'99 Explorer Starting problems?

[ukslideways]

I'm new to this board so hello everyone. I bought a 99 explorer xlt 4x4 about a month ago. The previous owner told me it had been sitting for almost 2 years, but that he started it a couple of times. I got a really good deal on it so I bought it. It wouldn't start when I tried, but thought that old battery, old gas, etc.. Anyways to my point. I knew the main tensioner was bad after him telling me it had a rattle. I changed the tensioner, cleaned out the oil pan, new fuel pump assembly, plugs, wires, and won't start. I never took the timing chains or chain off. So i dont think the timings bad unless it jumped teeth, but didnt seem to have. I have good fuel psi to the rail, spark at the plugs. The whole time your trying to start it it sounds really close to hitting, but just won't. I've checked the crank sensor with a muti-meter and seemed ok I'm not sure though. I went off something I read on the internet on how to check it. The manual I have only told me how to check it when running. So I'm stuck and need some help bad. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks in advance Patrick

 

[Fox Fader]

You have fire and fuel. Next is a compression test.

 

[SVTmountianeer]

the same thing was going to say

 

[ukslideways]

I'll get that done today amd post results.

 

[Dilbert5]

Sounds like you are taking the right steps, if the compression is good, there is one other thing that you could do. Verify that the injectors are being pulsed. Professionals use a noid light, they have kits that cost around $50. but you can build your own for a couple dollars worth of parts.

Noid light. Use a small 12 v light bulb, (a instrument panel light works well). Get 1” of 10 gauge solid wire, and 6” of 20 gauge stranded wire (or something close). Hammer the 10 gauge wire flat, and then cut it into two pieces. Take the 20 gauge wire and cut it into two pieces. Solder a wire to both leads of the light bulb. Then take the two pieces of flat wire and solder one to the other ends of the 20 gauge wire. Use heatshrink tubing to cover all exposed wires, except for ¼” of the flat 10 gauge.

You now have a homemade noid light. Plug it into the fuel injector harness . When you start the car, the light should flash, indicating that the ECM is trying to fire the injector.