My 1993 Ford Ranger has been sitting for a few years with half a tank of gas. It was running fine a few years ago. I was planning on emptying the fuel and putting new fuel in. I read that it is possible to do that through the shrader valve on the fuel rail - so I took the stem out of that and turned the engine over, but nothing came out of it. I turned the engine over for several minutes, and nothing happened. I put the stem back in and turned it over some more - when I took the stem out again, it seemed like there was no pressure built up.

I've also tried siphoning the gas out of the tank, but I can't get a hose all the way down to the tank.

So - before I take the fuel tank out and try to replace the fuel pump, are there other things I should be trying first?

Thanks!

 

Welcome to the forum

Fuel pump doesn't run when starter motor is on, so you can crank til the sun goes down and won't get a drop of fuel out

Fuel pump does run for 2 seconds, and 2 seconds only, when you turn on the key, its a safety feature
But it does that EACH TIME you turn on the key.

So turn the radio down, lol, and listen, you should hear the HUMMMM from the gas tank when you turn on the key, its not quiet
Repeat as much as you want, to decide if pump is working or not

Fuel pump has a fuse in engine bay fuse box, FP Fuse
There is also a Fuel Pump Relay, FP Relay
When you turn on the Key TWO relays in the engine fuse box should "click" closed
EEC Relay, this powers computer, spark, injectors and most sensors, plus the Fuel Pump Relay
And the FP Relay should also "click" closed when powered by EEC Relay then 2 seconds later it will "click" open
You can put finger on the relays to feel them clicking if you not sure both are working

Battery(12volts)-----------FP fuse----------FP relay---------inertia switch----------------------Fuel Pump---ground

Inertia switch is in the cab, under glove box area mounted on the firewall, it has a Red Button on the top, all vehicles with electric fuel pumps have an inertia switch
In an accident or rollover the weight inside this switch will move and break the connection inside to cut power to the fuel pump, prevent possible fire
The red button on the top will pop up if that happens, and it can be pushed back down to "reset" the switch, but it is a temporary "reset", switch should be replaced after it pops up.

Inertia switch is a good place to test if Fuse and FP relay are OK, hook up test light or volt meter to Cab Ground, and then to either terminal on inertia switch, turn on the key, you should see 12v or bright test light for 2 seconds, then volts will drop to about 6 to 8volts, that a MONITOR circuit, no amps just volts, so can't power a fuel pump, repeat making sure you get the 12v each time.
If so but no noise from the tank then fuel pump is most likely bad


If you can get the pump working then you can make it run full time with key on/engine off by using a jumper Ground on the ODB1 connector in the engine bay

This is an article for reading codes from OBD1: Testing EEC-IV Equipped Engines : The Ranger Station

BUT.........it shows diagram of the OBD1 connector in engine bay and the FUEL PUMP SLOT on that connector

If you put a grounded wire into that slot it will closed the FP Relay full time when key is on, so you can run the pump and drain the tank

Yes the Fuel rail test port can be use, and a good spot because it should clear out all the old fuel from the rail
The rail and injectors may be gummed up from the "varnish" left over after gasoline evaporated, especially if all pressure was lost over the two years.
I have seen systems hold pressure that long but rare, lol.
If pump runs but nothing comes out at fuel rail then you will need to remove fuel filter, it is most likely plugged up, its in the frame rail under drivers seat area, you will want to replace this in any case, but if possible do it after draining the tank, so old one collects any debris and is then thrown out.


I would put some Seafoam or similar injector cleaner in the new fuel when you add it to the tank, follow mix instruction, MORE is not better, enough is good, lol.
It will help to start cleaning off that varnish

 

Thank you! You're a life saver. I can hear the pump when I turn the key - does that mean that all electrical is fine and that my next step is to try to get the fuel out through the fuel rail test port by "using a jumper Ground on the ODB1 connector in the engine bay"?

 

Yes, you are good to go

Test port or remove fuel filter which ever is easier