300 wrote:Hey Steve. Probably don't have to tell you, but check the impact switch. Can't tell you how much I have chased my tail with this one, and how many miles I have run with one bypassed. Being near the coast is hard on them. When it starts one time and not the next, it's suspect.
I should have noted that when I had to have it towed, it did start once and ran very rough, with no change when opening or closing the throttle. Also, it has recently bogged down a couple times in second gear under acceleration... all signs that point at a fuel pump or filter. I replaced the pump last night and the fuel filter tonight. The fuel out of the filter was damn dark so, even without any testing I'm pretty confident it was a fuel delivery problem.
Current state (not much to see, but it really does make this A LOT easier to work on):
- Explorer Fuel Pump Access Panel (5).jpg (61.31 KiB) Viewed 376 times
You can see the 4-way Deutsch connector I installed right at the fuel pump module. I have to say, I'm not a fan of things you can't buy everywhere, but Deutsch connectors really are growing on me. They're super easy to assemble and, generally, last the life of whatever you're attaching them to. In this case, they were perfect as I had very little wire to work with and the crimp tool is small and easy to maneuver is tight quarters.
The crimp tool:
- Deutsch Connector Crimp Tool.JPG (132.32 KiB) Viewed 376 times
So I forgot one of the best parts in all this. So when the fuel pump originally went out on this car, I didn't have my fuel line disconnect tool. So, I bought a cheap one along with the cheap fuel pump. It didn't work. Fast forward to this fuel pump change. I actually FORGOT that I have the proper tool for this, so I tried the cheap tool again. It still doesn't work. Even after a bunch of grinding, sanding and massaging... no bueno.
Peep this video. It's a little long for my taste, but it's simple, shadetree mechanic, ingenuity. I made a tool and used it successfully in less than 10 minutes. Including the time it took to locate the sacrificial sharpie.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2nqyou
So last on the immediate to-do list is a panel to cover the hole. I figure I'll have someone roll a bead into the flat panel to go over the body seam, put some foam on the edges, secure it with self-tapping screws and call it good.