1984 Ford Ranger, Name that part?!

[bizeeb]

Hey Guys,
New this forum,

Ive been working on this 1984 Ford Ranger for quite some time. Recently ran into a part that I can't get an answer on. Has no part number or any trace of what it could be. I have been dealing with a battery draw issue for months and can't figure out where the short is. Seriously have gone through multiple batteries trying to diagnose unplugging, plugging, searching etc. Still killing my battery completely in 3 days hooked up. While going threw the wiring harness and replacing the starter solenoid and voltage regulator, this piece brought up questions? I took it off completely and the truck will still start up.

Any help would be awesome.

Thanks!

 

[Dirtman]

Is there a button on it? It kinda looks like the goofball seatbelt bypass gizmo ford used in the late 70s and early 80s. They had an insane system that wouldn't let the car start unless the seatbelt was buckled. Under the hood was a bypass button that you pressed and it allowed the car to be started one time with the seat belt unbuckled for maintenance. It was a horrible system and most people disabled it all together.

This is just a random guess...

 

[bizeeb]

Thanks for your reply. You know that very well could be it, it does have a button that the hood pushes down, I thought it could be some sort of engine bay light but there isn't any trace of one. Other thoughts were some sort of alarm system. Seems to be stock though cause this truck was coated with ziebart when it was first purchased and the part still had coating around and on it.

I just took the part off completely and attached the battery to watch and see if this could be a culprit to my battery draw.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It doesn't look original to me.

 

[Uncle Gump]

After market anti theft device.... would make alarm go off when hood was opened.

 

[Dirtman]

If the hood pushes it down then it's part of an old aftermarket anti theft system for sure. Could be "original" but dealer installed and not an actual ford item. Dealers had much more power over what they could add or do to a brand new truck back then.

 

[97RangerXLT]

yeah looks like an antitheft device.... so if it runs and drives without it, cap off any bare wires and call it good.

Btw, that is very nice specimen of 1st gen Ranger, and welcome to the forums.

AJ

 

[RobbieD]

I don't recognize it, but it's almost certainly an aftermarket antitheft system, or part of one. Did that kind of work back in the day; dealerships installed all kinds of crap for more profit.

Welcome to TRS. That's a nice looking Ranger you've got; good luck with it.

 

[Josh B]

Did removing it correct the problem?

 

[19Walt93]

The seat belt switch that would prevent the car from starting was one year only, 74 I think. People hated it. It came from the same school of thought that brought you the brake shift interlock and the automatic seat belts in the late 80's to early 90's. That thing is definitely aftermarket and I agree it's probably an anti theft device.

 

[Dirtman]

Never knew the seatbelt switch was only made for one year. I've run into that stupid thing several times over the years and it was always halfway ripped out and bypassed already. Never actually seen one in functional condition.

 

[bizeeb]

Did removing it correct the problem?

Yesterday morning was when I first tried bypassing it, so battery is hooked up now and I will know here in a few days after reading my battery each day and fingers crossed its still holding power.

 

[bizeeb]

Thanks to everyone commenting, really appreciate it! I sent emails to all local shops in my area and wrenching friends and couldn't get an answer.

Does anyone have any recommendations to check if this doesn't fix my battery draw issue? its a major draw to pull a whole battery to nothing in 3-4 days.

Terminals and battery cables all new, haven't found any shorts in wires. Brand new voltage regulator and starter solenoid. Fuses shouldn't pull that much off a battery in such a small amount of time right?

 

[bizeeb]

I don't recognize it, but it's almost certainly an aftermarket antitheft system, or part of one. Did that kind of work back in the day; dealerships installed all kinds of crap for more profit.

Welcome to TRS. That's a nice looking Ranger you've got; good luck with it.

Thanks! appreciate it. That makes a ton of sense. There is a sticker on the drivers window that says "this vehicle is equipped with a mobile security system" so must be attached that now that I'm thinking about it.

 

[19Walt93]

Those seat belt devices disappeared after one year because the knuckleheads who passed the law didn't like dealing with it on their government vehicles. It's just another way the government costs us money and aggravation by trying to "protect" us from ourselves.