Need Help!

[Tony's Girl]

My husband bought his 1996 Explorer 5 weeks ago. It came with a folder full of scheduled maint. and repairs all done at a Ford dealer. Someone took excellent care of this truck! While driving to work last week it just died. After some checking, he thought fuel pump. Our son helped him change it and the gas tank which had rot so bad at the top that his finger went through it. After a 10 hour job of dropping the tank, changing the fuel pump, tank and 2 parts that broke during the process...it won't start! Relays are good but no power to the fuel pump relay and no pressure at the Schrader valve. (We tried our sons relays from his Explorer) Also a strange thing which may or may not be related. The cigarette lighter no longer works but did a few weeks ago. There is also no sound of the fuel pump at the gas fill. Could it be the PCM? If so can we get a used one? We are all stumped! We also checked the inertia switch.

 

[Bobmbx]

Lets go at this in logical manner. What works electrically? When you turn the key to the "On" position, does the self-check run? Dinging chimes, lights on the dash, etc...?

Does the starter turn with the key? Headlights? Turn signals? Horn? etc.....

 

[Tony's Girl]

Just checked and everything comes on or works but there is no check engine light lit up on the dash.

My husband also said that the truck started racing when he was stopped at red lights 2 or 3 times about 2 weeks before she died. She idled down on her own after about 30 seconds.

 

[Bobmbx]

Does the starter engage and turn the engine?

 

[Tony's Girl]

Yes! Cranks fine. Just does not start.

 

[Bobmbx]

Can you verify power at the fuel pump?

 

[Tony's Girl]

That we don't know yet. I suppose I should have waited to ask for advice. Tomorrow they will be checking that. I'll let you know. Thank you for responding.

 

[96eb96]

Just checked and everything comes on or works but there is no check engine light lit up on the dash.

My husband also said that the truck started racing when he was stopped at red lights 2 or 3 times about 2 weeks before she died. She idled down on her own after about 30 seconds.

1) If the check engine light don't come on when you turn the key check the PCM relay.

2) Crankshaft position sensor could cause the symptoms you describe. It is located in the front of the engine adjacent to a toothed wheel. Wiring issues could cause the sensor to report bad info.

3) What led to the fuel pump diagnosis? Did you verify fuel line pressure?

 

[obie]

The lighter outlet and check engine light are on the same circuit. Check to see if the fuse for those is popped.

 

[jremington59]

Did you do a fuel pressure test before changing the pump? If not, and even if you did, verify the pressure now before going any further.

 

[Tony's Girl]

Thanks everyone! We so appreciate the help. All fuse are good and there is no fuel pressure. My son says that the PCM is not sending power to the fuel pump relay. The relays are good as we swapped them with my son's from his explorer. My 2 guys have their heads in a Haynes book right now. I thought it might be the crankshaft position sensor myself. Hope not. It was a pain to change on our old Windstar!

 

[gmanpaint]

I had a similar issue happen recently, and the culprit was the wiring to the relay.

Check the wire for power coming out of the PCM to the fuel relay Closer to the PCM. Just find it, and stab it with a pointy multimeter post. Sometimes heat and age will crack a wire under the power distribution box, and you cant see it. Same goes for all wires under the hood. You can check the wires for continuity going to the dash thru the firewall as well, the same way.

Something that wont hurt to try is disconnecting the battery for 10 mins or so to reset the PCM. It will relearn after a few cycles of start/stop of the engine.

 

[Tony's Girl]

We did reset the PCM yesterday. There is no power to the fuel pump relay but the PCM relay is good.

 

[Tony's Girl]

UPDATE!!!! So I told the guys 3 times yesterday to be sure to check all fuses...Apparently they neglected to check.... yup.... you guessed it....the PCM fuse! Big ole 30 amp that you cannot miss! Truck fired right up and....popped a gas line. Gas puddle in the driveway but at least we're good. Fixing the gas line and good to go. I would like to thank you all for your help. It is all greatly appreciated. Since this truck is pretty old, I'm sure we'll be seeking your help and advice again. Thanks a bunch!

 

[gmanpaint]

Good to hear!

All that work for a blown fuse. At least you will have a new pump now.

 

[Tony's Girl]

That is true! The other good thing is that the rotted gas tank has been changed so no chance of an issue in January when these things usually happen to us.. lol

 

[Tony's Girl]

I'M BAAAAACK!!!!!!! So the truck was running for 20 minutes and when my husband took it for a ride....DEAD!!! The PCM power fuse (hi current) keeps popping. The second the engine starts, the fuse pops. He's waiting for a tow right now. Any help out there? Please!!!!

 

[Bobmbx]

Something very similar happened to my kids car right after we bought it. Dead. As. A. Door. Nail.

One of the big 30A fuses popped. So, there was a spare in the box which popped about 45 seconds after we started the car. Until then it ran like a top.

Then I remembered he had vacuumed the entire car (his first car!) and asked me about some wires he found under the carpet. A couple of speaker wires, a big, fat power cable, and some others we didn't trace. Signs of an aftermarket stereo that had been removed. So I checked the wires, and lo and behold, the power cable was touching the floorpan, and the electrical tape had come off. The fuse was slow-blow which is why it didn't blow when the power was switched on.

I'd nose around looking for that sort of thing.

 

[Tony's Girl]

The truck just got here. I will pass this on! Thank you!

 

[Tony's Girl]

Now the windows won't go up and the fuse pops the second you turn the key. No after market stereo so no ideas. We are at our wits end with this truck.