Ford Repair: 2000 Ford Explorer wont start, mass air flow sensor, mass air flow


Question
QUESTION: Your question: "I have a 2000 ford explorer. It's an extra vehicle so I start it up once a month and drive it around. The other day I shut the car off and it wouldn't start back up. The starter cranks and seems like a fuel issue. After I crank the Check Gage light comes.  Any Ideas?  I verified that it is not the check engine light that comes on during cranking indication that the cam position sensor may be faulty.

ANSWER: because the vehicle sits i want you to check a couple things, follow the air snorkle from the air cleaner to where it meets the engine. there you will find a silver in colorsensor/valve with two wires going to it this is your idle valve. tap on it a few times with a small hammer either before you try to crank the engine or while cranking it over. sometimes they stick also in the sorkle coming from the air cleaner there should be another sensor with 4 or 5 wires going to it. this is your mass air flow sensor. sometimes they get contaminated. blow this out LIGHTLY with compressed air. try this and get back to me

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello, I did both things mentioned numerous times. Neither worked.  There is a valve like the one found on a bicycle tube near the idle valve. I depressed that to see if there was any pressure. There was not. I'm not sure if that helps or not. What should I try next?

ANSWER: it does/ means your fuel pump isn't spinning/ do you have your owners manual ??? if you do you'll need to find the fuse for the fuel pump which is located under your hood and check it first.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The fuse appeared to be ok, I swapped the relay out with the same style relay which happened to be the horn relay.  I checked the PCM relay which seemed to be ok.  

I crawled under the vehicle put my hand on what I think is the fuel pump and my wife turned the key (not to crank the enginer but to put the 2 sec fuel pressure) I did not feel any movement or hear anything.  I tried to change the fuel filter but could not get the fuel lines to release with the special tool.

What next?  Should I bother with the fuel filter, or drop the tank and replace the pump?  Any idea if this is something a at home auto mechanic can do?

Answer
knowing this vehicle the way i do, if you cycle the key and can't hear or feel the fuel pump run,, replace it.. is it something a home mechanic can do- yes, easy- no.. you can actually go to youtube.com and type how to replace the fuel pump on my "" type your vehicle " amd there are good instructional videos