97 explorer crank no start

[jsnrtl]

my truck died while driving the other day since then I have replaced the fuel fliters and fuel pump I checked the pressure at the fuel rail gave me 40 psi after turning the key five tims then slowly reduced I have cleaned the maf and iac sensors don't appear to be air leaks and I tried spraying starter fliud directly into it stil no start my plugs and coil pack have fire as well

 

[koda2000]

My '97 Sport SOHC was having starting problems this past spring. I assumed it was fuel related and I replaced the fuel pump (original dated OE pump with 260,000+ miles on it) and the fuel filter, but it still wouldn't start. I had checked the FP relay and inertia switch and found them to be working. Then I checked for spark and found none. Apparently the crank position sensor was not sending the signal to the PCM to fire the coils. I removed the sensor, cleaned and tested it (it tested okay, but was pretty dirty) and reinstalled it. It's been working perfectly ever since. Dirty sensor? Bad electrical contact? IDK.

If you're sure you're getting fuel and spark and there are no signs of life it's possible your timing chains have jumped. Had you been experiencing the "timing chain death rattle" and/or chain noise at startup? Typically the SOHC jumps time at startup and not while running seemingly normally, but when it happens it usually leads to a no-start as having fuel, air and spark at the wrong time don't allow the engine to run.

 

[97-5.0]

Make sure air filter is clean,

Ide remove all spark plugs to ensure they are still good, could be cracked or out of gap,

Any more details for when it happened, where you were, driving style, engine just suddenly died without any warning?

Confirm spark n gas is getting in, then check cam position sensor aka distributor to confirm the sensor flag isn't bent or mangled from the sensor magnet on top of it falling out into the rotating distributor flag, this sensor controls the injectors, crank sensor controls the spark

Double check and clean and add a ground wire from coil pack bracket directly to battery ground, good luck and report back!

 

[koda2000]

Make sure air filter is clean,

Ide remove all spark plugs to ensure they are still good, could be cracked or out of gap,

Any more details for when it happened, where you were, driving style, engine just suddenly died without any warning?

Confirm spark n gas is getting in, then check cam position sensor aka distributor to confirm the sensor flag isn't bent or mangled from the sensor magnet on top of it falling out into the rotating distributor flag, this sensor controls the injectors, crank sensor controls the spark

Double check and clean and add a ground wire from coil pack bracket directly to battery ground, good luck and report back!

FYI: The 4.0L SOHC V6 does not use the cam sensor to control spark. It gives the PCM info which is used to control the fuel injectors, but the engine will run with a bad cam position sensor (although not very well). The 4.0L SOHC V6 is a completely different animal from the 5.0L V8. There are no cam synchronizer/distributor parts like what you find on the 4.0L OHV or 5.0L. The main thing controlling spark on the SOHC is the crank position sensor.

If you're going to pull the spark plugs do a compression test to make sure your valves have not gotten whacked. When cranking the engine over does it sound normal?

 

[drdoom]

Koda you are right that CKP sensor connector can certainly cause it not to start. It gets filthy down there.

 

[97-5.0]

Don't think jsnrtl says what he has in his X, but all good info nevertheless!

He says coil pack, not packs, so I guess safe to assume V6?

 

[koda2000]

jsnrtl
New Member
Joined: Yesterday
Messages: 1
Likes Received: 0
Trophy Points:1
Year and Model: 97 Ford explorer 4.0 soc

 

[RandomNerd2000]

How's it sound cranking? Normal, really fast, or lumpy, like speeding up and slowing down as it turns over?

 

[jsnrtl]

hey sorry late on the response here work and tryin to figure this out is running me thin ....its a 97 ford explorer 4.0 soc....we have checked everything on this thing cleaned the maf and iac replaced the crankshaft position sensorhave fuel fuel pressure is good ne fuel pimp and filters have sprk the whole nine yards even tried sprayin starter fluid direct still no combustion ...im thinking I'm a lock out mode or something bc everything you need is there just not turning over..i have read something about the antitheft system how do I reset that not sure its the relays maybe at this point I'm pretty sure its something small and easily overlooked

 

[RandomNerd2000]

97s don't have PATS afaik, my mom used to have one, and the keys were just steel clones.

 

[koda2000]

No PATS until '98. Nothing to "reset". It's beginning to sound more and more like your timing chain may have jumped. Have you done a compression test? Does it sound normal when it cranks? Are the spark plugs wet with fuel? It's possible your PCM is firing the fuel injectors, but you really need to do some proper diagnosis.

 

[jsnrtl]

wel ust for giggles I hooked up a generic scanner hit clear codes tried it and it sounded like I finally had a little combustion unfortunately my battery is seriously drained from all the testing and cranking so I took the battery up to auto zone to have it fully recharged if that don't work ill do the compression test and look into the timing chain//question if it were the timing chain wouldn't I have felt or heard something pretty noticeable

 

[RandomNerd2000]

You would've likely heard a "rattle can" type sound, 97s were a bad year for the SOHC, it was a debut year, and as the saying goes "Never buy the first of anything"

 

[jsnrtl]

No rattle when it died no loud bangs I didn't even know it shut down till I tried using the breaks this is driving me crazy I'm sure it's got to be an electric or computer issue now

 

[jsnrtl]

Someone just mentioned a knock sensor?

 

[jsnrtl]

Could it possibly be the timing tensioner bolt hopefully that way I don't have to take the whole car apart

 

[RandomNerd2000]

You need to do the compression test, guessing won't get you anywhere cheaply or effectively, do a compression test, that'll be the most helpful thing you do

 

[jsnrtl]

The idle started getting bad then increasingly worse so good possibility on timing

 

[jsnrtl]

You need to do the compression test, guessing won't get you anywhere cheaply or effectively, do a compression test, that'll be the most helpful thing you do

Very true

 

[jsnrtl]

So I did the compression test all ports really low but basically same pressure about 30 psi so my buddy says head gasket I'm still leaning toward timing only bc the pressure is the same all the way around my question is would a slipped timing create low pressure like that dry and wet test was done...no oil in my coolant and doesn't shoot out of radiator