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96 Ranger 2.3L Won't Start


Rocker3829

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Hey y'all, having some issues with the truck and could use some advice. Finished puttin in a new slave cylinder (I have put everything back the way it was after doing so) and now I can't get my truck to start, it just clicks. I took the battery and starter to Advance Auto to get them tested and both of them checked out fine, so now I'm wondering if I have cable issues or an ignition switch (been looking at the Haynes manual for troubleshooting) problem.

Any help would be awesome, and thanks in advance
 


92ranger2wd

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where is the clicking coming from? I would start by making sure all your connections and cables are solid and clean. Take a pocket knife and scrape a bit to make sure you have bare metal for a good connection. If you have a spare set of main battery cables, try those. I've seen main battery cables corrode inside the plastic/rubber, so they look fine from the outside, but inside they're toast.
 

Rocker3829

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where is the clicking coming from? I would start by making sure all your connections and cables are solid and clean. Take a pocket knife and scrape a bit to make sure you have bare metal for a good connection. If you have a spare set of main battery cables, try those. I've seen main battery cables corrode inside the plastic/rubber, so they look fine from the outside, but inside they're toast.

I believe the clicking is coming from the solenoid (I'm thinking power is going from the battery to it but when it is transferring power to the starter that it is not shooting enough to it, my thinking could be flawed but there is definitely not enough power getting to the starter somehow). The battery terminals are clean and clear (the headlights and dome light don't change in brightness so my battery isn't the issue), took the starter to Advance and they tested it and it worked every time they tested it, and I don't think it is the starter or solenold (since the solenoid is on the starter in one unit), and the connections and cables to the solenoid and starter I have already cleaned. I'll be sure to look at the main battery cables because I have a feeling it could be those but I don't have a spare set so I'll need to go get some new ones once I determine that I need to do that next if I can't get this motor to start.

Just realized I did not reconnect the lower mount for the starter, bout to go outside and put it back on while checking the all of the groundings and making sure they are all clean. Probably not gonna make a difference but what the hell, maybe it will work.
 

pocket-rocket

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I just got done yesterday with fixing my starter in my truck. It would get where it would not start so I would have to grab my tire iron, pop the hood and go give the starter a little rapping on. Mine ended up being fixed with a new $10 set of brushes vs a $120 reman'd starter. Give it a firm (but not heavy) tapping on and see if it turns over.
 

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has nothing to do with ur changing the slave. either you have dirty connections somewhere(starter or battery probably), or the starter just took a crap. Start by cleaning the cables. if that dosen't work crawl under the truck and give the starter a good solid smack or 2 with a hammer. if it starts you know what the problem is.

I personally just bought a starter with a lifetime warranty from autozone. if it ever goes bad a new one is free. :) good luck.
 

Rocker3829

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Before I mention what I've done the past couple hours now (and express some of my frustration and anger towards this piece of "fun") I want to say thank y'all a bunch for helping me in this process. I mentioned the slave because that is what I originally was fixing, not the starting problem, so it is good to know this has nothing to do with the slave.

Just came back inside (10:15 PM Central here as I type this), I put the lower mount for the starter back on, cleaned up the connections on the starter, cleaned both battery terminals (including removing and cleaning and putting back on the clamps), replaced the negative terminal ground (stripped the wire and put a new spud(sp?) on there), and cleaned any grounded connections I could find under the hood, and it STILL will not start. I thought it might have been due to the new ground or something in the connections, but I can tell it's still not the battery because headlights and the domelight work and the brightness of both never changes when trying to start the truck (all the electronics work when I have the key turned

I feel like I've inspected and cleaned every freakin thing and still no luck. I have to try "tapping" the starter so I'm gonna give that a shot now, any advice y'all can give me please do so, because if this doesn't work I'm probably gonna just buy a new starter and pray.
 

pocket-rocket

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Well if you are getting power to the starter but the starter doesn't turn, there's only one thing left that could be wrong. Have a test light or DMM?
 

Rocker3829

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Well if you are getting power to the starter but the starter doesn't turn, there's only one thing left that could be wrong. Have a test light or DMM?

That's exactly what I'm thinking. What is throwing me off is I took it up to Advance and they tested it and it tested fine but I don't know if they just test it to see if it turns in general or if they test it to see if it actually turns enough to get the motor started. I have access to a multimeter, I'm assuming checking the voltage? I'm fairly challenged when it comes to electrical systems, so any details would greatly help.
 

pocket-rocket

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Voltage, yes. You should always set it the step higher than what you are going to read with it, not lower. Mine reads 2, 20, ect, so I flip it to 20 when I test voltages on cars/trucks. I also tested mine with my big 200 amp engine start battery charger before it went back in. The large cable going to the starter should always have power, the small one will only get power when the key is turned to start.
 

Rocker3829

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Voltage, yes. You should always set it the step higher than what you are going to read with it, not lower. Mine reads 2, 20, ect, so I flip it to 20 when I test voltages on cars/trucks. I also tested mine with my big 200 amp engine start battery charger before it went back in. The large cable going to the starter should always have power, the small one will only get power when the key is turned to start.
Gotch ya, hopefully this weather lets up today so I can get out there and finish fixing this thing, I don't know about y'all but that weather system they keep talkin about moving east now is hittin us here in Bama at the moment. I hope I can actually get out there today. Appreciate it
 

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I am curiuos if this issue was there before you pulled the tranny or if the starting isse began after you installed the slave.
 

Bryan22

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I was just thinking, it is also possible you pinched some wires between the motor and trans upon installation, might check into that.
 

Rocker3829

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I am curiuos if this issue was there before you pulled the tranny or if the starting isse began after you installed the slave.

It began after I finished reinstalling everything after installing the slave. Bryan22, I did check that when I noticed I did not have the top 2 tranny bolts back on (thought I had already done it at the time but I now have those back on) but I will double check again because maybe I'm missing something there.

Appreciate the responses y'all, this weather outside is bein a pain in the butt today but now running outside to check a few things and if it comes down to it I'll be putting in this new starter I purchased today. I will keep y'all updated here soon, and thanks again for all the advice and tips.
 

Rocker3829

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Might have a breakthrough here after messin around out there. I hooked up a multimeter and I got around 12 volts going from the main battery cable to the top of the solenoid, but the small wire that only shoots power when you try to start the truck is not shooting any power at all when I try and start the truck. I am referring to the wire that you have to crump to the (guess you would call it) "extension" or spud. I believe this is where my problems lies (if this is the case you call this problem going unsolved due to my lack of basic electrical knowledge, major thanks to pocket rocket for the advice on using the multimeter).

Here comes my question, can you buy just that small wire or do I have to buy new cables? Not exactly sure what cables I would have to buy to fix this, but whatever they are please reply and maybe a link to a picture or the actual product as an example.
 

Earl43P

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This could be a problem with the clutch switch.
 

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