99 Ranger 4L V6 - Starts and runs but takes several seconds or several tries when cranking over

[Five]

Dear TRS folks,

My 99 Ranger has had this problem for quite some time now. I replaced the fuel pump and filter summer of 2017. It fixed the problem for a little while and it started up faster than usual. Fast forward to present day April 2019. I am in college, Go Vols, and my truck has days in between use sometimes but even then it still starts and runs fine after a few tries. Even when it sits over time and I use it multiple days in a row, it still encounters this problem when it sits for more than a few hours. I don't have any immediate problems but would like my truck to start first try. If anyone has pointers or ideas please comment them. Thanks again!

Sincerely,
Parker Word (Five)

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Try cycleing the key on and off a few times and see if it starts faster.

You may have a bad check valve

 

[adsm08]

The fuel pump is supposed to have a check valve that will keep the fuel in the line, even if it isn't pressurized, so that there is enough fuel and pressure in the line after a 2 second prime when you first turn the key on, to get the engine rolling. It sounds like you are loosing enough volume back to the tank to make starting hard.

First thing to make sure of is that you aren't punching the key straight from off to start. This is something that nobody ever teaches you, and most people don't even think about because 90% of the time there are no problems, but you are supposed to turn the key on, wait about 5 seconds, and THEN crank the engine. This allows the fuel pump to prime and restore pressure in the system.

If doing that does not solve the issue try cycling the key on and off a few times like Rusty suggested. This will prime the pump a few times to get the fuel volume and pressure back up.

You may also have a bad fuel pressure regulator. If that fails it can allow the return line to siphon fuel out of the lines back into the tank.



Ford has mostly eliminated this problem on the 2011+ vehicles by setting up the software so that the pump runs when the doors are unlocked until a certain pressure is achieved.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Ford has mostly eliminated this problem on the 2011+ vehicles by setting up the software so that the pump runs when the doors are unlocked until a certain pressure is achieved.

I did not know that... talk about thinking outside of the box. We have an 11 Edge and a 17 Escape... gonna check later today

The only thing I will add is that putting on a fuel pressure gauge will help you see whats going on when running the pump through it's paces...

 

[adsm08]

I did not know that... talk about thinking outside of the box. We have an 11 Edge and a 17 Escape... gonna check later today

The only thing I will add is that putting on a fuel pressure gauge will help you see whats going on when running the pump through it's paces...

The Edge may not have that feature yet, it was a rolling change that was put in as models were redesigned. The Escape should definitely do it.

Park it, shut it off, lock the doors, leave it for an hour or so, and then lay under the back and listen to the tank while you unlock the doors with the key fob. It will only work the first time, because it pressure is already built up, or if it has been done already within so many minutes (I think its 30-45) it won't go as a battery protection thing.

 

[Five]

Thanks for the responses! I'll definitely try anything that could help.

First thing to make sure of is that you aren't punching the key straight from off to start. This is something that nobody ever teaches you, and most people don't even think about because 90% of the time there are no problems, but you are supposed to turn the key on, wait about 5 seconds, and THEN crank the engine. This allows the fuel pump to prime and restore pressure in the system.

I understood that turning the key primed the system but wasn't sure if it was actually helping or not. I'll be sure to wait a couple more seconds when I start it next time. Usually, I just cycle the key a couple of times [instead of just holding it and overworking the starter] and it starts just fine. From that I can figure it is probably a fuel system problem.

 

[adsm08]

Thanks for the responses! I'll definitely try anything that could help.

I understood that turning the key primed the system but wasn't sure if it was actually helping or not. I'll be sure to wait a couple more seconds when I start it next time. Usually, I just cycle the key a couple of times [instead of just holding it and overworking the starter] and it starts just fine. From that I can figure it is probably a fuel system problem.

Yeah, it sounds like you are loosing your system prime while it sits.

That can be a very frustrating issue to figure out as there are multiple places it can be leaking to.

Fuel pump check valve, fuel pressure regulator, or any of the injectors could all leak and cause this. Injector leaks tend to be intermittent too making it even harder to find.