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hey peoples so I need some help with my expo 2004 5.4 Eddie Bauer. So I my suv don’t start unles it’s with starter fluid. I’ve changed out the fuel pump and the fuse box please anything else someone could help me with I do have general knowledge of mechanical. Please help I’m considering on buying a new pcm. Yes there’s power from the wires that lead to the fuel pump. Thanks

Welcome.....Bad gas or needs tuneup? Tell us what you have done to your Expy in last two years, that would give us something to go on.

Welcome to the site.

If it will only start & run with starting fluid you have what is termed "an ether baby". This is usually from low compression. The initial explosion in one or more cylinders spins the crank fast enough to build enough compression to run on gasoline.

But if it only runs on starting fluid and immediately dies when the spray stops you are starving for fuel. In this case you would check the fuel pressure on the fuel rail. Usual pressure is 35+ psi at idle.

Like Tonto used to say to Kemosabi, what him say!

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There’s no fuel pressure I’ve checked the valve no fuel. I’ve done a tune up and replaced coil packs. I’m considering on replacing the pcm. The only thing I gotta check is the power on the fuel pump

When you turn on the key, the fuel pump should run for a few seconds. You can hear this if you listen by the tank and it should pressurize the fuel rail.

If you don't hear this or aren't seeing any pressure in the rail, you have to troubleshoot the problem. Using a test light, see if your pump is getting power when you first turn the key on. If it isn't then your problem is electrical. If it is, then your pump or fuel pressure regulator is bad.

An electrical problem could be your fuel pump, the pump wiring, the pump relay, the connectors, the fuse, the centrifugal pump shut-off switch (try resetting it) or the computer.

Since I think you say the truck eventually does run, I'd suspect the pressure regulator or a leaky injector is letting fuel pressure leak down, though in that case cranking it for a while should let it start.

Your no pressure sounds like you lost power to the pump somehow. I personally wouldn't have changed the pump without checking for power first, but that's water under the bridge. You can check for power at the fuel cutoff switch. When you crank it though, it will have power for a few seconds then drop. My guess is even though you popped in a new fuse box, that fuel pump relays bad, or is breaking connection. Go through the no fuel pressure test procedure fully though. Let us know when it runs.

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If I remember correctly the 03 and 04 are known to fry the central junction box circuit that has the fuel pump relay soldered on.

There is a thread on here from Bedrck47 that runs you through installing a jumper to bypass the relay.

I was just just thinking about that same deal about an hour and a half ago. Why is it so tuff to make the fuel pump relay work? A separate bypass is the way to get around this. Stamp, how many years did this go on? I'm assuming up till early 05?

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Just in 03/04. They "fixed" the issue with cjb for 05 and up.