94 Explorer with Starting Problems

[explorford94]

Hi Everyone Help Needed:
I have a problem with my explorer not starting some times and also sometimes driving down the street and it quits on me I pull over and try starting it and all i get is a normal cranking noise but engine will not fire. Wait 4 or 5 Mins and it will start up. I go on my way, Like nothing has happened, runs great. it might not happen again for 2 weeks, even up to 4 or 5 weeks. but then sometimes I go out to start it in the morning and the same thing happens, I sit and wait and then it will start.
I have been trying to diagnose this problem for some time now, I did realize when it does not start that you cannot hear the fuel pump kick in, so I figured the motor turns over but no fuel pump, so i think that this means that the motor is not getting fuel? (thats why not starting!)DUH!
So I have replace fuel filter, Added gas addtives from auto stores, even a new fuel pump relay on a hunch? it was only $5.00. I'm all bummed, should I try a FUEL PUMP?

I have been reading some of the comments left by you guys and girls and seen a FUEL Pressure regulator part that i have no idea where it sits in the vehicle? COULD THAT MAKE MY EXPLORER DO WHATS IT DOING???
PLEASE HELP or try the Computer in the explorer??? Yikes Big Bucks! then is it worth it?

 

[idaho]

When my fuel pump went out I could barely get my X to run I had my dad tow me to a friends house and a few days later tried to drive it to the shop, it died completely after a couple of miles and I called a tow to get it the rest of the way there.

How full do you keep the tank? if it is happening at a certain level there could be something that is starting to block the pump, and then floating off it after the pressure is changed...

 

[explorford94]

Thanks for replying:
I have thought of that before but just doesn't seem to be an time of day level of gas, tempature of day that seems to come together. I have thought of Vaporlock, no cause sometimes its cold. My neighbor told me it might be a modulator so I went bought a used one and tried it and still done it. I really think its electrical somewhere. but i will keep that in mind, I think my next quest will be to find out how much the Fuel guage regulator costs.

 

[93TwotoneXLT]

Sounds like the fuel pump has taken a dump on you. It probably has an internal fault that is causing the intermittant problem you are describing. A bad fuel pressure regulator would not cause those kinds of problems. The truck would instead be running badly and pinging all of the time. If you are going to do this job yourself, run the truck until the gauge reads close to empty. Drop the tank and install a new fuel pump and sending unit(the thing that makes your fuel gauge work correctly) while you are in there. If you don't hear the fuel pump when you go to start it sometimes that should be a dead giveaway. It will prime everytime you turn the key.

 

[marragtop]

Replace the fuel pump relay before tackling the actual fuel pump. This could be your problem and it's much cheaper and easier to do.

 

[ChocolateThunder]

IT'S NOT THE FUEL PUMP!!!
It's a relay under the hood. Same thing was happening to my 94 for years. Won't start, got it towed home, started right off the truck. Did that twice, replaced many parts, before i decided to check electrical connections in the relays.

So i switched the relay with another one. Runs fine, but when it gets hot I don't have ABS anymore. Meh, who needs brakes?

 

[ChocolateThunder]

Replace the fuel pump relay before tackling the actual fuel pump. This could be your problem and it's much cheaper and easier to do.

Wow I'm a dumbass. Sorry i didn't see this. I just saw Replace the fuel pump part.

 

[mallow328]

which one

IT'S NOT THE FUEL PUMP!!!
It's a relay under the hood. Same thing was happening to my 94 for years. Won't start, got it towed home, started right off the truck. Did that twice, replaced many parts, before i decided to check electrical connections in the relays.

So i switched the relay with another one. Runs fine, but when it gets hot I don't have ABS anymore. Meh, who needs brakes?

my explorer is doing the same thing, which relay do i replace?

 

[marragtop]

The fuel pump relay is in the power distribution box under the hood. You should also check that the inertia switch isn't tripped and that the wire is on it tightly.

 

[mallow328]

fuel relay

thanks alot man that did the job.

 

[exotic1994]

So i have a poblem with my fuel pump i thnk, well sorta, lol, i have had many explorers and this isue boggles me, but first here is my input on this thread so far just to add some info, i personaly have never had a fuel pump fail, lucky me, but i have had a relay fail and a pressure rgulator fail, and an inertia switch trip, relay just killed it, an easy cheap fix, the regulator is expensive and a little tricky to get one screw but when it failed i went through A LOT of gas, ran great when you floored it and wanted to die at an idle way overpriced imo for such a little part, located on the fuel rail but cheaper than the gas i wasted untill i figured out the problem, the cheapest fix was that inertia switch, push the button lol, so back to my problem, one of my explorers a 94 xlt at needed a radiator and i was going to do some things to it so i just drove and parked it in the back yard, well a year later i decided to put a radiator in it and fire it back up, well when i turned the key no fuel pump noise, isint getting power, swaped relays no difference, i am using the inertia swith for checking, i can jump power to there and the pump does turn on so i know the pump is good, a couple other weird things is the dash lights for 4x4 and low range are on and both lights on the 4x4 switch are on, push the buttons and nothing turns off i dont think its acctually in 4 wheel but the lighjts are on and also the premium sound fuse blows as soon as you put a new one in, there is no sign of a roddent, was my first guess so i inspected all the wiring in and under, when i parked it there was nothing wrong but the radiator, there is no check engine light, i just dont get it, does anyone have any ideas?? thans for any help you have to offer

 

[marragtop]

So it sounds like you are not getting power to the inertial switch with the key turned on. If you have already ruled out the fuel pump relay, then try replacing the PCM relay. Both relays have to be good to get power to the inertia switch.

 

[exotic1994]

Thanks for the tip, i havent tried that so i went out this morning to do so and the battery was dead, i didnt leave anything on so something is draining the battery ?? perhaps a part of the whole problem ??, i guess there could be a short somewhere, i will keep looking, its on the charger now, so i will let you know what happens this afternoon, cross my fingers i figure something out, i am worriing its the pcm itself, i have two identical x's so i can swap parts from my big x that i know works till it gets resolved, so frustrating, it had no problems when i parked it

 

[marragtop]

The battery drain is probably a seperate issue. Also, I believe the AC relay is the same as the PCM relay, so you can try swapping them (providing you have AC and the AC relay is good).

 

[exotic1994]

is there really a difference in relays? there is six in there and they look the same, it looks like the numbers are two numbers between all six, what would the diference be? do you know what the three relays in the back drivers side panel are for? as mentioned above about the 8 wire harness and the 11 wire harness, what are those about?, mine does not have any with 11 wires but does have 8 wires?