Hey guys,

Posting on behalf of my brother but am also a long time Ranger fan.

He just got a beautiful 1997 3.0 4x4 which we love, but we're having a real time getting it to start and it has me stumped. Any help would be great!!

When we got the truck, it didn't start great, meaning it cranked a lot before firing. It continued to crank more and more before starting, sometimes not starting at all for many attempts, but always eventually starting if you tried long enough. It also began to feel a little gutless overall.

We changed the fuel pump, one fuel line, and the filter, and it started more consistently after that, but still sometimes cranked over for longer than seems necessary.

Last night, he was driving it, running fine. Then it started bucking hard and running like really farty and weird, as if there was a serious lack of fuel or a hard misfire. 5 seconds later, basically normal again, and we parked it, shut it off, got dinner.

Could not get that thing started again at all and got towed home.

It cranks over really fast, so we know the battery is good. The starter is clearly turning it over with ease so I think we can also rule that out.

We changed the coil pack (which also has the icm built in, correct?)- still nothing.

I pulled a fuel pressure regulator off a 2.3 in our backyard, swapped it, and it started up perfectly, and ran fine. But, after I shut it off, its back to the no start condition? Tried several other regulators, same thing: coughs, starts and quits, or doesnt start. Every time this happens there is plenty of fuel in the regulator and in the rail, which you can see when you remove regulator.

We tripped and un tripped the inertia switch many times, still no change.

What gives??

MY thoughts are:

Easy stuff- check the fuel pump relay and fuses associated with that or inertia switch? Swap inertia switch and connector, check fuel pressure at the rail, bleed it at the rail..? check wires at fuel pump

Any other help would be greatly appreciated.

Chris

 

We have also folowed lines from tank to engine, no evidence of fuel leak

 

It also starts and runs briefly on starting fluid, so spark must be ok

 

Run the fuel pressure test find out how much pressure you have with the key on engine off then while cranking.

Turn the key off and let it sit.

If you have good pressure or any pressure while cranking or the key on post the results.


If the pressure bleeds off you have a pressure leak somewhere in the system, anything from bad lines in tank to bad pump, bad regulator, or leaking injectors.

Once you know more post your results and we can help you more.