Engine turns over, have spark but no start

Turned my truck off when I got home and went to start it after about 1 hour and all it will do is turn over (new battery) not even a sputter. I pulled a spark plug and have a good spark. Pulled the breather and sprayed starting fluid an it ran for a few seconds sounded good. Engine was running normal when parked it and gas tank is near full. Checked fuses under hood and in cab but nothing is blown. Check engine light is on and disconnecting the battery for any length of time will not shut it off, being miles from town I cant take it to autozone to check the code. Any suggestions? sounds like fuel to me but with modules, sensors, pump... dont know where to begin. Also cracked open a fuel line exit side of the filter and fuel seeps out. Thanks in advance for imput.

 

Did you turn the key on when you did this? It should spray out if the key is on and fuel pumping running.

 

I turned the key on then turned the ignition over. There was no spray just wet fuel line (not a lot of fuel on the line). Will the pump kick on with the key on or does the engine need to be turning over.

 

When the key is on (no turning of engine), you should be able to hear your fuel pump whine. So, yes, the pump kicks on when the key is turned on.

Fuel has to be to the engine before it can turn over.

 

The fuel pump should spray fuel when the key is on. It uses a pressure regulator and continually recirculates fuel. Check for a bad fuse. You should hear the pump in the tank running when the key is on and when the fuel line is removed it should spray good.

 

Purchase or borrow a code reader, so we all don't have to guess.

 

agreed, got mine on sale.


Anyways, I am guessing a fuel pump or fuse.

 

Fuel pump issue, might be a relay only. Check that way before ripping out the fuel pump. Good luck

 

Thanks for all of the input. I'm going to try to find a code reader today. I did turn the key on and get close to the gas tank but heard nothing running. Having never purposely listened for the fuel pump I don't know how loud it should be. I double checked the fuses (under hood and in cab)and found them all to be good. Which relay would be the one to check and how do I check it. Thanks again

 

When you try to listen for your fuel pump, you may need someone to help you. When you first turn your key to start, your fuel pump will run only for 6 seconds and if it does not detect your engine running, it will turn off the pump. Someone needs to be in the cab and turn on the key as you listen by the tank. You may be able to hear it better by taking off your gas cap, it should not splash any gas up the tube. Good Luck.

 

Could it be the fuel filter? How many miles on this 96?

 

If you have someone turn the key to run, not crank, while you are under the hood you should hear the relay click on for a short period of time (5 or 6 seconds) then click off again when the engine does not crank within that period. Do it a couple times until you find the relay, if you don't ever hear the click, nothing is telling the fuel pump to run. The pump will sound like a dull buzz. If you hear the pump running, check other things like filter or regulator.

 

Thanks for all the imput, traced the problem down to the plug going into the gas tank for the fuel pump. It was melted inside and shorted out.