Truck Issues

So, my beloved truck died today.

Was pulling out of my neighborhood when it stalled out, and couldn't get it to turnover.
Tried it a few times, it'd almost turn over but wouldn't catch.

Dashboard would come on, and it was running fine up until I tried pulling out.

Initially, I thought it just stalled out, but it wouldn't start again.
may be weather related, as it's pretty cold this morning, but I'll have to wait until after work to check.

loking for ideas as to what else it may be.

ok so..never done this before?
how cold out is it?
make and model please?

reply to post by AccessDenied

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Never has, nope.
Earlier this morning, it was in the thirties.
Ford Ranger, 1999
Four wheel drive, four cylinder.

omg, I'm soooo dead for doin' this ...

j/k, actually I've been waiting all my life for a woman to ask me the above questions.

Doesn't sound cold enough for that to be your problem..and it shouldn't have started initially.
I would have suggested the starter, but that would not be the cause of it stalling.

Search provided this :

.Recalls: Ford had 3 recalls on this truck. The first for the windshield wiper relay that if not corrected to could fail and short out the entire electrical system. The second for the Bridgestone tires that could blow out. And the third for the cruise control system, the system could malfunction causing the throttle cable to stick, i.e. you can’t turn off the cruise control, or slow down the truck and you could crash.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I bought a 1999 ford ranger 4.0, after a couple weeks I noticed it wasnt getting very good gas mileage, so I did the math and it figured out to be only 17miles per gal. About a month later the oil pressure gauge started going haywire it would read no pressure one moment then read ok. I couldnt afford the gas so I parked it in my yard and drove my geo metro. It hasnt been driven for about months, I started it up yesterday, I had to jump it, the battery was dead, checked all the fluids and tire pressure, and off I went to get a load of wood. I drove about 25miles and it was sounding and driving ok. I filled the bed with fire wood and headed back, about 10miles later, I was going up a hill at the time, and I started hearing a knocking noise coming from the engine, it then lost power and sounded like it was only hitting on 1 or 2 cylinders, pulled over, turned off engine chked oil its ok. When I tried to start it, it sounded like it had jumped time.

Well it is not uncommon to see engine failure at this mileage, first thing to be done is run a check for codes with a scan tool for the check engine
light and perform a compression test
to see what is going on with the base engine, it will tell where the problem lies with the engine from there.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~


You may have to take it to a mechanic who has the proper tool to read the engine code.
I do have a friend who is a mechanic and owns a Ford F150...I might see if he has any ideas.

Don't even go there Doggy..I know more about cars than cooking..sadly.

Explanation: Flagged!

Fuel Filter....

Google search results for 199 ford ranger fuel filter

Where is the fuel filter located? [wiki.answers.com]

How to change the fuel filter on 1999 Ford Ranger [therangerstation.com]

Corroberating info on how to change Fuel filter [ehow.com]

Ford Ranger Questions Answered [wiki.answers.com]

Personal Disclosure: I hope that helps get your beloved back up and running OK!

Hopefully just battery. Or worse, the alternator. Winter is hard on batteries.

[edit on 31-1-2010 by nixie_nox]

Power comes up on the vehicle, lights, radio, ect.

@AccessDenied, that's what happen to my old truck, the tire blew out.

reply to post by schrodingers dog

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I am a self appointed car mech/professional, but I am not in on the newer models where PC's are involved...like yours..

It takes 3 things for an engine to run
1 gas
2 spark
3 explosion from 1&2

If it died after starting ok, and then would not re-start, I would be looking towards fuel filter, or depending on how often you purchase fuel or how long it has been setting...possible water in fuel, either from the pump or from the reverse of moisture on a soda/beer can your fuel tank can sweat on the inside.

If it was not fuel injected I would say just remove the fuel line at the carb, "you can do this with fuel injection" its just the pressureers are much higher....and turn the key on, "it has an electric fuel pump, and you will see if its getting fuel...visually..
NOTE...you need to be able to see the line you unhook and be ready to turn the key off fast!

In the model of truck you own, I have not known of anyone personally, but the fuel pump is in the fuel tank, and they have a tendency to go bad.
Mostly due to ppl running their fuel tanks below 1/4 tank and not reading the owners manual and not knowing that the fuel in the tank is the thing keeping your pump ...cool... and by running your tank on the low side continually, will result in early fuel pump failure.

So in short its mt opinion that its a fuel issue, 80% chance IMO

But could be electronic........my reason for not owning computerized autos...

I don't mean for anything I typed to be takin as critisism, and hope its takin strickly as advice, and in no way is meant to make anyone including myself sound bad/wrong or anything else..

I hope you get it figured out.

reply to post by Doc Holiday

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Hm... I keep the tank at least half full, as occasionally i have to travel, and don't always know where I'm headed.

So far, teh fuel filter is the most likely target.

reply to post by RuneSpider

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Yes I would check it too.That was the first thing that crossed my mind.

How about another Ford joke?

F aulker
O nly
R olls
D ownhill

Well, started up fine when I got home yesterday, and couldn't replicate the problem. Hm. Still need to get it checked, gonna have to clear my schedule.

Sounds even more like a fuel filter, or even the strainer type sock thats on the pick-up tube in your tank...
Meaning that, it could get enough fuel to start, run, and idle...but..when you start giving it fuel to make motion it could use whats in the line faster than it could come through the blocked filter...
Just thinking aloud...

alternator rune, check and see if thats what it is