please help

[deb-b]

My 2003 ford explorer was running great and all of a sudden stalled out acting like it was out of fuel. While waiting to be looked at, the battery went dead so I charged the battery and it started right up but died about 30 seconds later. Same thing keeps happening.

 

[FordFool2]

Open the fuel tank fill door, remove the cap and listen closely while someone turns the ignition from off to run (not start). Can you hear the fuel pump start?

If not, first check the fuel pump fuse is good under the hood. Also, there is a fuel pump relay in that same relay box under the hood. It pulls out and plugs back in easy.

Another thing to check is the inertia switch which cuts out the fuel. It is located in the passenger side lower kick panel. Remove panel and depress button.

 

[Mario81587]

You said you charged it up, it started, and then died 30 seconds later. Could it be a bad alternator?

- Mario

 

[deb-b]

It'snot the alternator because when charged, it has a good charge. I do believe, however, that I need to replace the battery at this point. Thank you for the suggestion though.

 

[Exproblems]

It'snot the alternator because when charged, it has a good charge. I do believe, however, that I need to replace the battery at this point. Thank you for the suggestion though.

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Take your vehicle to a auto parts store and have them test your battery first, before you waste money on a new battery if one is not needed. They can also test your alternator as well. They do this service for free. Don't waste money on parts till you know for sure what the problem is. I think you should also look at the things "FordFool2" told you to check with the fuel system, it won't hurt to do it and are easy to check.

 

[deb-b]

Thank you for the suggestions, turns out, the timing chain is bad.

 

[Triton8273]

You said you charged it up, it started, and then died 30 seconds later. Could it be a bad alternator?

- Mario

Umm...a bad alternator isn't going to cause the truck to die.

 

[FordFool2]

Be careful Deb-b, if it just died and then was able to be restarted and run, even for a short while, would probably not be a timing chain. Timing chain replacement is going to be very expensive. Make sure you are working with a reputable shop.

 

[buckwill]

charge her for 1800 dolar timing chain an replace 30 dollar relay on the cuff
timing chain will not restart, get another opinion, buck

 

[Ali19]

Umm...a bad alternator isn't going to cause the truck to die.

With a bad alternator a battery dies pretty quick. Injectors, fuel pump, spark plugs, radio, AC, lights etc. Need power. No power, No running engine.

 

[deb-b]

I am at a loss. Obviously I dont know alot about vehicle but I am not buying the timing chain story either. The truck was running as well as it ever did, before this issue. apparently, there is strong fuel pressure on one side of the engine but none on the other.

 

[Triton8273]

With a bad alternator a battery dies pretty quick. Injectors, fuel pump, spark plugs, radio, AC, lights etc. Need power. No power, No running engine.

Well a bad alternator sure shouldn't cause the truck to die that fast. My alternator went when I was driving, all of my electrical components died (gauges, lights, stereo) and he truck kept running for 40min to get me home.

 

[deb-b]

Im sorry, I should have clarified......When the truck originally died, while I was driving, it had full power, asfar as lights, radio, etc. I think it may need a battery, although I never had a prob with it, before, because, when I took a two week vacation, without it (it sat while I was gone), and when I got home the battery was dead and didnt seem to hold a charge after that, although it may not have ever gotten a full charge before the "big issue".

 

[Exproblems]

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I don't know about the newer, computer controlled vehicles these days, but on any of my older vehicles in the past that ever had a battery go bad while the engine was running, was that the engine wouldn't die because of the bad battery. It would keep on running off of the alternator and only after I turned off the engine, would it not start up again. The two weeks you left your truck sit while on vacation may have been enough to drain an already weakened battery to the point of one of the battery cells going bad. You may very well need a new battery if it won't hold a charge from a battery charger. Good luck with the "timing chain guide" issue, but make sure you trust the mechanic who is telling you the timing chain guides broke apart inside the engine. If you weren't having any engine problems or loud rattling noises from the engine timing chain prior to the battery problem, then I would be suspect of what this mechanic is telling you. He could be taking advantage of you because it is an expensive, some what common problem in earlier model 3rd generation Explorers.