89 ranger 2.3 won't start

reef93 · Apr 25, 2018

Need a good place to start. Got an 89 2.3 auto Ranger about 8 months ago did some maintenance on it new Ford crank sensor, timing belt and water pump. Truck has driven perfect for the last 8 months. Went to crank it to go to work yesterday morning and truck fired up for s second and immediately shut off. I went to crank it back and it just spins and honestly sounds like it has zero compression. I pulled timing cover plug and belt is tight so the belt isn't broken. Just looking for some ideas on where to begin.

tomw · Apr 26, 2018

The belt may be tight, but out of time. When a belt fails, it can loose some teeth, and slip timing, while remaining taut.
Rotate the crankshaft to TDC on the timing marks, or put the crankshaft keyway at 12:00(harder to see), and check that the cam sprocket triangle mark on its edge lines up with the pointer. Some have an attached pointer, some have a 'line' in the casting on the front side of the cylinder heat. If the mark is not aligned, give the crankshaft another rotation and check again. If still not aligned, belt time.
tom

RonD · Apr 26, 2018

Do 50/50 test

Spray gasoline or Quick start(ether) into the engine and crank it
If it starts then dies you have a fuel delivery issue
If it doesn't start then no spark or low/no compression
50/50

adsm08 · Apr 26, 2018

Stare at it very sternly.

reef93 · Apr 26, 2018

adsm08 said:
Stare at it very sternly.

If that would work it would've already been fixed :icon_rofl:

tomw · Apr 27, 2018

I thought I answered this with a comment that the belt can loose some teeth, slip a bit, and still be taut.
To know, cam timing has to be checked, the crankshaft at TDC, and the plastic/rubber plug in the belt cover behind the upper radiator hose removed. Check the triangle on the cam cog line up with the pointer, or the mark on the cylinder head(line). If not, rotate crank 360, and compare again. If still no lineup, teeth are missing, go see a dentist, or better yet, go buy a new timing belt and install it. Cheap repair except for labor & time.
tom

reef93 · Apr 27, 2018

tomw said:
I thought I answered this with a comment that the belt can loose some teeth, slip a bit, and still be taut.
To know, cam timing has to be checked, the crankshaft at TDC, and the plastic/rubber plug in the belt cover behind the upper radiator hose removed. Check the triangle on the cam cog line up with the pointer, or the mark on the cylinder head(line). If not, rotate crank 360, and compare again. If still no lineup, teeth are missing, go see a dentist, or better yet, go buy a new timing belt and install it. Cheap repair except for labor & time.
tom

Yeah that's where I am going to check as soon as I get back from beach. It messed up day before I left so kinda hard to work on when I'm 3hrs away. Was just trying to get some ideas before I jumped in. Thanks for the replies :icon_thumby:

adsm08 · Apr 28, 2018

reef93 said:
If that would work it would've already been fixed

Huh. That usually works for me. Half the time all I really have to do is walk into the room and they stop acting up. Makes it incredibly hard to find the problem.

ericbphoto · Apr 28, 2018

Obviously, The Force is with you, master.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

reef93 · Apr 29, 2018

Well got home and checked timing marks and timing is off. No teeth missing on the belt and tension seems to be fine. What could cause it to jump?

tomw · Apr 30, 2018

Maybe the tension isn't 'fine'. The spring holds an idler against the back(outer) side of the timing belt. If it was not allowed to 'spring back' when the belt was installed, or was slightly tilted, and binding, when the bolts were loosened to allow the spring to move the idler, then tension could be lower than expected. I suppose a spring could get weaker, and cause the same, but I have never heard of it happening.
I would get the crankshaft at TDC, remove the cover, and release the tension on the belt, and tighten the tensioner 'back' so I could adjust the belt. Set the timing, cam triangle at pointer, crank at TDC, and distributor such that the rotor is pointing at #1, or in the range of motion, hopefully right near spark time.(gizzards of dist about to fire the coil, actually just did, about 10degrees earlier).
With all aligned, loosen the tensioner bolts and allow the spring to move the idler. Tighten the bolts. Rotate the crankshaft two turns(allow cam to do 360) and check timing again. Fiddle as needed to insure timing is correct. Keep all slack on the cam->crankshaft span of the belt, other spans 'hand tight' before releasing tensioner bolts.
tom

reef93 · May 4, 2018

It definitely slipped. Didn't have the tensioner tight enough. Aligned my marks and reinstalled and is running like a top again. Thanks for the help guys!

RonD · May 4, 2018

Good work

Johnnyboiranger22 · May 4, 2018

Ive bought a 91 ranger 2.3 and did a head gasket and got it to start but came to start it today and it just turns and make a pooping sound and theres white smoke coming from throttle body? Timing issue as well? Even though it started 2 days ago and ran fine?

reef93 · May 4, 2018

Johnnyboiranger22 said:
Ive bought a 91 ranger 2.3 and did a head gasket and got it to start but came to start it today and it just turns and make a pooping sound and theres white smoke coming from throttle body? Timing issue as well? Even though it started 2 days ago and ran fine?

Yep same thing mine did.

89 ranger 2.3 won't start

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