so on saturday i installed an upgraded fuel pump (from an svt focus) in my ranger. everything seemed fine at first, but now, almost every time i start the truck, it doesnt start right away. it has to crank for a few seconds before it will finally turn over.

i thought it was my battery at first, but thats not it, as i installed a brand new optima red top today and its still doing it.

what could be causing this? the fuel pump was brand new, and the truck does start so it works, but something obviously isnt right. did i maybe not tighten the ring that secures the fuel pump sender unit in place good enough so it isnt airtight? would that even matter?

any help would be appreciated... thanks guys!!

EDIT: i've also noticed that it has gotten progressively worse since saturday. on saturday, i didnt even notice a problem... sunday it hesitated just a little before starting, monday it took a little longer, and today ive had to crank it for a good 2 to 4 seconds before it finally turns over.

EDIT 2: fuel filter has never been changed, however i never had this problem before sunday.

 

what will an focus fuel pump do in a ranger?....I havenet heard of anyone doing this so i was just curious

 

its an upgraded capacity pump over the stock one... i installed it in preparation for the nitrous kit i'll be installing soon :o)

 

ahhh, got ya...Make sure all the connections are tight and secure...other than that i have no idea

 

did you upgrade your injectors?

 

no... and from what i recently heard, flex-fuel vehicles have upgraded injectors already.

i keep trying to listen to hear the fuel pump priming when i first turn the key, but i dont hear anything... however if the fuel pump wasnt priming or working at all, then my truck wouldnt start period, right?

 

You're correct on the flex-fuel injectors.

Sounds to me like you have a drop in pressure -- a leak -- and it's getting harder and harder for the pump to bring it up to where it needs to be.

Have you tried turning the key on for a second or two, then off, then on, for a few times and then cranking it? That will pre-pressurize the line a bit maybe. That's not a solution, just a coping mechanism.

If you don't smell gas, then the leak is probably INSIDE your tank, or the internal regulator in the pump and/or tank isn't right in some way.

But that's what it sounds like to me -- pressure isn't coming up fast enough and whatever it is is bypassing even more fuel back to the tank as time goes on. You might have to drop the tank again -- I know that sucks -- and make an inspection of the system to see if you can determine what's wrong.

Have you measured your fuel pressure at the rail using the schrader valve there? That would give you an idea of whether or not it's building properly.

If your pressure gets weak, your injector time will increase to try to compensate. If it gets weak enough, the PCM will reach the limits it's allowed to adjust -- then you'll get a CEL light and a code for a lean condition or whatever.

 

i actually did try this, and it didnt seem to do a thing?

 

Then it may be bleeding off as fast as you can pump it up that way. Oh well. Best measure the pressure.

It should pump up and STAY THERE. It can bleed off slowly, but I believe the fuel system stays pressurized when you turn off the vehicle -- at least some older cars I used to work on did.

 

should there be an audible noise coming from the tank if i turn the ignition on (without starting the truck) and listen under the truck by the tank?

... i don't hear a thing.

 

Yes, you can hear it better by opening the gas cap and listening. Some pumps whine BAD. My stock pump is noisy and you can hear no problem.

If the pump wasn't running, the truck wouldn't start at ALL.

 

i have installed this same fuel pump in my ranger for the ee charger ....

when you installed it did you make sure the hoses were connected tightly .... also that filter "sock" did you make sure that was installed correctly ... it sounds like you have a leak in the lines on the pump.

good luck let me know

 

Do you have gas in the gas tank...

 

Agreed! That's what I said also.

 

hehe yes there is gas in the tank...

jared you know that metal hose clamp that connected the pump hose to the pump? how did you get that off and replace it without messing it up? i busted the clamp, so i had to use one of those screw-it-and-it-tightens type clamps... and how did you connect the wires... solder? i soldered them and then used heat-shrink wrap tubing.

anyways, the bed is coming back off tomorrow... hopefully i'll be able to tell what the problem is with a visual inspection.

anyways,

 

so i just finished pulling the fuel pump. i didnt notice anything wrong with it at all, however the piece of electrical tape i wrapped the shrinkwrapped segments with was off. it was floating in the tank, with all the "sticky" off of it.

at first i thought maybe the tape was getting sucked up around the fuel pump and that was cuasing the problem, but i reinstalled the pump and its still doing it. could the fuel filter be clogged from the sticky stuff from the tape? it was only like 6" of tape.

i'm thinking that isnt it either, because if i start the truck it hard starts, but if i turn it off and then immediately turn it back on, it starts up with no hesitation. any new suggestions? aside from changing the fuel filter i'm out of ideas to try.

 

Wow, Brian -- there are only a limited range of plastics that work in a fuel tank. That was pretty dangerous if it caused a spark.

Yes, it's possible something like that happened.

It's also possible that your new pump ain't no good. Happens sometimes.

Also, sometimes hose clamps don't seal -- especially if you didn't cut the hose back. Had that happen with radiator hoses especially.

 

can a pump be defective but still work? what i mean is, today with the bed off, i turned the ignition key on and i can hear the pump start up. the truck is still starting, too... just not right away, so i know that the pump is doing something.

... and agreed on the electrical tape mistake... i was concerned about gasoline possibly getting into the shrinkwrapped connections so i thought wrapping it in the electrical tape would further seal it. obviously not :o/

 

Hope the shrink wrap is okay. Like I said, only a limited range of plastics are okay in gasoline.

Yes, any pump can run and still not build pressure properly. When you drive, can you drive full speed/RPM without any problems? That would seem to suggest adequate pressure if so. It's beginning to look contradictory and I'm stumped if so.

 

if you still have your original pump, reinstall that and see how it runs.

 

That's probably a good idea.

Hey, Tim, I see you're fairly new -- are you an offroader? Heck, you're only a stone's throw away out there in Havertown, relatively speaking. I'm in Kennett Square if you know where that is, out route 1 near Longwood Gardens.

We go on pretty regular, moderately mild offroading trips if you're interested. There's one this weekend to Wharton State Forest in NJ.

 

The OEM in-tank fuel pump module has a check valve to prevent drainback and vaporization of the fuel when parked. Is there any chance that the check valve got damaged or eliminated during the swap?

 

hi nelz, i don't know if you remember me ,but you followed me to one of my customers when i firsat got my truck( fibre metal ).and told me about generation edge. when i finally signed up you where gone fom there. ive been on here as a guest for a while.

 

i suppose there is a chance.... any way to test?