URGENT Help needed '04 Ranger edge running issue.
 

Hey everyone,
I have a 2004 Ranger Edge 2 wheel drive Auto 3.0 V6 with 88456 miles.

Having issues with starting and running.
Truck went in on Monday (March 28th) last week to have a tire patched and have the oil changed.
Got the truck back Monday morning and drove it home.
Tuesday morning getting ready to leave for work and the truck would not start, it would turn over, but it would not catch as if there's a fuel delivery issue.
Checked to see if fuel pump is working and it primes for the 2-3 secs when the ignition is turned but the truck will turn over but still not start.
After about 15mins of messing with it, it finally started but idled very rough.

idle eventually cleared up and was able to drive the truck, so I drove it to Advance auto parts and got a new battery installed, drove it home everything seemed fine.
2hrs later went to start truck and it started ok drove up the road and then it died, tried starting and the same issue as earlier in the morning, had to get it towed it home.
Since then I have managed to get the truck to my buddies (Mechanic) 8 miles away, we've changed the crank sensor, put a new fuel filter even put a new fuel pump as the rail pressure was between 55 and 61psi and Haynes manual specified it needed to be between 60 and 65psi.
Lines have been cleaned from the tank to the filter, tank has been cleaned and checked for any waxing etc.
My buddy has been able to get it started and idled it for 35-45 mins, said it purred like a kitten and there was not an issue, but as soon as he drives it, the damn thing cuts out.
No check engine light, and no trouble codes produced.

So anyone else had an issue like this.
What else do I need to check? we've changed relays still no go.
Inertia switch, ECM, Throttle position sensor, O2 sensors, Cam sensors, each Injector ?
I'm at a loss, this truck has been good as gold since owning it at 44,000.
I have a baby on the way and this type of expense is crippling me.

Please help.

Allan

i would check ignition module? also start with simple things such as checking all ground wires, it sound like its in the fireing, so check and see if your getting a good spark when its not starting, had similar problem but with an older model v-8, f-150

Not going to believe it
 

Ok so I got my truck back.
My buddy finally narrowed it down to the MAF sensor, he was walking around the truck with it running and was checking wires, when he just tapped the MAF sensor the engine cut out. Cleaned the sensor and reinstalled, he noticed a heavy type coating on the MAF sensor. So proceeded to check the air filter. When he removed the air filter (K&N) in the air filter box there was a bunch of nesting debris, a Rat or a squirrel had decided to nest in the box, luckily because of the K&N stainless pleated mesh, the critter did not get into the air delivery hose to the throttle body.
The nesting material consisted of electrical tape, wire chaffing foam, leaves etc
So we checked the rest of the engine bay and could see electrical tape missing in a few areas, around the O2 sensors and so on.
So $900 later and I have a working truck again.

Damn vermin.

Thanks for sharing that with us. I'm sure there will be more of these type invasions up the road , but by the time the colder weather comes around we'll forget some of this.

A tip for those of us with the mice problems
 

I've taken the time to fasten a small piece of window screen over the air inlets on all my vehicles for the same reason. Don't use the fiberglass screen because they can chew through it, the aluminum has worked well for me for the past several years.