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Ford Ranger Maintenance and Repair

2987 messages,  Last post on May 25, 2013 at 4:17 PM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Ranger, Truck

Messages Page 297 of 300

#2954 of 2987 93 Ranger 3.0 XLT 2wd Automatic by tomtom59

Dec 28, 2011 (9:37 am)

I have a 93 Ranger with the 3.0 engine. Once in the past few years I had the entire sending unit replaced for a "always on Empty" fuel gauge reading. They gave me the old unit and I quickly discovered gas had leaked into the brass two-piece float (through a tiny hole in the solder where the two halves meet). It sat on the bottom of the tank like a rock, hence the always on Empty reading. Since then the fuel pump seemed to die so again the tank was dropped and just the fuel pump was changed that time, six months ago. I loaned the truck for a while to someone and he informs me the fuel pump is bad. Guys, I'm not buying this crap. There is no way the pump is bad again. My line of thinking says perhaps one or both electrical connections at the sending unit connections is/are faulty and probably where the connectors are crimped onto the wires. Fuel pumps don't just die like this and certainly not repeatedly. The mechanic thinks fuel pumps in the tank "overheat" when the tank isn't kept mostly full at all times and that is what kills them. I say, BS. They don't need to be kept cool by fuel, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. I work on operating tables for a living. If one came to me with the complaint the right leg section won't move, I would possibly change the right leg section motor, check it out thoroughly and send it back out. If that table came back and again with a non-operational right leg section, first of all I'd be suspicious as heck. I may again replace the right leg section motor. If it came back a third time with the same issue, I'd then be positively certain the problem is not the motor. The law of probability isn't in favor of that motor repeatedly going bad, something else is causing the recurring problem. Its the same with this fuel pump. First off, Ford had no business putting pumps inside the tank. Secondly, I have a good mind to modify this setup and move it outside the tank where a: I can get to it without dropping the tank, and b: I'd buy on of those 12 volt decorative LEDs of any color and attach it directly to the very ends of the positive and negative fuel pump wiring. That way I could take a quick look under there and see if the pump is actually getting power or not. No LED lit equals no power. LED lit equals power is there. An easy diagnostic for connections you cannot access without dropping the tank which always seems to be mostly full when this happens. There are issues with Ranger fuel delivery and I don't think it's always the pump! I've had many many fuel injected cars over the years and NEVER have I had to change a fuel pump. And I'm supposed to believe the pump on the Ranger has failed three times? BS. Pumps don't just run all by themselves, they have to have good, solid, reliable electrical connections too, hot and ground or even the best of them isn't going to run. Just a side note, the same truck not long ago had a no run condition, they blamed the fuel pump (citing that the guy had recently replaced a bunch of them), then said I needed to replace the Fuel Injection Computer. I laughed. Repaired it myself, it was THE IGNITION COIL. I don't do "Easter egging" repairs.

#2955 of 2987 Re: 93 Ranger 3.0 XLT 2wd Automatic [tomtom59] by bolivar

Dec 31, 2011 (7:35 am)

Replying to: tomtom59 (Dec 28, 2011 9:37 am)
First, it's my understand the fuel pump is 'cooled' by the fuel flow. But I think they don't overheat quickly from lack of fuel coverage because you run out of gas before they overheat.
 
But second, you may have the right idea about the connectors. When a fuel pump does start to fail, many times it doesn't fail quickly, it draws a higher than normal amount of current (not enough to open its relay) and this excessive current does fry the connector on the top. And this failing connector does not pass current well, which loads the failing pump more, which causes more current flow, and the the pump fails. Sometimes the connector fails first.
 
The previous pump might have failed. And weakened the connector. The current problems might be coming from the connector. You would hope that had the connector failed, it would have been noticed while replacing, but maybe not, the damage might be inside the rubber covered area and not easily seen.
 
Not sure if you can get to the connector without dropping the tank, but might be worth a try to see if you can pull it off and inspect before dropping the tank again.
 
Checking the fuel pump is pretty easy. When you first turn the key to ON you should be able to hear the pump start up to pressurize the system. If you don't hear this, the pump isn't working. There is a Schrader valve on the fuel line on top of the motor and there are hose/valve test sets that attach here. These are two spec for most motors fuel pressure, a 'not running' (key to ON) and a 'running' pressure. Out of spec in either area will cause problems, not starting or performance problems. A decent mechanic should know all this and have the valve/hose and rather quickly know if a fuel pump is working ok.
 
You might have a bad connector which, because of bad current flow, caused the latest pump to also fail.

#2956 of 2987 Re: 93 Ranger 3.0 XLT 2wd Automatic [bolivar] by wookie1

Jan 01, 2012 (7:47 pm)

Replying to: bolivar (Dec 31, 2011 7:35 am)
a fuel pump can last a long time, but if you let a vehicle run out of fuel it can cause the impeller to get worn enough to stop pumping fuel . most fuels have a lubricant to keep the impeller from wearing to quickly.

#2957 of 2987 90 Ford Ranger wont start by meganwoods

Jan 28, 2012 (11:41 am)

I have a 90 ford ranger,auto trans, 2.9 ltr, while driving it just shut down and now will not re start. Ive checked fuel line and pump and its getting gas, and its also getting spark. Any suggestions

#2958 of 2987 Re: 90 Ford Ranger wont start [meganwoods] by wookie1

Jan 28, 2012 (2:35 pm)

Replying to: meganwoods (Jan 28, 2012 11:41 am)
it might be water in your gas, try putting gas dryer in your tank

#2959 of 2987 Re: 90 Ford Ranger wont start [wookie1] by wookie1

Jan 28, 2012 (2:36 pm)

Replying to: wookie1 (Jan 28, 2012 2:35 pm)
you might also check your spark plugs

#2960 of 2987 no hot air from heater by rustyroads

Mar 07, 2012 (8:06 pm)

After replacing the thermost,radiator cap,heater core,checking vacum hoses,replaice the hoses,I sill was not to get heat,I have a 1964 Ranger 223,000 miles on it,so I decided to check the water pump,the blades were almost gone new water pump solved the prop

#2961 of 2987 Mushy tires by mikefm58

Mar 12, 2012 (7:07 am)

I just got 2 new tires on the rear wheels, same brand, model & size as the front, Continental Contritrac. They now feel very "mushy" when I'm driving at highway speeds and change lanes, it's pretty bad as I thought I was going to lose control.
 
Anything to double check besides the pressure and lug nuts before calling them?

#2962 of 2987 2003 Ranger rough idle and transmission problems by droopy68516

Mar 24, 2012 (11:48 am)

My 2003 has a rough idle and after the engine warms up the o/d light flashes. After it starts flashing the transmission starts shifting strange, it will have a little shudder after before shifting into 3rd and will shift at higher rpms. The first two gears are perfectly fine before and after the o/d light comes on. The check engine light is on as well. Having the codes pulled revealed that bank 1 is running lean. Is there a single cause that could cause both the engine to run lean and cause the transmission issues The transmission fluid was a little dark so I had the tranmission flushed, but it did not take care of things. The truck had set for a year and all of this came about after it was restarted. I am just looking for ideas. If it was something fairly easy to take care of I would do it...but most likely I will take it to a shop. I am just interested in possible causes, so they do not replace half a dozen things before taking care of the problem. Thanks for any help you can give.

#2963 of 2987 Re: 2003 Ranger rough idle and transmission problems [droopy68516] by wookie1

Mar 26, 2012 (10:02 am)

Replying to: droopy68516 (Mar 24, 2012 11:48 am)
try turning the od off and see how the shift is, if it shifts ok there is a speed sensor inside the trans atached to the drive shell that might be the problem.

Messages Page 297 of 300

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