Truck will not start now.

[Razorbackfan]

Hey everyone,
I have a 2001 Ranger XLT and she was barely starting a couple days ago, now today she refuses to start. I tried to start her a couple days ago and she made a clunk sound when I tried and it took me 3 or 4 tries before she started. Today when I tried to start her up all I get is a bunch of clicking sound. I did a voltage test on the battery and it showed 12.33 volts. Not sure what is going on, is it the starter, the alternator, the battery is not even a year old. If anyone can help I would appreciate it. I also think that she is running rough when she starts because the light off cat or the first cat might be damaged. She sounds rough when she is running but of course right now she is not running.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Check the wire connections on both positive and negative from battery to starter. Could be a loose connection, could be corrosion. Also check that the wires aren't "crunchy", sometimes corrosion gets behind the insulation.

 

[Ranger850]

Tap the starter with a hammer while someone else turns the key OR while the truck is in gear, rock it back and forth, then crank the truck. It sounds like your starter solenoid is sticking. either one of these procedures will loosen the solenoid up. IF THIS WORKS you are on borrowed time and need to replace the starter and/or solenoid very soon.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

you are on borrowed time

aren't we all...

 

[Curious Hound]

aren't we all...

I'm begging for time to borrow.

 

[RobWigglezz]

When you say "hard to start", does that mean it's turning over slow and just barely firing off? Or does it take multiple key turns to get the starter turning?

As mentioned, follow the main battery cables to each end and check for corrosion and loose connections. Also a new battery doesn't mean anything these days and checking it with a load tester will tell you if it can supply amps.

 

[CertifiedPotato]

A battery can pass a voltage test but not a load test. Always worth checking.

 

[Razorbackfan]

Check the wire connections on both positive and negative from battery to starter. Could be a loose connection, could be corrosion. Also check that the wires aren't "crunchy", sometimes corrosion gets behind the insulation.

it all looks clean and not crunchy.

 

[Razorbackfan]

A battery can pass a voltage test but not a load test. Always worth checking.

headed over to the auto store to have them put it on their tester to see if anything comes up there. The battery is about a year old but when it rains there is always water that puddles on the batter and I don't know how to stop that from happening. The corrosion is near constant with the water coming into the truck that it does.

 

[Razorbackfan]

Tap the starter with a hammer while someone else turns the key OR while the truck is in gear, rock it back and forth, then crank the truck. It sounds like your starter solenoid is sticking. either one of these procedures will loosen the solenoid up. IF THIS WORKS you are on borrowed time and need to replace the starter and/or solenoid very soon.

we did that hammer trick and it started up. So we replaced the starter and it still is acting up. It is now doing one clunk and not wanting to start. Then if you hold the key to the start it finally fires up.

 

[Ranger850]

we did that hammer trick and it started up. So we replaced the starter and it still is acting up. It is now doing one clunk and not wanting to start. Then if you hold the key to the start it finally fires up.

Almost sounds like your key tumbler has a bad connection

 

[thunderuncle244]

 

[Razorbackfan]

Almost sounds like your key tumbler has a bad connection

Funny you should say that because there was a guy next to me at the store who asked would I mind if he took a look at it. I said no and when he tried to start it he said you have to hold it to the start, which I have been doing to get it going. He said the ignition switch might be bad. Now my concern is if you change out the ignition switch or anything else like the key tumbler, how in the heck do you get your key to work or reprogram it to work? I might have to take it down to have someone else do the repair.

 

[Razorbackfan]

When you say "hard to start", does that mean it's turning over slow and just barely firing off? Or does it take multiple key turns to get the starter turning?

As mentioned, follow the main battery cables to each end and check for corrosion and loose connections. Also a new battery doesn't mean anything these days and checking it with a load tester will tell you if it can supply amps.

What I mean by "hard to start" is when you turn the key to start it you get one clunk, and if you hold the key to the start position it will finally start for you. We thought the PATS system had locked us out again because that happened a few years ago and we had to get a new key programmed, and honestly we thought it was that again but today both keys worked so its not the PATS system.
The battery was giving some "funny" reads at the store so they replaced it since its not even a year old yet.

 

[Curious Hound]

Funny you should say that because there was a guy next to me at the store who asked would I mind if he took a look at it. I said no and when he tried to start it he said you have to hold it to the start, which I have been doing to get it going. He said the ignition switch might be bad. Now my concern is if you change out the ignition switch or anything else like the key tumbler, how in the heck do you get your key to work or reprogram it to work? I might have to take it down to have someone else do the repair.

The ignition switch and key cylinder are separate. The key cyli der pushes a rod that travels a few inches down the column to the ignition switch. Sometimrs, the switch gets loose or partially unplugged. Check for that.

Yours is probably similar to this. Rod isdown in this area where I'm pointing.

greenish part is where the harness plugs into the switch. Key cylinder is toward the bottom right in this picture.