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We're stumped. Try and figure this one out...


grob23

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Hello...

My buddy got a 1993 Ranger XLT in a trade. It's got the 4.0L V6 with an automatic transmission. It's a 4x4, and has plenty of miles. When he first traded, the truck ran and drove good, and we expected it to be fine.

It recently quit on us. We decided to try and fix it:icon_welder:, and replaced ALOT

One day, I went to start it, and it began to crank as it should, then got slower and wouldn't fire, and finally it didn't do anything.

We're getting a "click" when we try and start it... no crank, no fire...

We started out thinking it was the battery, so we replaced it, cleaned the terminals, replaced the leads, and didn't get a response. We then thought it was the starter... we had the starter tested after cleaning it and the terminals, and it tested fine. We re-installed the starter, thinking that it might have just been a bad connection, but again, that didn't fix it. We then called someone, and he mentioned the solenoid on the fender. We replaced the solenoid and cleaned the connections, and still nothing. We were stumped at this point... so we attempted to manual turn the engine, thinking that it might have simply stopped in a bad spot... we turned it and tried it a few times, with no luck... We even tried jumping the two terminals on the solenoid.

We checked voltage where we could, and checked them with specs we found online, and they checked out...

needless to say: we're stumped...:icon_confused:

any ideas?
 


rurouni20xx

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is the engine in a bind? ive heard of the a/c compressors getting old and locking up, hence locking the belt not allowing the engine to turn over, another thing that could do that is the water pump. i have a 93 3.0 v6 a4ld 4x4 dana 35, my ac line had a pinhole and leaked the refrigerant out unbeknownst to me. i noticed the starter trying to lag, well i dont use a/c and part of my increased mileage mod was to remove the a/c system and used a shorter belt and i noticed a huge increase in starting times and the starter didnt lag, my engine also felt better and revved out quicker. if you feel this may be part of your problem a quick way to test is remove the serpentine belt from the pulleys and try to turn it over. if it starts fine have your compressor checked.
 

grob23

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wow... that would've been the last thing I'd have thought to check... as soon as we can, we'll check it and letcha know...

it won't hurt anything to remove the belt and start it will it?
 

Earl43P

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Nope, just don't run it very long without the belt.
 

Bob Myers

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DId you check the neg lead where it bolts to the engine? Try a jumper cable from neg post on battery to any good shiny spot on the engine, like the aluminum bracket that holds the AC pump.
 

rurouni20xx

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if hes changed the negative lead on his battery the bad ground check of running a jumper cable to the intake manifold to ground the engine better wouldnt have an effect unless he has a crappy ground where he changed the lead which could also create this type of problem, but for an engine not to even try to turn over just go into low voltage click when starting sounds like a bind issue hence the reason i brought it up. another way to check the ground is by opening the door w/ the key in the ignition and see if the door ajar dinger sounds like crap and pay attn to the voltage gage when turning the key. my trk eats battery terminals as far as corrosion and when i try to start the trk it clicks the lights on the dash go apy and the dinger sounds like crap. i pull my key out pop the hood and use the battery brush i keep in the cupholder and task force 86 pc toolset from the backseat, clean the terminals, reattach and fire away.
 

grob23

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Well.

My buddy is away with family for the day, so no work will get done today (I don't have the keys...)

We only replaced the "ends" of the battery leads... we never checked where it was grounded, so we'll also try that.

upon turn the key on, the interior lights, dash lights, and door dinger all seem to work as they should...
 

rurouni20xx

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probably not a bad ground issue then, unless its a somewhat corroded ground or corrosion in the cables causing it to act normal under standard load but under heavy load (starting, off road lamps, winch useage, etc...) it impedes on the amperage. let us know if this worked out for you when you can get back to it!
 

Bob Myers

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We only replaced the "ends" of the battery leads... we never checked where it was grounded, so we'll also try that.
I knew that, you all but said that, that is why I suggested a jumper cable.
 

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