94 Ford Ranger XLT won't stay running :krying:

[Jarhizzy]

My name is Ryan. I own a 1994 Ford Ranger XLT 4.0L 4WD 5 speed. I just bought the vehicle about a month ago and I am slowly starting to fix it up. It has ran good since i bought it and I check the fluids often. My problem is that I am unable to keep my truck running. For the past week I have parked it on a hill, the front of the truck facing down the hill, and I went to start it up and move it. I got in and i turned it over and it didn’t start. That was normal. Turned it again and it started up. I sat for a minute and i coasted down into my friend’s driveway. When i stopped in the driveway i put it into reverse and with the clutch still in the truck died on me. I threw it into neutral and started it up and started to reverse back into my drive way. I was able to get it into most of my flat driveway until it died. Once it died I was unable to keep it running. I could turn the key and i could watch it grab as the rpms started to rise to about 300 but it then died. so i pushed it all the way onto my drive way. I had work so I let it sit. The next day i had sometime so i slowly tinkered with it. I tried to start it and well i was able to. I started it and the rpms shot up to a little over 1500 as it normally did. Then it throttled back to about 800 and then it started to drop. As if it could not stay there. So i went online and read some common problems. Dirty IAC and dirty MAF. So i bought some cleaners and I cleaned them both. The IAC was very dirty. I placed them back on and tried to start it. It started but then died again. A friend suggest a clogged fuel filter. So i went and grabbed a fuel filter and a IAC, having the hopes it would work. I installed them both and at first i had the same symptoms, start then die, but I finally got it to start. Once started I was able to have it idle but it was very low. About 600 RPMS. I shut it off and started it and it worked fine. I was happy and thought I solved it. Today I went back out after it has sat for over 14 hours and tried to start it. I went in and turned the key and it started. rpms shot to about 1500 but then started to throttle back to idle. it then found the low idle about 600 rpms but then died after it sat there for about 5 seconds. I was worried. I then started it and kept the rpms high with the gas pedal. As i was holding it at about 1500rpms the truck started to chug and slowly die. i then sat for a minute with it off and tried again. I got it to start and sit at about 600 rpms but when i would give it any gas it would try to bog out. I am thinking it could be a fuel pump but there are many things it could be.. I do not have a check engine light on. Please help me. I just bought it and I really don’t want to regret it. I know i need a new clutch since it has begun to slip. I checked the air filter and it was horrendous. I cleaned it out but I still need a new one. It was running fine when it was dirty so I don’t think it is causing the problem. Need any more information please let me know. Thanks, Ryan.

[BigT_2000]

How much fuel is in the tank now?

[Jarhizzy]

well my fuel guage does not work unless the truck is off and even then i dont. The previous owner ran 89 instead of 87 because it has a proformance chip but i dont know which one or brand.(if theres a way i could find out, let me know). I considered that i was out of gas so i added some. i found i have a gas leak from the gas cap to the top of the tank. it leaks on that tube that tunnels the gas into the tank. Im going to use my friends camera to get a video of the truck and it trying to start. ill get the leak from the tank,(ill add some gas to show), and also a watch on the rpms. Like i said i repleaced the fuel filter and IAC already. dont want to put out money on other parts that are not fixing the problem. I know that the top screw on the IAC i belive is striped. It gets tight then goes easy. That would be a little air leak. Ill clamp it as tight i can get to see if it fixes it. Uploaded Videos: YouTube- 1994 Ford Ranger Won't Stay Running YouTube- 1994 Ford Ranger Won't Stay Running PT.2

[nine5flareside]

Well first I would look into fixing the fuel leak as well as the fuel gauge. Start from there so that they don't become bigger issues later on in the life of your new truck. Next I would suggest you disconnect the MAF sensor and then start your truck and see if it still stalls. If it does not stall, you need to replace the MAF sensor. You should also check the fuel pressure and volume, could alse be a bad fuel pump. This is all assuming that their is gas in the truck!

[Jarhizzy]

thanks webmaster. I planed on fixing the gas leak just because i dont want to waste $$ on gas. i got work so sofar i was only able to drop the skid plate. When I get home I will check the two clamps for the fuel tube thingy. Theres an upper and lower one and they both leak. After that I'll add some more gas, 87 instead of 89, and try starting. if it don't, ill disconnect the maf as you said and I will let you know what goes on from there. When the truck starts I hear a whine so I know the fuel pump kicks on but i am not sure if it is weak. I read somewhere the symptoms of a bad fuel pump: "a bad fuel pump will cause fuel injection problems. When this happens, the truck may sputter and stall at start up. After the vehicle does start, it may act as if it is about to stall, while running, because it can not get enough fuel." I also read some where that some times when the fuel filter gets dirty, something overrides it and allows more gas to come threw. Allowing dirt and impurities getting to the engine. The truck was sitting for a little bit before I bought it so there could be some grime in the tank. Just another thought.

[BigT_2000]

The point I was going to make about the fuel tank, was to add some Heet to disperse any water that may be in the fuel. This is a simple thing to try, which will help narrow the focus of your problem.

[nine5flareside]

I was going to ask if your truck had been sitting a while, now knowing that it has, it is VERY possible that your fuel pump got clogged with junk from the fuel sitting. But before we get ahead of ourselves... The quickest thing to do is unplug your MAF sensor and then start the truck, from there if it still stalls out, I would look into the fuel pump. Check your trucks fuel pressure and volume. 89 to 87 is no big deal and as far as locating a chip, there will be a module inside the truck under the dash, the chip would be in there.

[pete59edsel]

If it idles and then dies under a load, then I'd say definitely a fuel pump or filter problem, check the filter before the pump. Start with the above mentioned then get back to us....good luck!

[Jarhizzy]

ok well from the long last couple of hours i got it running. I fixed my gas leak. needed a new rubber tube that guided the gas to the fuel tank. it was old and had some cracks around the ends. that is where the leak was. Now I added some gas just to make sure I had some. I went to start it and ended up to do the same thing. So i tried the MAF disconnect and it worked. Now that it is running I am wanting to drive all day. I still have some problems thought that i feel I should fix. One is being my gas gauge. When the truck is on, it goes to empty. When the truck is off it slowly rises close to a full tank. Now i notice today that even when i added gas, the gauge when the trucks off did not rise or lower. Not sure how to fix that. Also another problem is I am now leaking some tranny fluid (the red stuff). I spotted the leak at the front of the tranny. before I parked it I notice that the clutch seemed to be slipping but I just realized that it only has 20k miles on it. I was wondering if the tranny is leaking at the front of the tranny, is it possible the clutch has some tranny oil on it? Also my last question for now is about my front diff. It has a noticable leak. I see on the front that it has the 10 bolts but it is all connected. Unlike the rear pumpkin that is just like a plate with 10 bolts. The front seems to be that single plate and also a guard for the front axle. I am not sure what it is but i know I need to replace that gasket there and also add fluid. Please if you are able to answer/ suggest anything to any of these problems I would appreciate it. Also thanks for helping me solve my main problem. FordTruckClub is the best!!!!

[nine5flareside]

You are not out of the clear just yet... first thing, you need to buy a new (or working) MAF sensor (with housing is fine). Now lets start with the front axle housing, you said it is leaking differential fluid. You can find a how-to article in our article section as well as a video in the MOTORZ TV section here at FTC, that will show you how to change fluids, gaskets etc. on your axle(most any axle really). Moving on... leaky transmission, almost every transmission tends to leak. How much fluid is leaking is the question. Is it spotting on the floor or is it just slight moisture build up on the pan? Moving on agiain... gas guage, just find a working one and replace it. You may have to buy a used cluster on ebay or something and just swap out the gas guage. Should be really easy to do. Maybe hunt down your year ranger in a local junk yard and pull the cluster out yourself. It may be cheaper. The rest of your questions I will have to think about... you should space out your questions so we can read them better! I will have some more answers in the morning.