I recently obtained this 91 ford ranger for a really good price from a friend, I helped him work on it in the past, it had a really bad misfire at idle, but wouldn’t misfire while driving. A couple of days after I bought it, it wouldn’t crank over, even with starting fluid. All the spark plugs are wet and have spark, has a coil pack instead of a distributor. Best part is I don’t get a check engine light. Is there anything else I should check before just sending it to a shop?

 

Welcome to the forum

If it doesn't start by manually adding fuel then you do not have spark, simple as that
You can check the firing order on the coil pack and its connector
Unplug the 4 wire connector and make sure its clean and dry, then plug it back in

Ford numbers cylinders on a V6 engine like this
3 6
2 5
1 4
front

The firing order on the coil pack should be like this
3 4
2 6
1 5
front

The 5 6 4 side OFTEN gets mis-wired

No CEL means computer is not booting up, or bulb is burned out, lol
In engine fuse box check fuse #8 30amp, pull it out, and swap it with another 30amp fuse and then test if CEL comes on with key ON
Also in the engine fuse box or under it is the EEC Relay

1991 was transition year for engine fuse box, so relays can be IN the upper box or under it, seen here: https://www.justanswer.com/uploads/L...pump_relay.gif

The EEC relay powers the EEC, the computer, fuse #8 is the power it sends to EEC


Spark system is not in the computer, it is a separate module located on the Rad support, either front side or back side, called EDIS-6 module, picture here: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/G-cAA...VLR/s-l400.jpg

EDIS-6 is a self contained spark system, it gets spark timing from the Crank Sensor located on the lower front of the engine, it reads a wheel on the crank pulley, its at about 10:00 location
Once EDIS-6 "sees" a signal from spinning crank it sends out Spark signals to the coil pack, so engine computer(EEC) is not involved in start up as far as spark is concern

So spraying fuel into the intake manually and not getting a start up means no spark, or the spark timing is really far off, OR...........you have no compression in any cylinders

 

I was thinking it’s timing, the coil pack, spark plugs, fuses, and spark plug wires. This next question is kinda stupid, but how would I adjust spark timing? That would be the timing chain right?

 

No, there is no way to adjust spark timing, nor is there ever any need to unless you make significant changes to the engine, i.e. super or turbo chargers

The engine should still fire even if spark timing was off a bit, if you added fuel manually

It is possible, just unheard of on the 4.0l, that the crank shaft key could shear off, allowing the pulley and tone wheel to slip out of time with crank, that would throw off spark and injector timing
Far more likely is a spark system problem or even timing chain problem(loss of compression), timing chain problem was not a known issue with the 4.0l OHV engine

 

I’ll start double checking the whole fuel system and ignition system. Or I may have to get a shop to do it. I honestly have no clue what it is, the stuff I listed in my first reply are brand new

 

Ok, when I turn the key, I hear an audible click from the fuel pump but that’s all I hear, will the fuel pump be audible through the gas cap area? Or will I have to be under the truck to hear it?

 

Any key on "click" should come from dash and engine bay

A Fuel Pump should "HUMMMM" when it starts but only for 2 seconds, you can hear it in the cab, its not quiet

It will run for 2 seconds each time key is turned on, does hurt anything to turn off and on the key to make sure you hear it or don't hear it

 

I just finished replacing the fuel pump, and still the fuel pump isn’t turning on, the inertia switch is good.

 

???

Why did you replace the fuel pump?

Last I read it wouldn't start with 50/50 test?
So spark issue not fuel


In the engine bay between fuse box and Firewall will be the OBD1 connector, looks like this: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YIOF08GPAAY/maxresdefault.jpg

It may have a cap on with "EEC"

Then look here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...ry/OBD_I.shtml

Fuel pump Slot is labelled, this is the GROUND for fuel pump relay
If you have a volt meter set it for 12v and then test that port with KEY ON
That slot should show 12volts

If not then EEC Relay is not working, does CEL(check engine light) come on with key on, it should?

If it has 12v then GROUND that slot with jumper wire, FP relay should close and fuel pump should now have its 12volts and be running full time

Try to start engine

If fuel pump is not running then check Fuse #1 30amp in engine fuse box

 

I haven’t responded in a minute. I realized I couldn’t hear the fuel pump after turning the key, so I replaced it, then swapped every fuse I could find, then the fuel pump relay, but nothing. I’m gonna just send it to a shop, it might be a wiring issue somewhere. See if they can diagnose it for me. there is no check engine light either