Losing My Mind
 

Okay folks... I'm at a loss. Even my simple mind understands that if you have fuel, air and spark you should have ignition. My 2004 Explorer 4.0 decided overnight that it didn't want to start. No warning signs. I have tested the CKP sensor (Good), Fuel pump and pressure at fuel rail (good), spark at plugs (good with brand new coil pack), fuel delivery from injectors (good), compression checked all cylinders, added seafoam in case of moisture in fuel, sprayed starting fluid into air intake and verified that anti theft system operates as expected. After all of this, the engine still just turns over and never even attempts to fire. It makes absolutely no sense to me and I need some expert advice.

Welcome.. Didn't fire on a short shot of ether?

No. Sprayed into the air intake with not even a bump. Then when I had #5 plug out, tried a shot in the cylinder. Quickly installed plug and tried it. Still nothing.

you have done all the correct tests.


what were the compression readings on the first hit and final for each cylinder? Were the spark plugs wet with fuel or oil contaminated when removed for compression testing?


are you testing for spark with a spark tester?
Does this vehicle use individual cop or 1 ignition coil with a distributor?

compression was between 163 to 169 on all cylinders. I don't have a spark tester so just a visual. Spark noticeably improved after replacement of coil pack. Does not have individual coils.

Can you try this,
collect some fuel from the test port on the fuel rail , put a small amount on the concrete and try to lite it with a match.
If it lites and burns OK, if not, you have some water in the fuel and if it is enough no amount of seafoam can make gas out of water.
To follow through on that thought, did you purchase gas just before shutting down the engine?

I've given up folks. She left on a roller yesterday. On her way to the Ford dealership.

the fuel sample is a good idea. I had a similar crank, no start and turned out to be diesel fuel mixed in with unleaded fuel. it still smelt like gas but had a slight oily feel like diesel. no separation when viewing but would not burn when we tried to ignite a small sample. the customer had filled up the night before. there was a mix up; the filling stations tanks were filled with the wrong fuel


post the final findings.

Among the many experiences we recall , some leave an indelible footprint in our memory. Case in point;
An associate with whom I had worked with many years ,he was an engineering foreman,received a call from his wife that the car had just quit running. The gas tank was full so it couldn't be a fuel starvation problem, (pre computer vehicle). Well we helped tow it to his home where he proceeded to replace the fuel pump,the timing chain and a slew of other parts and it wouldn't start with starting fluid either. By the time I arrived there to help he had the plugs out and they just would not dry, It was winter time and he worked outside in his driveway. We decided to see if his wife got bad fuel so we took a sample and tried to lite it , it wouldn't lite ! When we continued to check further he had a "tankfull of water". Don't know how it happened, but drained the tank, blew out the line and added fresh fuel and the da** thing fired right up. Not saying that is the problem with your vehicle, but I always now confirm that the vehicle has good gas in it before changing anything.