Hard start problem with my 1988 Ranger 2.9L.

[fastbyfrank]

hi my name is frank, i am new to this forum. i have a 1988 ranger supercab i just bought for $500.00.-- 2.9l, auto, supercab , i also have a 1987 standard cab with a 2.3 5 speed, its pretty rough body wise, so i am just using it for parts my son wants to put a small block in it and drag race it but thats a different story for a different day.
when we bought the truck we noticed that it started hard and the seller said "just push on the gas when cranking you'll be fine"
i had a 1986 ranger about 11 years ago with the 2.3 five speed and i had to put a ignition module in that when it started giving me problems so i bought the truck and figured i could fix it no problemo!
so here is what i have done to the truck so far.
plugs, wires , cap and rotor,
ignition module,o2 sensor,
idle air control motor,
checked all vacumn hoses and replaced any that were cracked,
bought a fuel pressure gauge and i noticed that it had a hard time building pressure, but not always,
replaced fuel filter, (bits of crap came out of there) the fuel filter was plugged up.
still had some issues with building fuel pressure.
dropped the tank and the in tank fuel pump was not working, if i tapped the pump it would work and then not work, (frustrating!!)
i cleaned tank and put in new in tank fuel pump.
after all that it still has a hard time starting cold or hot, while cranking if you start to push on throttle it will start.
any ideas?
sorry about the big long story.
i need some advice here real bad.
frank

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the Ranger section. Do you have a check engine light with a code?

 

[fastbyfrank]

hard start

hi thanks for your reply,
no check engine light,
will check for codes this weekend.
have been running seafoam through gas tank,
seems to start better cold now, sometimes starts ok hot but most times i need to floor accelerator to get it to start and it smells flooded.
im wondering if i have a leaking injector or two?
thanks
frank

 

[tmwalsh]

You should be able to put a fuel pressure gauge on the fuel rail and watch the pressure drop. It should maintain pressure for a while, I think hours. If it leaks down, it can be the check valve in the pump or the check valve in the fuel return line[later models don't cycle the fuel] or one or more injectors that don't seal and hold pressure.
Some near this vintage also have two fuel filters, along with two pumps. A lift pump in the tank and a pressure pump on the frame rail. I can't say for sure what you have.
You can pull the fuel rail, and the injectors may come with it or stay in the intake. They have 'hats' made of plastic that turns brittle with age. You may end up needing new hats for all the injectors. They also have O-rings to seal against the intake, which will have hardened and likely not seal if re-used. There are also O-rings where the injectors are inserted into the fuel rail. Ditto just as previous.
If you take them apart, you can either replace the injectors, or have them cleaned. I have heard of people energizing the fuel pump with the injectors removed from the intake looking for a leaker, but if you do that, be careful...
tom