Cranks over good but will not start unless you push start it

Tiny
RIDEMN31
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 FORD RANGER
  • 3.0L
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • MANUAL
  • 250,000 MILES
My truck cranks over really strong but it takes a long time to get it going if I sit and crank it over. Seems to start up faster if I crank over in short bursts. But if I push start it it fires right up no problem and runs good while it it running. There's no check engine light on and so far I have replaced the fuel pump, fuel filter, spark plugs and wires, and I checked the fuel pressure and everything checks out for fuel that I can think of. Forgot to mention that I even checked and replaced some relays. Whats the deal with thing? Someone please help me I meed this old baby for work until I get my car fixed.
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Sunday, September 8th, 2019 AT 6:25 PM

8 Replies

Tiny
BMDOUBLE
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,139 POSTS
Have you checked the ground connections yet? I have had a few Rangers with weak grounds at various points in the engine compartment. Near the battery and at the firewall and anywhere you can see a ground connection, clean it! The reason it may be starting easier when you push start it is that you've taken the load of the starter out of the picture, which when you have a weak ground will actually show up as voltage on the ground side and prevent things like the power-train control module and relays from operating correctly and also corrupt the crank sensor signal. It's free so lets get those grounds cleaned and tightened. I've included a picture of 2 known bad grounds, but clean any others that you can.
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
RIDEMN31
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  • 5 POSTS
Hey sorry for taking a while to get back to ya. But I cleaned up all the ground wires and made sure they're making good contact and it is still doing the same thing.
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
RIDEMN31
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  • 5 POSTS
I did notice a black cloud of smoke that came out of the exhaust the other day when I started it. Should I try changing the fuel regulator if it is throwing smoke?
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
BMDOUBLE
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,139 POSTS
Your truck is a mechanical returnless system so the regulator is on the pump in the tank. I would verify fuel pressure first, the spec is 64 psi plus or minus 8 psi. The rail may have a pulse damper but it's not the regulator. If you suspect that it's flooded, press the gas pedal all the way to the floor and crank it, that puts your vehicle in "clear flood mode" it will shut off the injectors so the engine can clear the excess fuel. Also verify the compression because these engines are notorious for dropping valve seats and other head issues that will affect compression and make for a hard start and no start condition.
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
RIDEMN31
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  • 5 POSTS
Getting 70 psi for fuel pressure.
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
BMDOUBLE
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,139 POSTS
Excellent! Then I would go ahead and get compression readings from each cylinder.
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
RIDEMN31
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Okay. At work at the moment. Going to have to wait until tomorrow to go buy a compression gauge. Let ya know what the readings are as soon as I check them.
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021 AT 12:13 PM
Tiny
BMDOUBLE
  • MECHANIC
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Okay, good deal!
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Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021 AT 12:13 PM

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