I'm repairing my grandpas 1991 ranger 4.0. It only has about 60,000 miles on it and hes the original owner. And its also ALL stock.

So here's the deal.... It just died while idling and wouldn't start. I shot some starting fluid in the throttle body and it tried to start. So its not getting fuel.

The fuel pump works, I can hear it prime when the key is turned.
So I went to release the pressure on the fuel rail and barely any pressure/fuel came out.
The filter was changed about 3mo ago when I did a tune-up to it.

Anyways, when I took off the fuel line off the top of the regulator, turned the key, fuel poured out of the top of the regulator?

Following the line I removed, it goes right back down to the framerail?
Which makes me think its the return line....

Is this right then?
So the regulator went out and is not letting the pressure build in the system??

Or any other ideas will be much appreciated!!

Thank you ahead of time!

I think you got it.. Did you do a pressure test? The 4.0s should be between 60-70 psi at the rail.

Well I can officially say I'm flustered with this thing!

I just replaced the pressure regulator (wrecking yard part), re checked the pressure at the fuel rail and am at about 66psi.

BUT STILL NOTHING!

And what puzzles me is when I shoot starting fluid in the tb it fires???

So what am I missing?

Is there some sort of module I'm missing?

Its got spark, fuel at the rail.....but no start?

Hope you are smarter than me!!!!!

Maybe try renting a noid light and testing the injector harness?

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1987 ford ranger sxt 2.9 v6
Ain't nuttin but a ford thing

Assuming you fixed it?

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1987 ford ranger sxt 2.9 v6
Ain't nuttin but a ford thing

Actually I'm still working on it!

I just took a few days off from it since I was about ready to just torch it and have him report it to his insurance!

So tomorrow I'm going to pull the computer out on it and check into having it tested some place.

I read online somewhere that there is a fuel injection relay for this truck?

But the book only shows a fuel pump relay?
And the pump seems to be working just fine.
The fuel rail has good pressure.

I am honestly really liking the old carburated engines a bell of a lot more everytime I look at this thing! Lol

Thanks for all the replies so far!

Not sure how different it would be from my 87, but mine uses the computer to ground and power the injectors. That's why I suggested getting a noid light and testing the injector harness. If you have fuel to the rail and it will start with starting fluid then it sounds like the injectors aren't firing for some reason. The noid light will test for a pulse from the computer, and if its anything like mine then there are a few grounds that come off the PCM that need to be good. I would test for a pulse, if there is none check all grounds with a DVOM and fix as needed then check for pulse again with hopes that it's just a bad ground. If you don't know how to check grounds with a meter, it's easy, set your meter to read ohms and hook the ( - ) to the negative battery terminal and use the ( + ) side of meter and touch each ground, they should all read below .5 ohms if they read higher then they aren't grounded properly. Hope that helps, I heard PCM tests can be pretty costly

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1987 ford ranger sxt 2.9 v6
Ain't nuttin but a ford thing

Well I'm working on it right now....
Ive checked and rechecked every possible relay, fuse, and switch...lol.

So now I'm going to go buy a noid light?
And also a new multimeter since mine decided to grow legs!
(Last time I'll ever have a roommate to help with bills!! Cost me more in missing tools than it helped with the bills! F$%king pr%ck! )

So anyways, I'll post on here as soon as I get it figured out!

(The hard part is the engine bay looks like new! So its hard for me to believe a ground came loose or wire broke.... But it won't be the first time I'm wrong!!

Telling people you can fix things is just like saying you own a truck when someone needs to move.....just a setup for headaches! Lol

I just hooked up a test light to the injectors.
With the key on and not cranking the engine both wires are hot and say 12volts.

But once I crank over the engine i lose power completely??
I just replaced both the fuel and ecm relays too.

I was thinking I could just pull a newer 4.0 explorer computer from newer rig and see what happens?
(ALL I can find at the wrecking yards are newer explorers)

My grandpas on a fixed income that's why I'm fixing it and using wrecking yard parts....I'm buying the new relays etc.... So trying to keep the costs down....

Please help!!!
Thank you!

They will both have power but the computer is what also grounds the injectors, a test light probably won't be able to detect the pulse because it happens so fast. I was able to rent a noid light from autozone for 25 and you get that money back when you return the light. As for the PCM, when I got my truck it had a Taurus/ sable only computer in it, it ran but ran like crap. If you have an autozone near you then check them first to rent one. It's as simple as unplugging the injector plug and plugging the light in and crank. It should flash rapidly. If it doesn't then check the grounds, if all grounds are good and still no pulse then the PCM is probably no good. I hear they don't tend to go out very often but it can happen.

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1987 ford ranger sxt 2.9 v6
Ain't nuttin but a ford thing

Thanks for all the info!

I'm gonna go rent the noid light tomorrow from autozone.
Then try and figure out where all the damn grounds are at! Ugh!

He has a Chiltons for it that doesn't seem to really say much of anything.... So I'm finding I'm pretty much relying on all the knowledge you guys are supplying and thank you Sooo much!

This was "supposed" to be a "quick fix", I never thought I'd be working on it like this! Lol

There should be a ground located next to the PCM behind the passenger kick panel, one next to the windshield wiper motor, a few next on each side of the radiator, and I had a huge ground that went to the frame behind the passenger front tire. That one was my bad one that was messing up my truck.

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1987 ford ranger sxt 2.9 v6
Ain't nuttin but a ford thing

Well another fun day messing with this thing!

I've just checked all the grounds I can find, all of them checked out between .4-.5 ohms.
except the two by the ecm, which came out as .6ohms.

So I'm gonna get those ground down to bare metal (versus just the threads), then re-check.
I'm pretty much to the point where I am absolutely clueless tp what in the hell is wrong with this thing!!!

I'm thinking I'm just going to have to pull the computer out and eat the price on getting it tested....
This is the first time I've EVER just been stuck on something like this!!
Why can't we just bring back carbs??? Lol

I feel ya, I went through hell with my truck for a month before I got it running right. Before it would take me almost two miles to hit 60mph! I hope you get it figured out without having to test the PCM. Just curious though, did you get the chance to test it with a noid light?

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1987 ford ranger sxt 2.9 v6
Ain't nuttin but a ford thing

Didn't read the thread but I have seen this time and time again with Rangers......The coil pack

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Just read the thread......The coil pack

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