Intermitant starting problem/fuel filter location

[ronyo]

I have had my '95 Ranger for four years now and have NEVER had a problem with it. It had 55.000 miles on it when I bought it and has 90,000 now and was a fleet vehicle with the 2 wd standard cab, 2.3 4 cyl, 5 speed O.D. and no power options.

The other day it stalled after I started it and would not re-start. It would crank but not fire. I waited a while then tried it again and it fired, but died. I called triple A and they said they'd be an hour so I waited about 1/2 hour then I tried starting it again and it fired up. I cancelled the tow truck and drove home. When I got home I tried to start it and it was fine.

the next day it started right up again & I drove to a mechanic and asked if he could do a diagnostic and explained my problem and he said he probably couldn't figure it out if it was something like the fuel pump relay that had stuck closed one time and then wasn't doing it any more.

I hate situations like this. Now I don't know the next time this problem might occur again and if I can depend on my truck. I'm thinking I might want to change my fuel pump relay and my fuel filter to eliminate those two things as potential problems. Can anyone tell me where both the fuel pump relay and the Fuel filter is located on this truck and what's involved with changing them?

Thanks in Advance.

[76cobraII]

The fuel filter in on the inside of the frame on the drivers side. It's a big coffee can looking cylinder. Just be sure to have the arrows pointing in the right direction when you put the new one in.
Rangers have a fuel pump kill switch thingy (i don't know the tech name for it) that shuts off the fuel pump when you run out of gas. It keeps all the crap thats floating around on the bottom of your fuel tank from getting sucked into the engine. Look un the passenger side floor board, just when the carpet stops. Just under the top end of the carpet you will see this little black thingy. If your trucks acts up like that again reach in there and push the little button back down. I know this should work, i've had the same problem a few times with my 94.
By the way is your check ingine light on?

[ronyo]

Thanks for this information. In answer to your question, I didn't notice if the engine light went on when I was having this problem,