2001 explorer no start

[B20badboy]

I have a 2001 Ford Explorer has been driving fine until one day won't start at store. Towed it home next morning started pulled into driveway. Checked the pump hear it spinning, checked the relay its clicking, checked the inertia switch working, checked for ecu codes none. Changed the fuel filter (black on the tank side) runs for one week then no start again. Towed home again no start push into the driveway let sit for 1 month no start,then after a month it starts again let run for 30 min, next day starts right up pull to the street starts again, pull in the driveway starts. Later tonight going to pull it forward some more now no start again. I have checked everything except the spark, read somewhere the ignition coil pack might be to blame? I am not a full blown mechanic but can diagnose problems and am kinda stumped on this one. I bought another filter thought maybe my tank got dirty gas. Any help would be great not a huge rush but would really like to get running before winter here in Colorado...

 

[ranger7ltr]

Remember the black sediment on the tank side of the filter?

Does your truck have a metal tank? If it does, the black stuff is rust and dirt from inside the tank not dirty fuel...

I would pull the filter and prime the pump with a catch bottle on the inlet and see what the fuel coming out looks like...

On the bottom you can see what the inside of the tank looks like...

I fought this for the better part of a year plus...I finally replaced the tank after chemical cleaning and relining the tank with POR-15 didn't work... The rust and debris from inside the tank kept coming back to clog my filters... Plus all that crap was flowing through the pump filter sock and pump helping to kill it as well...

 

[2000StreetRod]

Which engine?

It would be good to determine if the problem is fuel, ignition or compression related. Do you have an inexpensive spark tester? Do you have a fuel pressure gauge? If not, the next time the engine won't start spray starting fluid into the intake manifold. If the engine starts and runs briefly then you probably have a fuel problem. It could be the fuel pressure or PATS. On my 2000 Sport PATS disables the fuel injectors when attempting to start with an invalid key. If you have an ignition problem it could be the crank position sensor as well as the coil pack, plugs or wires.

 

[B20badboy]

Does your truck have a metal tank? If it does, the black stuff is rust and dirt from inside the tank not dirty fuel...

I would pull the filter and prime the pump with a catch bottle on the inlet and see what the fuel coming out looks like...

On the bottom you can see what the inside of the tank looks like...

I fought this for the better part of a year plus...I finally replaced the tank after chemical cleaning and relining the tank with POR-15 didn't work... The rust and debris from inside the tank kept coming back to clog my filters... Plus all that crap was flowing through the pump filter sock and pump helping to kill it as well...

It does have a metal tank and that is exactly what the fuel looked like I tried to screw a fuel pressure tester to the Schroeder valve it showed no pressure. When the first filter was off I had my daughter cycle the key pump came on and fuel came out. Will check the fuel again in a clean bottle and check pressure at the filter. Truck has 140k if I go to the trouble of dropping and replacing the tank should I put a new pump as well?

 

[ranger7ltr]

This is typical of a rusty tank...

If you drop the tank the pump sock and the pump will look similar to what you drained out...Frankly I wouldn't reuse the old tank after you drop it...And the pump passed all that rusty crap through itself into the fuel system...

That is a pump just waiting to fail...

And a salvage yard tank will not be much better...I went that route as well...I finally bought a new tank in March of 2010 and that ended the fuel system issues I had been fighting... I do replace the filter more often than I need to but it is for my own piece of mind...Plus when I pull them out they are relatively clean...Even the fuel on the inlet side of the filter is clean!!!

 

[B20badboy]

Been a long time but I finally got around to dropping the tank. It looks like new inside 0 rust, so I ordered a new pump since I went through all the work. It up until the day I dropped the tank started every time and ran good. Now the fuel I drained out prior was dark yellow/brown not as bad as what was pictured above. I am putting the new pump assembly in tomorrow and hopefully this is it.