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  #1  
Old 10-10-2013, 05:07 PM
Fatmanonabike Fatmanonabike is offline
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Default Need to diagnose fuel pump

99 4 cyl is my daughter's daily driver. Been running well no starting problems. Died in a parking garage. I can hear what I believe is the pump running for a few seconds when the key is switched from off to on. It'll try to run when I gas it with starter fluid. I have not yet changed the fuel filter. Nor have I tested the pressure. Sounds like a fuel pump to me. I'd like to be as certain as possible before shucking out the time and money for a fuel pump. My tools are limited.

The only shop I trust quoted $750 for the job. Auto Zone priced the pump at about $250

Any votes on bed removal vs. dropping the tank?
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Last edited by Fatmanonabike; 10-10-2013 at 05:09 PM.
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  #2  
Old 10-10-2013, 05:58 PM
02RangerFX4 02RangerFX4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatmanonabike View Post
99 4 cyl is my daughter's daily driver. Been running well no starting problems. Died in a parking garage. I can hear what I believe is the pump running for a few seconds when the key is switched from off to on. It'll try to run when I gas it with starter fluid. I have not yet changed the fuel filter. Nor have I tested the pressure. Sounds like a fuel pump to me. I'd like to be as certain as possible before shucking out the time and money for a fuel pump. My tools are limited. The only shop I trust quoted $750 for the job. Auto Zone priced the pump at about $250 Any votes on bed removal vs. dropping the tank?
Most of the time, either the fuel pump is working, or it's not. Not in between. I would replace the fuel filter, even if that doesn't do anything, it should be done anyway. Are you sure it's getting spark? Does it try to run at all?

Engines need air, spark, fuel, and compression to run. Check all of these things before spending money.
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  #3  
Old 10-10-2013, 06:04 PM
96_4x4_XLT 96_4x4_XLT is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 02RangerFX4 View Post
Most of the time, either the fuel pump is working, or it's not. Not in between. I would replace the fuel filter, even if that doesn't do anything, it should be done anyway. Are you sure it's getting spark? Does it try to run at all? Engines need air, spark, fuel, and compression to run. Check all of these things before spending money.
X2
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  #4  
Old 10-10-2013, 06:05 PM
youbastard88 youbastard88 is offline
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I have a 2000 Ranger with the same problem sounds like.. Ive had mine down to piles of parts multiple times for that reason. It could be in the fuel pump harness, the little terminals get curroded and worn out. If you have long arms next time it does it try to get to the plug on top of the tank and give it a few wiggles or light tugs.
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  #5  
Old 10-10-2013, 06:07 PM
96_4x4_XLT 96_4x4_XLT is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatmanonabike View Post
99 4 cyl is my daughter's daily driver. Been running well no starting problems. Died in a parking garage. I can hear what I believe is the pump running for a few seconds when the key is switched from off to on. It'll try to run when I gas it with starter fluid. I have not yet changed the fuel filter. Nor have I tested the pressure. Sounds like a fuel pump to me. I'd like to be as certain as possible before shucking out the time and money for a fuel pump. My tools are limited. The only shop I trust quoted $750 for the job. Auto Zone priced the pump at about $250 Any votes on bed removal vs. dropping the tank?
And btw easier to remove bed then drop the tank
Just a FYI
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  #6  
Old 10-10-2013, 06:10 PM
Logan03CO Logan03CO is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 96_4x4_XLT View Post

And btw easier to remove bed then drop the tank
x2

Much easier to pull the bed off.
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  #7  
Old 10-10-2013, 06:12 PM
youbastard88 youbastard88 is offline
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For sure.. Six bed bolts, eight light screws and plugs, two or three gas neck screws and one decent hand you can see any problem you got
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  #8  
Old 10-10-2013, 07:27 PM
ed.gardner53 ed.gardner53 is offline
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Default Re: Need to diagnose fuel pump

Bed removal is the ticket. My son and I did a fuel pump job on his S-10. We dropped the tank. Bad move.

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  #9  
Old 11-09-2013, 08:21 AM
Fatmanonabike Fatmanonabike is offline
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Default Re: Need to diagnose fuel pump

Thanks for all the info, especially regarding bed removal vs dropping tank. Well replacing the fuel filter gave us a month of runtime. It's dead again. I haven't seen it yet, I only know its not starting. The general consenus seems to be that fuel pumps fail rather than become intermittent. I'm going to replace it again. Is it possible the tank is that crudded up? Should I buy a pile fuel filters and replace it every 2-3 weeks?

----------

Quote:
Originally Posted by ed.gardner53 View Post
Bed removal is the ticket. My son and I did a fuel pump job on his S-10. We dropped the tank. Bad move.

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Roger that. I did that job by myself. Never again.
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  #10  
Old 11-09-2013, 04:51 PM
Fatmanonabike Fatmanonabike is offline
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Default Re: Need to diagnose fuel pump

So today I replaced the fuel filter. Unlike the last time there was a fair amount of fuel between the filter and the engine. That lead me to believe that the filter was much less likely to be the problem. I was already there with the filter in hand so I changed it anyway.
I had my daughter turn the ignition off and on several times while I was under the truck listening for the fuel pump, I heard nothing. I tapped the fuel tank a couple of times, had her cycle the ignition again still nothing. Then we primed the engine with starter fluid. It fired up sputtered and died. We did this twice. I got a little more aggressive with the tank, beating on it as best I could where I believed the fuel pump to be. Finally when she cycled the ignition, I could hear the pump running. After a couple more iterations with the starter fluid the truck was running.
We decided then to drive it home to replace the fuel pump.thanks to information from the friendly forum members here I had already purchased the T55 bit and an extended 1/2" drive ratchet. God smiled on me once again and I now have the tank fill tube disconnected and pushed through the body, the tail lights pushed through the body and the bed bolts out. Now my question is how do I free the taillight harness from the bed so I can remove it?
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  #11  
Old 11-09-2013, 04:59 PM
Springtown FX4 Springtown FX4 is offline
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Default Re: Need to diagnose fuel pump

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatmanonabike View Post
So today I replaced the fuel filter. Unlike the last time there was a fair amount of fuel between the filter and the engine. That lead me to believe that the filter was much less likely to be the problem. I was already there with the filter in hand so I changed it anyway.
I had my daughter turn the ignition off and on several times while I was under the truck listening for the fuel pump, I heard nothing. I tapped the fuel tank a couple of times, had her cycle the ignition again still nothing. Then we primed the engine with starter fluid. It fired up sputtered and died. We did this twice. I got a little more aggressive with the tank, beating on it as best I could where I believed the fuel pump to be. Finally when she cycled the ignition, I could hear the pump running. After a couple more iterations with the starter fluid the truck was running.
We decided then to drive it home to replace the fuel pump.thanks to information from the friendly forum members here I had already purchased the T55 bit and an extended 1/2" drive ratchet. God smiled on me once again and I now have the tank fill tube disconnected and pushed through the body, the tail lights pushed through the body and the bed bolts out. Now my question is how do I free the taillight harness from the bed so I can remove it?
Someone can correct me if im wrong but there should be a disconnect near the rear of the truck, just disconnect and your good to just lift off bed.
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  #12  
Old 11-09-2013, 05:18 PM
Fatmanonabike Fatmanonabike is offline
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Default Re: Need to diagnose fuel pump

Thanks, I'll give it another look with some daylight. I was a bit tired by that point. I traced the passenger side to the behind the shield where the spare mounts. It seemed the harness was mounted to the bed. Maybe it'll be a bit more obvious once I start to jack the bed up. My current plan is not to remove it entirely but to slide it back enough to get access.
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  #13  
Old 11-09-2013, 05:22 PM
1986 1st gen 1986 1st gen is offline
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I've only worked on my first gens so there may be a plug to the taillight in later ones but I just backed them out through the bed and out of the way under the frame.
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  #14  
Old 11-09-2013, 11:03 PM
02RangerFX4 02RangerFX4 is offline
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If you have a fluke meter, check to see if there is power going to the fuel pump when she turns the key. It should spike to 12.6 volts or so for a second or two, then drop to zero. If it does this every time she turns the key, with 10 seconds between each turn of the key, then you've got a problem between there and the fuel pump. If it only spikes to 12.6 every few times you try it, something is wrong further up the line.
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  #15  
Old 11-10-2013, 01:16 AM
doyouquaxu doyouquaxu is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Springtown FX4 View Post

Someone can correct me if im wrong but there should be a disconnect near the rear of the truck, just disconnect and your good to just lift off bed.
This. There is a plug (gray?) that should be between the bed/frame at the very back on the drivers side before the wire harness clips into the underside of the bed to the passenger side.

Also, word to the wise: lift the bed as you slide it back, otherwise you can damage the fittings off the top of the pump or worse the fuel lines. Been there, done that.
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