Haunted 1995 Explorer Relay VooDoo

Hello anyone, I have a 1995 Ford Explorer w/155,000 miles Last spring it started the following game: 1) I put the key in ignition and turn to start it 2) The car turns over but does not start 3) I figure out that the fuel pump is not pumping and fuel 4) I discovered there are three relays in the under the hood in that fuse box which is located next to the master brake cylinder 5) NAPA told me that the relay that controls the fuel pump was likely shot 6) I buy a new relay 7) I install it 8) Still no response from the pump 9) I reinstall the old relay 10) Fuel pump now responds and car starts Sporatically, I must repeat steps 7 - 10 to get the car to start. Sometimes I have to repeat steps 7- 10 about five times and it finally decides to start. NOTE: It does not matter how hot or cold the engine is, how hot or cold the weather is, how humid the air is, etc. NOTE: I have taken the entire fuse box out and checked all the leads for shorts, etc. Every lead tests out just fine. NOTE: In a pinch and for amusement, I switch around the three twin relays when this happens. Since they are all identical it makes no difference which one goes where. Eventually, the car starts. Plus I always keep that fourth relay in the glove box and throw it into the mix for fun. Sometimes this is the new relay, sometimes not. It does not matter at all. NOTE: When the car decides to not start, if left untouched for anywhere from 15 minutes to 8 hours the car starts with no human intervention....guaranteed. NOTE: One of those three relays also controls my transfer case and allows me to put the car in 4WD. Lately that too is a matter of chance, however, most of the time it will NOT go into 4WD when I turn the dash board dial to 4WD. It does not matter if I start the car with the dial set to 4WD or throw it into 4WD on the fly or drop into N and switch to 4WD, etc...it goes into 4WD when it FEELS like it. This time, however, moving relays around does not seem to effect it. NOTE: Periodically and without rhyme or reason the 4WD 4WD Low lights flash on and off in unison on my dash board no matter where the 4WD switch is set. They flash for miles and miles or for just a few times. The car is not actually going into 4WD...the lights simply flash off and on. NOTE: In 3rd gear or OD, when in cruise control, the car stays right where I set the control EXCEPT when I am going down-hill. Then the car acts like it is in N and gradually gains speed. IOW cruise control only works going uphill or level. Going downhill (in 3rd gear or OD) the car idles at 800 RPM and free falls down the grade. Cuise control works fine in 2nd (and in 1st, I guess but who uses cruise control in 1st??) I have been trying to figure out this voodoo for thousands of miles and many months. Nobody at Ford knows what I am talking about. Can you give me ANY hope or ideas on what to try? At this point in time I would be happy to simply know exactly which of the relays control the transfer case and then know if I can remove that relay and hot wire two leads to bypass this relay and force the car to go into 4WD until I don't need it any more. Then I will gladly pull over to the shoulder, turn off the engine, pop the hood, remove my hot wire paper clip, put the useless relay back in and go back and (hopefully) start the car and drive away in 2WD. But right now I can't use 4WD except for aobut 3% of the time and that is on my Explorer's spooky and moody terms only. PLEASE HELP! I think I am the only person on the planet that has this problem and I am totally out of ideas. I can live with the not starting problem (as I know how to "fix" it) but that 4WD drive relay problem has me stumped and, where I live, I truly need 4WD. I think the two relay probles are related but am guessing. ALSO, what is that third relay controlling? THANK YOU! Please email me at DeanRickman@Yahoo.com before I go nuts. -Dean

just a shot in the dark mate, but how clean are the contacts on the relay and the relay sockets? that can make it do strange things if they are dirty, I drive a 4x4 all over the place and I reguarly have to get a fibreglass pen ou t on the contacts of a few relays, fuses and terminals and then all starts fine again, but like I say it's just a shot in the dark *shrugs*

I will try that. They look very shiney but who knows. At this point in time I am ready to call the Ghostbusters! -Dean