My '94 about 10% of the time will not restart warm. This typically includes an afternoon trip to the gas station. The situation gets worst in warm weather.



It will run about 1/2-1 second and die. Over and over again. Until the engine is cooled. Sometimes I can cycle the ignition every 3 to 4 seconds--x 20 and it seems to prime the fuel rails --- then sometimes it will start and run( but usually not).

To restart sometimes it works to drain the fuel rails through the fuel rail valve-- and there is a lot of vapor that escapes. When I do this several times with cycling the fuel pump the engine usually starts.

The warmer the engine-- the more gas and vapor I must vent from the fuel rail to get the engine to restart. It seems to need a condition where the fuel rail is cooled, and containing cool gasoline to run.



The last time this happened-- after trying to restart the Ranger for about an hour I finally poured about a quart of cool water across the fuel rails-- then it started. This is very strange.



It is as if gasoline is flashing to vapor in the fuel rails and vapor locking liquid gasoline from getting to the injectors.


As the engine cools and I try and start it-- it runs a little longer-- like 6 seconds instead of 2 seconds-- then finally if it runs long enough to push the hot vapor out of the fuel rails-- it stays running.

Again it is as if gasoline in the fuel rails is flashing to vapor and keeping liquid fuel away from the the injectors.

Does any one know what is causing this problem? I have read on this forum of other Ranger owners with similar situations-- but have not read of an actual solution.

So it seems that--

The fuel pump runs and pumps gas---but a hot fuel rail causes the gas to flash to vapor-- not letting the injectors get fuel to the cylinders.

Thanks,

Steve in Oregon
It never stalls while it is running-- it only fails to restart after sitting warm for about 5 minutes.

I'm new to this forum, and I came across your thread. I have a 2004 ranger edge, ext cab, and have the same problem. It's been about four times that my truck will not start again after running when it's warm. When you turn the key, it sounds like it wants to start, but it won't. It's only happened in the summer weather. I have had to wait about 30 - 60 minutes for it to cool down before it will start again. The truck only has 53K on it, and it's in excellent condition otherwise. Don't know what can be wrong, and the technician at the shop can't find out what's wrong either. Any suggestions?

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2004 ranger edge - ext cab - 4.0L

Over the past few days I have been doing research on this fuel system problem. So far as I can tell it is indirectly related to an Ethanol in the gasoline problem.

It is the opinion of many who have cured this problem that ethanol in the gasoline effects the fuel pump connections in the fuel pump assembly inside of the gas tank. The connection effected is a rubber hose between the fuel pump unit itself and the metal riser tube that exits the fuel tank. The ethanol causes changes in the rubber that causes the rubber tubing to collapse, crack and reduce fuel pressure when gas tank pressures change with temperature changes.
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Naturally, when the engine operates in warmer temps-- gasoline in the fuel rail can flash to vapor and requires 40 pounds of pressure to push liquid gasoline past the vapor to the injectors. This condition is most likely to pressurize the fuel rails when when the engine is warm, but has been turned off for five or ten minutes-- and liquid gasoline is not actively flowing in the rail and engine temps peak. So when you stop running your truck in warm weather, the fuel rail gasoline turns to high pressurized vapor.

Second, pressured vapor with the collapsed / or cracked rubber hose causes a lowered fuel pressure -- so in essence the fuel rail becomes vapor locked--- because the fuel pump cannot deliver enough pressurized fuel to push the vapor out of the way and get liquid fuel to the injectors again( until the engine and rails cool off. Thus, the engine will not run .

The solution is to pull the fuel pump-- and put on a new hose between the fuel pump and the metal riser ( the metal tube that exits the top of the gas tank.

I am going to replace the fuel pump-- the new rubber tubing should last about four years in the ethanol-- then repeat the same problem again.
I do not know what kind of hose will resist ethanol inside and out.

My truck is a work truck that is 17 years old-- so this weekend I cut a five inch by six inch access hold in the bed to access the fuel pump.
I will cover the hole with a 16 ga. piece of sheet metal and pop rivet in in place with about six rivets. My truck has a removable plastic bed liner that I removed and will replace--so no one will be the wiser that I cut a hole and covered it will be noticed.

My filler neck has also been ethanol effected-- cracked and distorted- and leaking gas-- and letting air into the gas tank too (affects emissions and fuel controls ).

I will try and provide feedback after I change the pump, filler neck and fuel filter. I am not 100% sure that this will fix the problem. But the fuel pump has 120K on it and needs to be changed anyway. I think there is a reasonable expectation that replacing the pump and ethanol effected rubber parts will cure the stalling problem.

If this is the reason for the stall when warm problem-- then a lot of vehicles are going to start having this problem too-- so a cure would be helpful to a lot of truck owners.

Thanks

Steve in Oregon

Thank you for the information. I am going to make Ford aware of this problem when I take the truck in for a diagnostic. I'd like to know what they will say about this. I'm sure they have to know that it's a problem with their trucks, etc.

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2004 ranger edge - ext cab - 4.0L

Hi All New here. I've been having the same problem with my 94 4.0. I start it in the morning Runs smooth. As it warms runs a lil rougher. If i make a few stops very hard to start (if it will at all). I can smell the gas fumes. After it cools a lil while she starts but runs rough. Like its skipping. A few miles down the road smooths out, with just a lil skip. Luckly i replaced the sending unit a few Mo's back and skidplate not on yet (had to order bolt clips from ford) So I will drop the tank and replace the hose with new high pressure fuel line. TY Steve for the info! I will post the results!!

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94 Ranger 4x4 4.0 std cab long box. 31" Mudders

I had this problem before than it gradually got worse check your ECM relay changed mine and haven't had a problem since

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1994 Ranger XLT 4.0 v6. 33x12.50x15 bfgoodrich a/t all terrain KO's. 6" suspension lift

Let me know what happened? Same issue, even after replacing all relays!

There is a short length of synthetic rubber fuel hose a head of the fuel filter that gets hot near the exhaust cross over. This hose can kink and create starting problems from fuel starvation. To open the kink, tie the loop up with a nylon zip or piece of wire. THis might fix the non-start situation.

Absolutely fascinating! I am going to check into this as well for my issue!

For my 1993 Ranger 4-cylinder, it APPEARS that the problem was either the fuel pump relay or E.E.C. power relay (I replaced both with FoMoCo relays I ordered online.)

The problem started about 2 years ago, when one day after work my truck would not start. When I first turned the ignition key the engine acted as though it fired briefly, continued to crank just fine with each attempt, but would not start. I left the truck where it was and tried again the next day. This time it did not attempt to fire at all, but cranked fine. Later that day I decided I would try one more time before calling the tow truck, and it started right up.

Fast forward about one year. It happened again. Left it for a couple of days, came back, and it started right up. After that I checked inertia switch and replaced fuel filter.

Fast forward another year. It started happening with increasing frequency (every couple of months) until finally it happened several times in one day. Listening to the fuel pump, I could tell that it was running sometimes when I turned the ignition key, other times it was not running. Obviously the problem component was approaching complete failure. I replaced the Fuel Pump relay and E.E.C Power relays on the truck on 4/24/13, and so far the problem has not recurred. If it comes back, I'll provide an update.