Hey guys,
I'm at my wits end with this truck. Maybe you can help?
'98 Ranger, 3.0, manual shift.
This all started a few weeks ago. Truck was running fine, no CEL. Let it set a couple of weeks, then it wouldn't start.
Let is set some more, then it started and ran fine. I drove it a few days and then it started this all over again.
At the time I didn't have the tools to be able to check it out. I seemed to have spark and fuel pressure, checked the low tech way...
Now I have, noid lights- fuel pressure test- spark test)
Yesterday I installed a new fuel pump and filter. It ran good. Steady 60 psi at the fuel rail. I drove it about 15 miles and turned it off at my destination. When I restarted it, it ran a few minutes and then died as I was getting out on to the road. At first it wouldn't fire when I cranked it. After a while it would start and run a few seconds and die. I did this maybe 15 times.
About a half hour later, it started and ran fine. During the 15 mile return trip, It died on the freeway about half way home and I had to be towed back. After I got home it still wouldn't start.
1st thing this morning I replaced the cam position sensor. It started up and ran fine for about a half hour, then it died. When I tried to restart it, the starter would not run, I made a sound a lot like rolling an R in Spanish. Like clicking at a very high frequency.
I thought I had plenty of battery so I replaced the starter. While I was at it I replaced the Crank Position sensor as well.
Same sound.
After a lot of cussing and trying things I finally got the starter to crank the engine. The starter works fine now but it still won't start.
As of now, I have spark and 60 psi fuel pressure. The noid light says the injectors are not firing. (I've had it in 2 positions)

I've checked the rollover/inertia switch. It has not tripped.
New, Starter/Cam Position sensor/ Crank Position sensor/ Fuel pump/Filter. Injectors not getting a command to fire.
Can anyone help me out?
Edit- CEL came on yesterday. I tried to get the codes this afternoon but my reader just says there's no link.
I can plug it into my Expedition and it reads zero codes. So I assume there's nothing wring with my reader.
It's an Actron PBD 2 PocketScan CP9125
thx,
Jim

 

Welcome to the forum

Just do the 50/50 test
Spray fuel into the engine and try to start it
If it starts and dies then you have spark and its at the right time<<<
If it doesn't start then you have no spark or no compression
50/50 easy peasy

So if it restarted before I would say compression is not the issue, since its mechanical so is rarely intermittent

Add some fuel to see if it starts and dies, just do it, lol
If so then spark is OK so you can focus on fuel

Since you can't "talk" with computer that could be your problem
Intermittent problems may indicate that, computer issue
And if you have fuel pressure at the rail but no injector pulses in a 1998 or older Ranger then computer issue would be best guess

The 3.0l did have some years where no CAM sensor pulse would cause no injector pulse, cam sensor drive is the oil pump drive, so no cam pulse could mean no oil pump so engine shuts down

Unplug TPS(throttle position sensor) and try to start
The TPS can short and send 5volts to computer, this will turn off fuel injectors, its called "clear flooded engine" mode, but this can NOT stall an engine, so long shot

 

Ron,
I disconnected the TPS and tried to start the truck. Same result.
I'll give the 50/50 test a try when I get some time but it seems to me that I already know I have spark and no injector pulse.
I haven't researched what it'll take to replace the computer. Is that something a back yard mechanic can do?

 

Yes, not a big deal in a 1998

Computer needs to be from/for 1998 3.0l with manual trans, 2wd or 4x4 doesn't matter, can be Ranger or Mazda B3000

 

Talking this over with some guys at work, they think it's "almost never the ECU"...
Is there a way I can check out the circuit that controls the injectors? Maybe there's a wire problem there, or maybe from a sensor to the ECU.
I saw that the O2 sensors could be involved with injector firing??

 

Yes, "almost never the ECU", but not never the ECU(PCM)

Do the 50/50 test
If engine starts and dies this confirms spark at the right time

This means the the crank sensor is working 100% and PCM uses that to time the injectors, so NOT a sensor issue
Only other sensor that can shut off injectors is the TPS and only when cranking
If 50/50 test gets engine to start then it would stay running if TPS was the issue because the TPS ability to shut off injectors is only under 400RPMs

You can test for 12volts on any injector's Red wire, key on, comes from PCM relay and PCM fuse, which also power the PCM, lol, and again 50/50 test start up would confirm PCM is working because there is spark
All the injectors get 12volts with key on, on the red wire, its just daisy chained from one injector to the next
The PCM then grounds each injector to open it
That's what Noid light tests, if injectors are getting grounded by PCM
So on a V6 engine all 6 injector ground wires would have to fail or engine would start but just have steady misfire if just 1 or 2 or even 3 wires failed

No on the O2 sensor, its not used on start up or even at idle, and is ignored by PCM until engine is warmed up a bit, 3 or 4 minutes after startup

 

OK,
Today I tried the 50/50 test several times. The engine starts and dies as soon as the starting fluid is spent.
I saw on line that sometimes when codes cannot be read, the cigarette lighter would be dead and the # 29 fuse would be shot. (EDIT- #17 in my truck)
Well, the lighter does seem to be dead but the fuse is fine. I put another one in anyway but no luck. (volt meter in the socket show a fraction of a volt. Like .8 or something)
I also tried the old way where you hold the trip reset and turn the ignition switch to acc.
That didn't work either. (the trip and odometer are old fashioned analog numbers that just roll)
I checked the red wire to one of the injectors and I have 12 volts there.
Not sure where to go now.
thx,
Jim

 

fuse 29 is the power for the "OBD reader" at the data link(OBD port), its also the fuse for cigar lighter
If OBD reader is powering up and but can't connect then it has power, but nothing come back from computer

I would say computer issue, if you can't "talk" to it

 

Ron,
I posted a while ago but can't find it now. Your above reply seems like maybe you saw it?
I'll try again.
1. I did the 50/50 test. It starts momentarily and dies. I did this several times
2. I saw another fuse box map that says my lighter fuse is #17. It's good but I replaced it anyway. Didn't help.
3. I get 12 volts in the red wires to the injectors.
4. I thought there was a way to get the codes without the scan tool. I tried that too and still no luck.
Feelin pretty frustrated right now.
thx,
Jim

 

Ron,
Are you talking about the computer that's inside the cab on the passenger side (ECU?)? (EDIT, I just looked at it, that's a crash sensor)
Guys at work think it might be another on that's by the firewall in the engine bay, on the passenger side... (EDIT, it says EEC-V F87F-12A650-XB EFA1)
??

 

Is it possible that your engine-body harness connector is corroded or otherwise damaged?

 

I pulled the connector off and all of the pins and sockets look good to me.
The cavity itself was dusty. I blew it off and put it back and tried it again.
No start.
I found a replacement at Flagship One for $150.00
Rock Auto is out of stock.
Not sure what else to do.
EDIT,
computer is on order.
Crossing my fingers.

 

You have a 1998 Ranger so computer is in the engine bay firewall, top about center

104 pin connector

You said you had fuel pressure at the engine, so fuel pump is working
And 50/50 test shows spark and compression are OK

So that leave injectors
They have 12volts with key on, so only thing missing is the grounding pulse from computer
And with a no start ALL the grounding pulses are missing

To top it off Computer will not "talk" when asked to, OBD reader, but it is "on" because spark works

You have done everything you can to narrow it down to..................computer problem

 

Computer came in and it's installed and engine had been running for about a half an hour now. Sounds good except now it sounds like my power steering is going out.
I'll put up another post about that, because I have questions.
thx,
JIm