Can't figure out no start on 99 Ranger

[JoshT]

So I recently dug into the top end of my 99 Ranger to replace head gaskets again. Hopefully found the actual problem this time, one of the heads had a very slight wave right where the gasket was eroding. Anyway put it back together a week or two ago and it spins over but won't start. No odd noises when spinning over, just won't start.


Fuel: Never disconnected anything in the fuel system, just pulled the fuel rail off the lower intake and replaced o-rings on injectors while it was off. Near as I can tell everything is reconnected properly including the vacuum line, and I have verified that I am getting fuel pressure at the rail. Spark plugs were also wet when I checked them so I'm fairly certain that the injectors are working properly.


Electrical: Obviously had all of the top end apart and required connectors disconnected. Only change electrically was I replaced two injector connectors with broken tabs, just unpinned the plug and swapped to the new connector. 99% sure that I inserted the pins in the correct orientation. I've put hands on every connector that I can access without pulling the upper intake and they are all seated properly.


Spark: Same coil, plugs, and wires that I pulled off and they were working before. Added fresh dialectric grease to wire boots. Added fresh antisieze before reinstalling spark plugs, it was supposed to be conductive, but I'm working on removing it just in case. Made no difference on the two plugs I've removed it from so far. Held both of those wires with plugs to block while cranking engine and had spark on both.


Air: Nothing changed so far as I can tell.


I've also tried a little starting fluid and it makes no difference which makes me think it is probably an ignition problem. As said coil pack is producing a spark, and get spark when ground plugs to block outside of the head.

Probably this weekend I'll start tearing the top end back apart looking for something I may have missed or messed up. Hoping a few of the more knowledgeable members can throw out some suggestions of what I may have missed or might be going wrong.

EDIT: Battery also fully charged when trying. Just installed a new battery today because old one was about 7 years old. Might not have been an issue for a while, but with the age and past experience I didn't want it to fail away from home.

 

[adsm08]

Fuel, air, spark, compression. You are missing one of the four.

You have spark, you have fuel.

How are your air and compression?

 

[JoshT]

Don't have a compression tester, but can think of no reason that it or air should be an issue. Only thing that would have affected either is if I messed up something while putting it back together.

Digging back in is probably the next step, but I'll see about renting a compressor sometime this week and see what it says.

 

[adsm08]

It ran before, it doesn't run now. If compression was the issue you did something that should drop it on all cylinders.

Do you know what an engine with no compression sounds like?

 

[JoshT]

About your sig...

I like it when things catch fire and explode, which means I do not have your best interests in mind.

That probably would be in my best interest right about now. Repeated head gasket failures (hopefully fixed). This no start issue. For some unknown reason my radiator also decided to start leaking while engine was apart for the head gasket. Apparently a tank seal gave out, and fluid runs out almost as fast as I pour it in. Not going to replace that until it's back running though.

At this point it might be better if it catches fire and explodes. At least then I'd stop dumping money into it.

 

[JoshT]

It ran before, it doesn't run now. If compression was the issue you did something that should drop it on all cylinders.

Do you know what an engine with no compression sounds like?

That's why I'm scratching my head. What ever changed it had to affect all cylinders. I can't think of anything I would have done that could have that affect. Even areas I can think of affecting compression, they might affect a cylinder or two, but not all of them.

Can't say I've spent much time around an engine with that problem, so can't say I'm familiar with the sound. I do imagine that the starter would spin it over very easily though. This one doesn't sound like what I'd imagine.

Like I said, I'll see about renting a compression tester some time this week.

 

[adsm08]

Take the valve cover off and make sure your valves are opening and closing.

 

[cp2295]

Sounds like you forgot the ground on the back of the head. That’ll make it not spark.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[woodyedmiston]

Check the fuse and relay in the box under the hood.

 

[DCinDC]

wiggle the crank trigger wires