Im trying to help a friends mom get her ranger going. Its an 88 with a 2.9/5 speed. She was driving it the other day and switched to the rear tank. As soon as she switched the tanks it stalled and wouldnt start so she switched back to the front tank. It was hard to start and ran like *** the hole way home "bucking and sputtering". Now it wont start at all (doesnt even seem to try, not even a sputter). I have replaced the plugs, wires, cap, rotor, and coil so far with no change. It has strong spark and "seems" to have plenty of fuel pressure. What should the fuel pressure be at idle and when not running??? Someone said the tfi might be bad but, If the tfi is bad wouldnt it have no spark? When I pull the plugs they look as if it is flooded. Im thinking maybe it had bad gas in the rear tank that is now in the fuer lines/rail/injectors? Especially considering that it ran perfectly before she switched to the other tank....What type of code reader do I need for this truck???? Ideas?????

 

How old is the gas in the back tank?

 

She doesnt know...But if it was a bad fuel issue wouldnt it at least try to start when I spray starting fluid into the throtle body? Because it makes no difference. Whats the best way to flush th system?

 

NEVERMIND.

GB :)

 

Sounds like a fuel issue.

 

But.... If it is a fuel system issue wouldnt it at least try to start with starting fluid???

 

Hmm, it might not cause it is pumping in all that bad gas. I get to figure the same thing on my mom's expo this christmas break. Its getting spark and even if I spray starting fluid in it doesnt hit. I think its cause of bad gas.

 

Suggestions as far as flushing out the bad gas? I was thinking I would use the nipple from my fuel pressure gauge kit and a length of rubber hose hooked to the pressure release on the fuel rail. Then let the pump do the work...?

 

Not necessarily, why don't you disconnect the fuel line and see if the fuel is bad?

 

just pump it out and put in like five gallons of brand new fuel that will at least get all the fuel out of the tank, if the gas is old i probably settled so you could maybe even try fuel stabilizer, and it wouldn't hurt to check the spark from the coill with a timing light, i mean coils don't wear down and not work right, thy either do or they don't, so its moslikely not a coil, but you never know could even be a corroded or bad connection on one of the towers