Fuel Pump?

jgrasty7 · #1 12-20-2010, 08:21 PM

2004 Ranger XLT 3.0 V6 100k miles. So last year I started to have a no start issue. Then I learned about priming the pump and could get it to start after about four turns of the key. Ran two bottles of seafoam through it and didn't have the problem for a year. A couple of weeks ago it started having problems again but now won't start at all. Turns over fine. The inertia switch isn't popped. The fuse and relay seem to be good. Was pretty sure it was the pump so I took the bed off and can hear the pump but was getting little to no pressure at the fuel rail. So at this point I'm pretty sure it's the pump but just wanted to verify as much as possible before plopping down the $200. Any ideas? Also, is RockAuto the best place to buy the pump (Airtex)? It sells for around $200 there and $230-350 other places. I get the impression they aren't the finest fuel pumps around but the bosch's sell for close to $600.
Thanks in advance.
Joshua

jgrasty7 · #2 12-21-2010, 06:10 AM

I forgot to mention that I replaced the fuel filter last year and I can't imagine that already being the problem.

jgrasty7 · #3 12-21-2010, 09:34 PM

Last night I took the fuel pump out and it's been sitting in the basement. Tonight I tried to test the inertia switch and when I went to put it back in I noticed that the plug from the truck (for the inertia switch) looked a little melted. So I knocked on the fuel pump with a mallet and then reinstalled everything and the truck started and ran fine. It had a constant 62psi while running. So I'm at a loss. Is the fuel pump going bad or what? I don't know what else to do to narrow the problem down. All help is appreciated.
Thanks
Joshua

Solo V8 4G · #4 12-22-2010, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgrasty7

Last night I took the fuel pump out and it's been sitting in the basement. Tonight I tried to test the inertia switch and when I went to put it back in I noticed that the plug from the truck (for the inertia switch) looked a little melted. So I knocked on the fuel pump with a mallet and then reinstalled everything and the truck started and ran fine. It had a constant 62psi while running. So I'm at a loss. Is the fuel pump going bad or what? I don't know what else to do to narrow the problem down. All help is appreciated.
Thanks
Joshua

Sorry to hear about your luck but this is what you may want to do. Being that the connector leading to the inertia switch is melted that means that somewhere in the circuit that there is ground where there is not suppose to be one. I would start by measuring the resistance (with a multi-meter) in the inertia switch and the circuit and also measure your voltage going into and out of the inertia switch. What could be happening is that the circuit gets hot and becomes and open circuit at the switch (the inertia switch is like a electical manual switch) an open circuit would be like someone tripped the inertia swtich. Verify source of why the connector is melted, repair circuit, and retest.

jgrasty7 · #5 12-23-2010, 06:50 AM

thanks solo v8. I know it definately sounds like it's an electrical issue but how would that explain that in the past I've been able to "prime" the system by turning the key on/off like 4 times? Also, the inertia switch has 3 prongs in it, which ones would I test? According to the schematic in the back of the book, there's only one wire going in and one out, so why the 3 prongs? thanks a bunch for your help.
Joshua