Hope I'm posting at right place, new to forum. I have a 2002 Ford Ranger Edge 4x4, 3.0 V6 with only 60K miles with an intermittent crank/no start problem. Got up one cold morning about a month ago and engine wouldn't start, but it was cranking strong. (As a side note when the engine does start on cold mornings I hear a brief clicking noise like relays but engine would start and ran strong). Went for several days of trying but car would not start. Fuel pump not energizing. Was gonna have it towed to Ford dealership and no lie, the tow truck arrived and I tried to start it one last time and guess what. It started. I drove it to dealership and they kept it for 4 days trying to get it to fail and it started everytime. Hard to troubleshoot when it's working I guess. They checked easy stuff, no computer codes, relays, fuses, inertia switch, fuel pressure was strong with no decay. Drove it back home and all was well for the next several weeks and then this week it did the exact same thing. Crank but no start. Was gonna tow it again but this morning went out and it cranked right up. Maddening. What I am hoping you can help me with is a short list of things i can ask the tech to try before throwing a fuel pump at it. I know, why should I have to do this? Because I am not sure how hard they will drill down on this issue, they have other customers, i get it. I admit I know nothing about this stuff but I am trying to learn. With my luck there is a control or ground issue somewhere for them to hunt down. Cab is leaky and after heavy rain can see some standing water on floor mat. There is some corrosion underneath. No electrical issues I know of. I am just trying to avoid having a new fuel pump installed and have it run fine for a few days/weeks and start all over again. If you have a few suggestions for the tech to try please let me know. Thanks so much!

 

Welcome to the forum

I would do a 50/50 test just to confirm what you think is a fuel issue
Get a can of Quick Start(ether)
At the next No Start spray Ether into the intake, you can do this in a few ways, pull out air cleaner and spray it into the intake air tube(you can leave air cleaner off for test), pull off Power brake booster hose and spray ether into the hose then put it back on

Crank engine
If it starts and then dies you do indeed have a fuel issue
If it doesn't start, then its a spark issue or electrical
50/50

Yes, you should hear the fuel pump run for 2 seconds each time key is turned from off to on
Repeat as much as needed to either confirm you don't hear it or that you do hear it
Fuel pump is not quiet, HUMMMM can be heard in cab

In the engine fuse box is the Fuel Pump relay, the computer(PCM) controls this relay
When key is turned on PCM boots up and Grounds this relay for 2 seconds to Prime the fuel system
CEL(check engine light) should come on confirming PCM is booting up
The THEFT light should also come on and then go OFF, confirming Key in ignition Passed the PATS test, Flashing theft light means no fuel pump or fuel injectors
If THEFT light bulb is burned out then you could be having intermittent PATS issue and just don't know it.

After engine RPMs are above 300, engine started, PCM grounds fuel pump relay full time

Pull out the fuel pump relay and inspect its connections
Have someone Cycle key on and off with FP relay in place and your finger on it, to confirm you feel it activate for 2 seconds
The Relay next to it, PCM relay, should also activate, this relay stays on with key on, it powers the PCM, and most engine systems.


Power for fuel pump runs like this
Battery------FP fuse----------FP relay--------------------------inertia switch---------------------------------------------Fuel pump-------ground

You can pull FP fuse, just to make sure connections are clean


Fuse #19, 25amp, in the CAB fuse box powers the ignition coil, so check its connector for corrosion, no spark

 

good stuff ron, thanks so much. can't wait for it to fail again (and it will) to try these things.

 

"Intermittent" is the worst word there is in any diagnostics, for anything not just vehicles

Even if you change a suspected part, you never know if you actually fixed the problem, lol

Total failure, now that's something you can be sure you can fix, well hopefuly

 

yeh, i have a Mini HAL 9000 for my PCM

 

an unrelated item, with the car running and i turn on the parking lights the clock/radio LED dims and the hot/cold dial brightens. is this a concern?

 

Check dimmer wheel next to light switch, make sure it is working OK