A friend of mine has a 2.3 duratec Ranger, 2003. Recently, the truck stopped running completely. It'll crank and crank and crank until the battery dies, but no starting. After taking a plug out of the engine and grounding it with a jumper cable, we confirmed there was spark.
Next, I pushed open the shrader valve with a pen while my friend turned the key. The valve of course had fuel pouring out of it briefly.

We haven't been able to get it running for two weeks. However, he tried something. Starting fluid. With the starting fluid, the engine did start but of course died after the fuel was used up.

At this point I'm blaming the injectors, so I'm trying to find out what I can do to test them.
Unfortunately our good friend Google is of no help to us. Any advice?

 

Unplug the TPS(throttle position sensor), then try to start

If TPS fails in a certain way, short, then it will send computer above 4.5volts all the time.

Computer has a Clear Flooded Engine routine.
Turn key on
Press gas pedal to the floor and hold it down(TPS sends computer above 4.5volts at this time)
Try to start engine

Engine won't start because Clear Flooded Engine shuts off fuel injectors but leaves spark on.
So TPS failing by a short would cause a no start.

If engine still doesn't start with TPS unplugged, get a volt meter and test the wires.
Top wire should have 5volts
center under 1 volt
lower is a ground

If center wire and top wire have the same voltage the wires are shorted in the harness


PATS anti-theft system turns off fuel injectors, but I think in '03 it would disable starter motor as well but not sure


Injectors get 12volts when key is turned on, the computer grounds each injector to open it.
The 12volt wire is daisy chained from one injector to the next, usually a Red wire.
Same circuit is often used for computer power and fuel pump relay.
Called the EEC fuse in engine fuse box.

 

Thanks Ron, I'll send this over to him and see where that gets him. Hopefully it's a simple part; but when is it?

 

TPS is opposite throttle linkage on upper intake, it is connected to the throttle plate shaft that runs thru upper intake, opposite end of where throttle cable from gas pedal attaches.

Do not replace it, test it by unplugging it first, it is not a common failure, so test first

 

The entire throttle body assembly was swapped out today with known good parts. Made no difference what so ever. He's going to get a fuel pressure test gauge tomorrow and see if the fuel pump is outputting enough pressure.

 

Seems to be going at this backwards, lol

I would have assumed after engine started by manually adding fuel(starting fluid) some one would have pressed on schrader valve's center pin to see if there was fuel in there?
And check the gas tank, lol.

Swapping parts is a bad idea, voltage test of TPS wires would tell you if TPS or wiring was or was not a problem.

"Known good part" is only valid if it was tested and left in place, when you remove a "known good part" and reinstall it on another engine it just becomes another variable complicating matters further, especially electrical parts.

Fuel in the tank, do NOT assume, add some if not sure!
Do you hear fuel pump come on for 2 seconds when key is turned on?
If not find out why, fuel pump is loud, you can't miss hearing it come on

Crank engine, if no start pull out a spark plug, is it wet with fuel or dry?
If dry reinstall spark plug and add fuel manually
If still no start check spark system

If it starts and dies press center pin on schrader valve, should have 30-50psi pressure, alot.
If not it is a fuel pump issue

If it has pressure then injectors are off.
Check for 12volts at injectors when key is on

 

Depressing the fuel rail valve was one of the first things we done. Sure enough, fuel came out. At the time we hadn't taken notice if the plugs were wet or dry. Five gallons of fuel was added

The plugs are sparking, had removed one and grounded it with a jumper cable. Sparked consistently, but still no start.

I'll make sure to tell him the other things.

 

Update: I'm the owner of the Blue 2003 Ranger that TheArticWolf1911 is talking about.
I finally got the truck to start after replacing the fuel pump. The truck didn't start right away after replacing the pump. It took awhile to get the system primed.
I did buy a fuel pressure tester and it was only going up to 58 psi when It should have gone up to 68-70 psi. The lesson learned here was to never assume your injectors are putting fuel out to the engine just because fuel comes out of the Schrader valve on the fuel rail.
Thanks for all your help with this.

 

Good work.

Thanks for the update