I have 94 ranger 4.0 automatic.222587 miles on it. runs and sounds great, but fuel pump relay gets hot and shuts engine down. engine compartment is hot .brand new radiator ,and engine flushed out new fan blade. can change another relay starts up an run till it get hot too. what's up ranger dudes?

 

Welcome to the forum

Automotive Relay has no thermal protection circuit, so it doesn't shut off when hot, it can melt a wire or the plastic and shut off but it will not work again.

Fuel pump should draw 6 to 9 amps, it could be failing and drawing too many amps causing relay to heat up.
Fuel pump motor does have a thermal shut off, so will shut off if it gets too hot, it will reset once it cools down.

A relay has a coil of wire around a metal rod, when power passes thru that coil of wire the metal rod becomes a magnet and pulls down on the Contact bar, that passes the voltage to the fuel pump.

But that coil of wire is like a light bulbs coil of wire, or a toasters coil of wire, it does heat up just like a light bulb or toaster does, so a relay that is "on" for awhile will be warm to the touch, that is normal.

Corrosion in the relays socket can cause it to heat it up as well

 

my truck has the same symptoms. stalls when hot (doesn't get fuel). I'll try to switch relays next time it occurs. Did you find a solution?