then stalls right out when its gone. can hear the fuel pump engage when i turn the key. checked inertia switch as well as fuel pump fuse/relay under hood, all good. also getting fuel pressure at the shrader valve, trying to test how much, on my 3rd faulty fuel pressure gauge from autozone. got a reading of 50psi one time, then lost pressure pretty quickly, unfortunately it was leaking at the connection to the valve, so i dont know what to credit the loss of pressure to. have to find another place to rent a gauge from. wondering what to look at next though. timing belt is fine. i see other people talking about the injectors, the pressure regualtor, and also a damper on the rail. any help greatly appreciated.

 

also should mention i was at a quarter tank. added 5 more gallons yesterday with a bottle of that stuff to add to fuel in winter. over half tank now, parked on pretty level spot.

 

1st off , replace the fuel filter first ,

then check for fuel pressure in the fuel line .

there is a rubber fuel hose between the fuel pump and fuel filter and then between the steel line that runs along the frame rail , then the rubber hose to the fuel injector rail

replace those rubber lines first before anything else , those old hoses / rubber lines are NOT ethanol resistant .

i would have to say that the fuel injectors are completely clogged from rubber fragments breaking off inside the rubber hoses way pasts the fuel filter

the newer style OEM 2009 and newer rubber lines are ethanol resistant