94 Ranger shuts off while driving

ncsdaonex · Nov 13, 2012

So I have a 1994 ford ranger which I recently repaired, was totalled, has new frame, new front end, wireing redone, swaped from auto tranny to manual. So heres what the truck is now a 1994 ranger 4.0L ext cab, 8.8 rear, 5 speed manual, 4x4 manual hubs. So my problem is ill be driving it and its fine most days but every now and then it just dies while driving and wont start back up, just sputters when u try to start it, the fuel guage will go all the way to full when it does this, sometimes itll kinda idle and the rpms hold steady but the rpm guage jumps all over the place, also the one headlight will go dim when this happens. Ive realized if i keep trying to start it it wont start so I get out and shake the truck and wait a few minutes and it starts right up annd runs fine. Ive checked all wires and there good, also this usually only happens at night and under 1/2 tank of gas if that helps, I originally thought the fuel pump but with the rpm jumping and the headlight diming im not sure. Any idea what could be causeing this. Also any idea why I only get 12 mpg around city driving?

PanamaExpat · Nov 14, 2012

Sounds like a bad ground or other loose connection issue. Most electrical issues in just about any piece of equipment can be traced to dirty or loose connectors. Bad grounds can cause heat related connector failure as the electrical circuit seeks ground it pulls through areas that weren't designed to handle the load. That is why you get connections that start by getting hot. Then oxidation sets in causing the resistance to further increase causing more heat and it is a vicious circle. I can remember grounding issues being a regular issue especially with Ford products since the mid 1970s. On my Mustang I once had a chassis to engine ground go bad and it started shunting current through the clutch cable. Needless to say I was wondering why the clutch was getting more difficult to actuate and when I looked at the problem the plastic lining in the cable housing had melted due to the car using it as the ground for the motor to chassis.

As for the poor mileage... This is kind of off hand but could be related. If say your MAF is not getting a sufficient ground it will not function properly if at all. A modern car with a dead MAF defaults to cold morning start up in the ECM and is like driving around with the choke on. Really bad for mileage.

Sounds to me like your problems are electrical related. Break out the beer, voltmeter, sandpaper, and patience. Hot tip for physically cleaning electrical connectors. Ink eraser like on those cheap pens they give out at trade shows.

CodyXLT · Nov 14, 2012

This same thing happened to my 94. I thought it was the ground to but it turned out it was the fuel pump. I put a new one in and it never happed again

PanamaExpat · Nov 14, 2012

CodyXLT said:
This same thing happened to my 94. I thought it was the ground to but it turned out it was the fuel pump. I put a new one in and it never happed again

Did you have the same tach problem? That is one of the symptoms that is pointing me in the electrical direction instead of the fuel direction.

RonD · Nov 14, 2012

The fuel pump wiring would be a good start, test fuel pump as well.
When you turn on the key, you should hear the fuel pump prime itself.

There is an inertia switch in the passenger foot well, just under the top of the carpet or just under the dash.
This cuts power to fuel pump if vehicle stops suddenly, i.e. an accident.
This could be acting up if it wasn't replaced.
There should be a white button on the top of this switch, it is the reset button, but if vehicle was in a bad collision it may need to be replaced, if fuel pump power is determined to be the no start problem.
It wouldn't explain the electrical issues(gauges) but could be the source of the sudden dieing and no start.
Also the "banging on it" and restart.

There should be a ground strap on the back of the 4.0l drivers side head, it should be connected to the fire wall.
When this was loose on my '94 gauges would run high intermittently.

tkreck · Jan 4, 2013

I just had a somewhat similar problem with my '04 Ranger. The truck would die after running for a few minutes, then would restart after waiting for 5 minutes or so. The longer I waited, the longer it would run before dying again. It turned out that the plug on the inertia switch was half-melted, and was cutting the fuel out once it got warm enough. My mechanic bypassed the switch until I can replace it - problem solved.

94 Ranger shuts off while driving

ncsdaonex

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