tjfreeman1911
New Member
- Joined
- February 21, 2018
- Messages
- 5
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- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2001 XLT V6 SOHC 2WD Auto
I've got a weird one for you guys. I got this Explorer recently and it has been a chore to get things working. Here's the saga of my no start condition:
On Sunday, I set out to replace my driver's side valve cover gasket since it was leaking oil. The first thing I did, after disconnecting the battery, was disconnecting the inertia switch to depressurize the fuel system. When I tried to start the vehicle, it cranked but wouldn't start. I figured that was because of the inertia switch. I can't remember if it was before or after, but I also reset my PCM. I reset my PCM a bunch of times since and I'm still in a pickle.
Anyhow, I got all the valve gasket stuff done slowly but surely. Got everything back together and it would crank but not start. So I set out testing stuff. I tested all the electrical connections first and everything seemed secure and clean.
Next, I figured that I needed to check for fuel. The fuel line valve above the valve cover spit out some gas when pressed, but I don't have a gauge to check pressure. I can also hear the fuel pump when I turn the key to "on".
Next, I checked for spark. I didn't get spark out of any plugs. I then checked the ignition coil plug and found it has power to the coil but testing the other female pin ports yielded nothing when checked with a 12v test light grounded to the positive battery cable/post. I also noticed that RPMs aren't registering when I attempt to crank the engine. So I figured that meant the crank position sensor gave up on life and so I replaced it. Granted, the replacement is a cheapo part from Autozone, so I haven't entirely ruled that out.
Next, I decided to check the throttle body, since I read that resetting the PCM will result in a non-start when the throttle body is dirty. I was so intent on resetting the PCM to try and smooth out my idle, and cleaning the throttle body should certainly help. So I cleaned it thoroughly and reset the PCM again. No dice.
Then I noticed my battery had sprung a leak. Uh oh. So I swapped the battery. Still no dice.
So then I started thinking my PCM might have died. Not likely, but maybe. But I wanted to check as much else as possible first. So I started checking fuses and relays. Switching relays didn't have any effect in the fuse box (power distributor?) under the hood on the driver's side. All fuses except #13 tested good. I pulled fuse 13 and saw it was actually ok. I switched it with another 15A fuse and saw the exact same test results. So, I know there is a wire break of some kind there since it fails being probed with a 12v test light grounded to the negative battery post/cable.
So that's where I am now. Scratching my head and confused. Also worth noting my cheapo scan tool can't read any errors from the computer. Some things I haven't done that might be related from my research: Clean the MAF, test the TBS, replace spark plugs/wires. I know I need to fix the thing in the fuse box, but otherwise I'm not sure what to do. All help is appreciated, y'all.
On Sunday, I set out to replace my driver's side valve cover gasket since it was leaking oil. The first thing I did, after disconnecting the battery, was disconnecting the inertia switch to depressurize the fuel system. When I tried to start the vehicle, it cranked but wouldn't start. I figured that was because of the inertia switch. I can't remember if it was before or after, but I also reset my PCM. I reset my PCM a bunch of times since and I'm still in a pickle.
Anyhow, I got all the valve gasket stuff done slowly but surely. Got everything back together and it would crank but not start. So I set out testing stuff. I tested all the electrical connections first and everything seemed secure and clean.
Next, I figured that I needed to check for fuel. The fuel line valve above the valve cover spit out some gas when pressed, but I don't have a gauge to check pressure. I can also hear the fuel pump when I turn the key to "on".
Next, I checked for spark. I didn't get spark out of any plugs. I then checked the ignition coil plug and found it has power to the coil but testing the other female pin ports yielded nothing when checked with a 12v test light grounded to the positive battery cable/post. I also noticed that RPMs aren't registering when I attempt to crank the engine. So I figured that meant the crank position sensor gave up on life and so I replaced it. Granted, the replacement is a cheapo part from Autozone, so I haven't entirely ruled that out.
Next, I decided to check the throttle body, since I read that resetting the PCM will result in a non-start when the throttle body is dirty. I was so intent on resetting the PCM to try and smooth out my idle, and cleaning the throttle body should certainly help. So I cleaned it thoroughly and reset the PCM again. No dice.
Then I noticed my battery had sprung a leak. Uh oh. So I swapped the battery. Still no dice.
So then I started thinking my PCM might have died. Not likely, but maybe. But I wanted to check as much else as possible first. So I started checking fuses and relays. Switching relays didn't have any effect in the fuse box (power distributor?) under the hood on the driver's side. All fuses except #13 tested good. I pulled fuse 13 and saw it was actually ok. I switched it with another 15A fuse and saw the exact same test results. So, I know there is a wire break of some kind there since it fails being probed with a 12v test light grounded to the negative battery post/cable.
So that's where I am now. Scratching my head and confused. Also worth noting my cheapo scan tool can't read any errors from the computer. Some things I haven't done that might be related from my research: Clean the MAF, test the TBS, replace spark plugs/wires. I know I need to fix the thing in the fuse box, but otherwise I'm not sure what to do. All help is appreciated, y'all.
