1998 ranger 3.0 liter. started up ran 10 minutes then i shut it off. then wouldn't start again. switched relays around, no change. turns over fine. seems like short of fuel. put propane torch in air intake and it starts up and runs fine when i take propane feed away and put air box top back on. It's like there isn't fuel being dumped into engine during start up. ANy ideas.

 

there could some be junk some where in the line that would keep flue from dumping in

 

i don't hear the fuel pump start up when key turned and yet i can get it running with the propane trick. I had a fuel pump go on 87 stang and it went from working to not working instantly. fuel pumps generally just work or don't work, right? they don't fail slowly do they? I have pressure on rail, but haven't put gauge on it. I guess I'll have to pull rail and fuel lineahead offilter to test further. does anyone know why the truck will run if started with fuel introduced to intake but won't start on it's own?

 

Just went out and put charger on battery to 50amp start setting for 5 minutes. Turned ignition key forward and actually heard both relay and pump. Started right up. There must have only been enough juice to turn engine over and not enough to close relay for fuel pump. Battery is original! 687 000 km on the truck. I think I've got it figured. Just to let others know, I found two wires pooched in wire harness on driver's fender. One was white and fully corroded for 6", nothing but green dust inside insulation. And one yellow one had insulation worn through from rubbing and copper had corroded bad. Cut out bad sections, soldered them up and heat shrinked 'em both. These had nothing to do with not starting, but couldn't have been good. Thanks to all the other posts concerning similar situations.

 

Thanks for the update...

 

Further update. Truck wouldn't start today. Tapped Throttle position sensor with screw driver and then it started right up. Revved it up a few times shut it off, wouldn't start again. Tapped TPS and it started right up. TPS sticking and reporting throttle applied so I guess it won't allow ignition cycle to fire up fuel pump relay to start truck. That's my theory anyway.