88 Ranger fuel pump quit

I just put together a 1988 ford ranger combined several to make one good one. I recentley ran into a problem with my ranger stalling out. It always started fine but sometimes going down the road it will just die. It may set for a few minutes and start right back up. Well today it died once and after a few moments if fired up again, went 4 miles sown the road and it died for good. I checked to see if the pumps came on when you turned the key on and nothing. I can feel the relay clicking under the hood on the pass. side and even replaced it but still nothing. I finally tracked down the hot wire to the pumps and ran a jumper wire to the battery and the pumps kicked on. I am puzzled. I had the same thing happen on my 88 Bronco II and I just ran the hot wire to the fuse box so when you turned the key on the pumps came on. But I would like to know if this has happened to anyone else? Or am I the only one lucky enough to have it happen twice. Does anyone lnow what caused this or how to fix it. I am a pretty good shade tree mechanic but some of this electrical stuff is beyond me. Help!!!!!

You've got 3 or four relays on this model that you might hear when turning the key on. The fuel pump relay is switched on through the EEC relay when it switches on to power the injectors and a few other things. But the big problem for us old tractor mechanics is that the whole shootin' match is run by the computer (ECA or ECM) and the ignition module on the distributor. Since it appears you might have some extra parts lying around, I would recommend that you swap out the ECA's. If that doesn't do it, put the original ECA back in and swap out modules. If that doesn,t do it, go to Sear's and get a Ford Code Scanner for about $35 and see what codes the computer is giving you. Lot's of fun. I'm working on a nearly similar problem on my '87. I got the scanner and found out that the computer was fried in a couple of areas, including the fuel pump circuit. A new computer will cost about $140 + your old core (or $90 more) at Autozone. If you can pick up a used ECA (I think it has to be same engine, same transmission) from a running junker you could save some bucks.
Lots of luck, Jim