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Truck won’t start. Need some ideas...


XLT_RANGER

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So I recently swapped the motor in my 99 Ranger XLT 3.0 5 speed stepside. The starter will not even attempt to spin. There’s no theft light PATS issue as far as I can tell. You turn the key over and the theft light goes away. I tested voltage to the starter and I’m getting 12volts to the starter and I get 12v to the signal wire when the key is turned but the starter doesn’t do anything. I had the starter tested and it worked at Autozone. I’m thinking either a bad ground or the starter solenoid is bad even though it spun on the bench. Any ideas? At this point I’ve wasted a month researching and trying various things. It’d be nice to be able to get it started.
 
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RonD

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On the 1999 starter there will be the larger cable to battery, and then a smaller wire hooked to the starter relay/solenoid on top of starter motor.

Making SURE wheels are BLOCKED and transmission is in Park or Neutral!!!!!

Apply 12volts to this smaller terminal, starter will activate IF Positive and Negative cables are OK, if they are not then you should still hear a "click" as solenoid moves.

The 12volts from ignition switch when key is turned to START goes to Fuse #24 in cab fuse box(7.5amp), then it goes to a "Neutral switch", which is on the clutch pedal's push rod, from there it goes to the Starter Relay in engine fuse box, this relay is what PATS Grounds to allow starting, when Starter Relay closes it sends 12volts on a Yellow wire to the Starter Motors smaller post to activate it

Ignition switch(12v)----------fuse 24-----------clutch pedal switch--------------starter relay------------starter motor


If previous owner installed an alarm there could be another cut off relay for starting, just a heads up
 
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RangerFabWorks

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i moved this to the appropriate 3.0 thread. thank you for adding the missing information.

as RonD stated. run a hot to the starter terminal. and eliminate the starter as an issue.

if that works, and the starter engages. check the neutral safety switch. try moving from park to neutral and cranking it.

pats system should only disable fuel. should still crank even if its not happy.
 

XLT_RANGER

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On the 1999 starter there will be the larger cable to battery, and then a smaller wire hooked to the starter relay/solenoid on top of starter motor.

Making SURE wheels are BLOCKED and transmission is in Park or Neutral!!!!!

Apply 12volts to this smaller terminal, starter will activate IF Positive and Negative cables are OK, if they are not then you should still hear a "click" as solenoid moves.

The 12volts from ignition switch when key is turned to START goes to Fuse #24 in cab fuse box(7.5amp), then it goes to a "Neutral switch", which is on the clutch pedal's push rod, from there it goes to the Starter Relay in engine fuse box, this relay is what PATS Grounds to allow starting, when Starter Relay closes it sends 12volts on a Yellow wire to the Starter Motors smaller post to activate it

Ignition switch(12v)----------fuse 24-----------clutch pedal switch--------------starter relay------------starter motor


If previous owner installed an alarm there could be another cut off relay for starting, just a heads up
Based on this troubleshooting guide I shouldn’t be getting voltage to the signal wire unless all that is functioning. I am though when the key is turned but nothing happens. My thought is I might not have my grounds hooked up or the solenoid is bad. Weird thing is it spun on the test bench though.
 

RonD

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By the "signal" wire you mean the yellow wire at the starter motor has 12v when key is turned to START?

If so then yes, all the wiring and relay is working as it should.

It depends on how you tested the starter.
If you just applied Ground to case and then 12v to the larger wire terminal then that should tell you if motor was working, turning.
You should then apply 12v to the smaller terminal and it should "click" and push the starter motor gear out, physically move the gear on the starter motors main shaft

If you are not hearing the "click" now then you are correct the solenoid may be the problem
 

XLT_RANGER

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By the "signal" wire you mean the yellow wire at the starter motor has 12v when key is turned to START?

If so then yes, all the wiring and relay is working as it should.

It depends on how you tested the starter.
If you just applied Ground to case and then 12v to the larger wire terminal then that should tell you if motor was working, turning.
You should then apply 12v to the smaller terminal and it should "click" and push the starter motor gear out, physically move the gear on the starter motors main shaft

If you are not hearing the "click" now then you are correct the solenoid may be the problem
I applied ground to the case and tested each wire, the hot all the time 12v and the small signal wire that’s hot when the key is in the start position. How do you suggest I apply 12v to the terminal the signal wire is connected to? Should I use jumper cables or get a length of wire and run it from the battery? Also, should I disconnect the signal wire while I do the test to prevent any back voltage to the relay? Also, is there supposed to be a ground wire coming from the starter casing? There’s a bolt on the back of the engine where there was a wire hooked up to but I don’t know if that was a ground or where it is. That’s where I’m lost because I can’t find any wiring diagrams to explain that.
 

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Just to be sure - can you turn the engine over with a socket on the balancer?
 

RonD

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Apply the 12v to the smaller wire's terminal on the starter motor, but if you have already tested it and it has 12v in START then solenoid/relay in starter motor is bad.

No you don't need to disconnect anything, relay all the way back to ignition switch is open, no voltage will go backwards

You should hear the Click from that solenoid/relay when it gets that 12volts
If you did get the Click but no starter motor movement then the motor itself would be bad
 

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