PLZ help start problems need help fast...

This morning I went to start my ranger and it just goes clickclickclick....So I tried jumping it and that didn't work also. I'm thinking now maybe the starter? There is also a big black ground looking wire just hanging there in the harness with the other starter wires. Does anyone know where this wire goes?? Maybe that is the problem.....

Thanks.
Brian

The 'big black ground looking wire' might in fact be the ground wire. If it is, it's supposed to run from the negative side of your battery to one of the starter mounting bolts. It's not supposed to be able to fall off though.

Regarding the starting problems. Had the same on my 2.3 92 ranger.

I started by cleaning the battery posts and the battery cable ends.

That worked for one day, then click o' death again. Swapped out starter relay. No dice. So, with the battery still disconnected I pulled the ground wire off the starter, cleaned the surfaces it contacted, cleaned the small power wire and it's connecting blade also.

That worked for a bit, but then the click o' death started again, so I replaced the starter. Details below if you need 'em:

Chris
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It's actually easy on my '92, I'm not a mechanic by any means -

- Disconnect the battery cables, might want to make sure they don't drift back in contact with the posts. Imagine my surprise.

- Pull the thin red wire from the blade terminal

- remove the thick ground wire strap and bottom-most bolt on the starter.

The two bolts that remain are easily accessible. Break them loose, but don't remove yet.

- remove the lower of the two remaining bolts.

Now, be a bit cautious, you don't want that starter free-falling on your head - hold the starter while removing the upper-most bolt.

- wiggle the starter free, and while holding on to it, lower it until you can see the remaining red cable attached by a nut to the starter.

- Remove that nut, remove cable, beat feet to parts store. Since you have the old starter, you'll dodge the core charge. Often 40 dollars.

Most stores will test the starter for free. I'd let 'em. Mine showed low voltage, so I bought a new one.

Bring new starter home, support starter on either wood, or a jack so you can re-attach the main big honkin' red power cable.

Now, if your harness has a small red wire with blade connection, you'll likely find instructions on the starter on how to snip the blade off, strip the wire, and then crimp and heat shrink to the appropriate wire that's often sticking up out of the new starter.

Next, line up the ears on the starter with the bolt holes, and put the top bolt back in gently until you know the threads have certainly caught enough to support the starter's weight.

Next, place the big black ground strap back in place in front of the lowest passenger side ear (in my case), insert a bolt there, and hand tighten that, and the last remaining bolt.

With a ratchet, make each bolt snug first to secure the starter in place, then tighten them down.

Reconnect battery and test.

That should do ya, it did for me.

I'm sure I missed something qualified mechanics would point out to me, I just had to get my truck back on the road asap. Didn't have time to do much but check out the situation, and go for it. Hope this helps!

Most of the time clicking is usually caused by loose or corroded battery cables.

The black ground wire seems to be what's causing your problems. Clean it up as well as the bolt and surface that it is supposed to hook to then reattach it.

Also check the clamps, especially the negative as you have a ground wire problem already. It wouldn't hurt to pull the clamps off the post, clean the inside of the clamps and the battery posts themselves then apply some die-electric grease or vaseline works to. If by chance you still have the factory battery cable clamps it would not hurt to replace them and they are cheap at autozone or advance auto. If you do make sure the wires that hook to the clamp aren't corroded (greenish colored) or oxidized, loose connections cause that to happen.

Also, usually when the starter craps out, pending what goes on it you will here the starter motor running but not engaging the flywheel, and in some cases it will grind, and very few times it will click like you are hearing.

I would bet on the cables in this case.