88 ranger wont start

ok lets see where do i start i have a 1988 ranger and for some reason its not getting fuel. it has fuel pressure to the fuel rail cause when i hit the check valve it shot out fuel but i have the intake taken off the truck and when i spray carb cleaner to the intake it starts until the carb cleaner runs out then the truck shuts off so i dont know where to start on this truck it will only start and stay on if i spray carb cleaner to the intake other wise it will just crank and carnk and crank the truck is a 1988 ranger 2.9l if you guys have some help with this can you let me know thanks alot

check your fuel pressure, you might be able to borrow or rent a fuel pressure gauge from an auto parts store, like Auto Zone, if you have low fuel pressure you can have fuel come out of the valve but it still might not be enough pressure to deliver enough fuel to the engine to start. Another possibility is that the fuel injectors are not getting an injector pulse. If you can get a noid light you could disconnect the injector, plug the noid light in the connector and try to start the engine, if the noid light flashes you have an injector pulse. Unfortunately noid lights are not as readiy available as they should be considering they are inexpensive and very helpful in these situation. If you have a digital multimeter you can check to make sure you have 12 volts at the injector when the key is in the run position. The computer will control the ground to operate the injector. Incase you haven't thought about it check all your fuses. I use a 12 volt test light to check fuses and it takes about 3 seconds per fuse. You simply attach the alligator clip to a good gound (bare metal). turn the key to the run position. place the point of the test light on the metal contact point on the fuse you want to test. If the light comes on you have voltage to the fuse. Now place the test light on the contact point on the other side of the same fuse. If the light comes on you have voltage to that side of the fuse as well. Light comes on at both contacts of the same fuse means the fuse is good. If the light comes on at ony one contact point inthe fuse than the fuse is blown. If the light comes on at neither contact points it means there is no voltage to the fuse.

thanks alot i will try all of these today as soon as i get the time i also want to add that when we try to start it the truck seems to shoot a flame out of the itake i was told the valves may be too tight but still would that keep it from starting also do you know what my fuel pressure needs to be at ???

Methinks you have a spark timing issue.

im basicly having the same problem did u figure out what it was ?

ok the injectors are getting a pulse we didnt test the fuel pressure to see if it has enough to get thorugh the injectors but it is not a spark timing issue we have set it at top dead center idk how many times to see if that it and its not also we have adj. the valves and still nothing all we are getting is a crank and no start then a backfire out of the intake if we spray carb cleaner into the intake so no luck n e more ideas??? tnanks alot:banghead:

ok the injectors are getting a pulse we didnt test the fuel pressure to see if it has enough to get thorugh the injectors but it is not a spark timing issue we have set it at top dead center idk how many times to see if that it and its not also we have adj. the valves and still nothing all we are getting is a crank and no start then a backfire out of the intake if we spray carb cleaner into the intake so no luck n e more ideas??? tnanks alot:banghead:

Can you hear the fuel pumps come on breifly for about 1-2 seconds 2 times? If spraying ether in the intake worked before, but now it's firing out of the intake, I would more than certainly think that you now have a ignition timing issue, as the plugs are not suppose to be firing when the intake valve is open. When you set the timing, did you remove the SPOUT connector? If you don't the computer will advance and retard the timing as you're trying to set the base timing.

It's easy to diagnose a fuel delivery issue. All you need to do is crank it over, and check the spark plugs for flooding. If it's really flooded, try and unhook the fuel pump relay. If you get POPs when starting, your timing is way off. If the plugs are not flooded, and you have an injector pulse, the issue is probably that the fuel pump is not coming on. It could be the ECC relay, fuel pump relay, inertia switch, bad ground(s), bad pump(s), etc. It's easy to get the timing off since the engine turns 2 times per 1 camshaft revolution. Just because you're on TDC, doesn't mean that you're on TDC on the compression stroke. -Just a thought and common problem.

The popping could also be caused by over tightening the adjusting bolts on the rocker arms causing the intake valve to be open all of the time. Did you find 0-lash and turn 1.5-2 times? I usually follow this procedure and start the engine with oil pans under the truck to test for ticking before I put the valve covers back on.

Just because the fuel pressure is to specs, doesn't mean that it's getting enough volume. Though, it would at least do something. Run the codes for a sanity check on the ECC and that the relays are working properly. Definately rent or buy a fuel pressure tester to test your fuel pressure. First thing I would check is intertia switch IMO. Then I would move to wiring and see where the circuit is missing to power the fuel pump.

When the ignition switch activates the ECC relay, all of the sensors and fuel pump relay are given +12v. The other leg of the switching side of the relay comes from the ECC.

I also believe that model may have 2 fuel pumps - just keep that in mind. The intank pump (low pressure) feeds the frame rail pump (high pressure).

Pete

distributor module is the answer not im my case i did everything i could think of but i also had a budget cause i was not planning on spending more than i paid for the truck to fix it.In most cases the distributor module was the answer but u need a special tool to remove it

ok the timing wasnt actually set the valves were adj by my dad who builds race cars and works on race motors all day long so the rocker arms were too tight but we adj them also it will still start if we spray ehter into the intake but if you keep spraying it then it back fires out of the intake YES the fuel pump does come on for 1-2 secs when the key is turned on and like i said before i have pressure to the fuel rail or the test port also i have checked the inertia switch and it isnt triggred so its good to go so heres a list of what i have done and you guys tell me ok inject pulse, fuel pump power, fuel pump pressure to rail, ADJ valves, Timing set to TDC of compression stroke, and this is where im left at thats how the timing was set all we did was put the track at TDC of compression stroke and set it like that we cant actually time the truck becuase it wont stay running im lost on this truck n e more ideas i gave you a list of what i did if you would give me a list on what to do thanks alot also if the inertia switch was triggerd the fuel pump wouldnt work at all for those saying its the inertia switch:disappoin

have you checked fuel pressure with a gauge yet? I know you said you are getting fuel pressure to the shrader vavle, but does this mean you checked with a gauge, or you pushed the valved in and saw it spray out. If you have an auto zone near you, you can ussually borrow, or rent the tool. Some years and models have two fuel pumps in the system, and if one of the fuel pumps is working and the other is not, you can easily get some fuel spray out of the valve when there is in fact low fuel pressure

there has been no fuel pressure test we just hit the test port and fuel came out thats all we did if the truck does have 2 pumps where is the other one??? one in the tank right??? and will one bad pump cause the truck not to run ????

there has been no fuel pressure test we just hit the test port and fuel came out thats all we did if the truck does have 2 pumps where is the other one??? one in the tank right??? and will one bad pump cause the truck not to run ????

Is fuel actually entering the cylinders? I am still not certain if you're chasing an igniton and/or fuel problem.

The high pressure is usually on the frame rail, drivers side, under the cab. The low pressure is in the tank.

Yes, one bad pump will cause no start.

Pete

this whole time i forgot to add that the plugs are getting wet so that means some fuel is getting in so im leaning more towards a ignition problem so ya if one pump is bad will it still get the plugs wet or no

this whole time i forgot to add that the plugs are getting wet so that means some fuel is getting in so im leaning more towards a ignition problem so ya if one pump is bad will it still get the plugs wet or no

It really sounds like you have sufficent fuel to at least get some firing, unless the gas is so bad that it cannot combust. If you unhook the green relay (fuel pump) on the passenger side fender and you get POPs when you attempt to start it, the ignition timing is off. - Just a simple sanity check. This will only work if the engine is flooded.

It's really bothering that it's running on carb cleaner, yet it's still getting fuel. I suppose the pressure could be so low at the rail that the injectors wouldn't be able to 'mist' the fuel into the cylinder. But this would also point to the possibility of bad fuel.

Kind of like a potato gun.. Spray the hair spray in such a way that it isn't a mist in the combustion chamber and it won't fire. Spray it so that it does, and BOOM! This is just a theory based on real life experience :), If you're certain you're getting spark and that the ignition timing is correct, you may have no other choice but to rent the fuel pressure tester. I've also heard of people using tire gauges on the scrader value, but I wouldn't reccomend it.

Have you had the chance to test for persistent spark from the coil?

Pete