2004 ranger xl 2.3 automatic

Fuel pump fuse blew the other night and will blow a new fuse as soon as you turn the key on. Trying to find the testing procedure for the fuel pump circuit

fuse does not blow if inertia switch is unplugged but if you jump the plug the fuse will blow

I have swapped the relays around with no luck. I have had intermittent issues with the gauge cluster not working but I don’t see any evidence of rodents chewing on wires.

 

Welcome to the forum

Most likely the Fuel Pump is the issue
But only way to find out is to lift the bed up in the front or slide it back so you can get access to the top of the gas tank and the fuel pump wires and assembly

Google: Change ford ranger fuel pump
Lots of videos and how-tos

If you have a shop with a lift and transmission jack then you can lower the gas tank to get access, otherwise just remove the 6 bolts holding the bed on and 3 screws holding the filler to bed side and move the bed back, way easier
(problem is not lowering the tank down, it is tight to get hand above tank to unhook hoses and wires, the problem is trying to put the tank back in, lol)

Fuel pump assembly has 4 wires, 6 counting air pressure sensor
2 wires for fuel pump, 12v(pink/black wire) and ground(black wire)
2 wires for gas gauge, gauge(yellow/white) and ground(black/white)

You will have seen the pink/black wire at the inertia switch, runs from there to the fuel pump
Plug in inertia switch if its still unplugged
Unplug the 4 wire connector on fuel pump assembly
Put in new fuse
Turn key on
If fuse doesn't blow then fuel pump is bad
If fuse still blows then pink/black wire has a short, run a new wire, easier than tracing and unwraping harness's

 

It was a short in the pink/black wire. I’ve run a temporary wire from inertia switch to fuel pump until I have time to run a more permanent fix. I do appreciate your input Ron