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Truck starts but wont stay on, lack of fuel on fuel rail.

Tiny
GPTX056
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 FORD F-150
  • 5.4L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,000 MILES
Good afternoon I have a question about a mystery im having. My 97 F150 5.4 starts but wont stay on it dies right away but it dosn't sputter before it dies it just dies immediately almost like if it was a bad ignition switch or something. I checked the fuel pressure at the fuel rail & it doesn't have any pressure, my first instinct was to check all relays & fuses all checked out ok, next I changed out fuel filter still nothing. Next I pulled down gas tank & replaced fuel pump, the fuel pump gets power & you can hear it sucking up the gas so its getting gas from the fuel pump all the way past the fuel filter, checked fuel lines to make sure & they have gas going thru them. Also checked inertia switch of course, its like its not getting fuel pressure from the firewall to the engine, I started to dissconecting different sensors to see if I can find a faulty one but still no luck. Can it be the Fuel pressure regulator maybe the PCM not giving out a signal, maybe missing something elsel? How can I go about checking these components, I checked pressure regulator vac line to see if presence of fuel but none, I realize it can still be bad. No codes when plugged up diagnostic. I would really appreciate your expertise & invaluable experience as this problem is keeping me from work & need to find out problem ASAP. Thank you for your time & maybe you guys can give me some kind of help it would really be appreciated.
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Sunday, May 24th, 2015 AT 10:24 AM

12 Replies

Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
First off, my hearing is no good, I can't hear the fuel pump with engine cranking. The initial prime is one thing, but, you need to check voltage and ground at the fuel pump with engine cranking. If your losing the rpm signal it can stop the fuel pump as well as spark at the plugs and fuel injector pulse. Granted, different makes and models can handle that a little differently.

How long since a tune-up? Are there any applicable trouble codes? To check codes, yourself, at the least, you need an obd2 code reader. Sometimes there are codes and sometimes there aren't.

Some ford makes and models have trouble with maf sensor. You have dis ignition, no distributor? I haven't looked at your wiring, yet.
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Sunday, May 24th, 2015 AT 11:50 AM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Just to add, the pink wire with black tracer at the fuel pump connector is voltage with engine cranking.
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Sunday, May 24th, 2015 AT 12:03 PM
Tiny
GPTX056
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I am 100% sure the fuel pump works its getting power, I tested it outside of the gas tank & there is voltage from black pink wire. Like I said on my question there's fuel all the way past the fuel filter just not past the fuel rail with pressure. Replaced fuel pump already so not fuel pump.
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Sunday, May 24th, 2015 AT 12:35 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
You can't test fuel pump outside the tank. I've seen faulty fuel pumps that would run up a storm outside the tank, but wouldn't make pressure in the tank. If you have Schrader valve at the fuel rail, and your saying, no fuel pressure? With key on, no crank, bleed the Schrader valve, use a rag or something to catch the spray. W/o recycling the ignition switch, crank it, then check for spray from Schrader valve, if nothing there, you have to backtrack the fuel system.
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Sunday, May 24th, 2015 AT 12:48 PM
Tiny
GPTX056
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Yes thank you, no spray from shrader valve. How can I rule out that the fuel pump is the fault why it's not getting any pressure? I know it's getting power. Can it be the pressure regulator not giving the right fuel pressure? I really don't think its the fuel pump. Thank you
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Sunday, May 24th, 2015 AT 1:00 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Check for good voltage and ground at the fuel pump, engine cranking. You will need a helper to crank it. If good voltage and ground with no pump action, have to suspect the pump.

The fuel lines aren't clogged?
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Sunday, May 24th, 2015 AT 2:00 PM
Tiny
GPTX056
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Ok thanks a lot for all your help, it is very appreciated. Thank you
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Sunday, May 24th, 2015 AT 2:07 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Let us know what you find?
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Sunday, May 24th, 2015 AT 2:21 PM
Tiny
GPTX056
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Will do as soon as I find out thanks alot for everything.
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Sunday, May 24th, 2015 AT 2:38 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
I just try to help.
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Wednesday, June 24th, 2015 AT 8:46 AM
Tiny
GPTX056
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
*UPDATE*- My bad guys I been kinda busy but maybe my experience can help somebody else. After replacing the fuel pump twice with no luck I finally found a bad a** mechanic that found out the truck had a bad ground in the motor, I think it is the ground to motor So as I found out the hard way one little wire can cause a big headache. Thanks a lot for all your help JDL from 2 car pros you were on the right track by saying to check the wiring to the fuel pump to see if it was getting the right voltage (it was getting the right voltage but it led us to find the bad ground) thanks a lot guys & good luck to everybody outhere, check those wires & voltage before replacing parts.
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+1
Wednesday, July 1st, 2015 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Glad you got it going your way.
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Wednesday, July 1st, 2015 AT 1:59 PM

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