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1985 Ranger 2.3L, LOTS of wireing questions


4x4countryboy

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ok I got this truck as a project vehicle and I am new to the forum so hopefully I am posting in the correct place.

Here is what I know about the truck it has the 2.3L in it, and has been swapped over with a carburetor intake manifold, so it is no longer fuel injected. It sat for a long time and the previous owner robbbed a few parts off of it so now I am trying to piece it back together. What I would really like to do is put together a like new wireing harness for this truck, but I am trying to get it running first.

My present problem is finding where the ignition coil is supposed to mount, wireing in a new plug for it and/or finding the one that may or may not be on the engine, I have looked all over the engine and not finding it, so i am thinking it got taken as well. Do any of you have pictures of where your coil is located? and also where I can find a new plug for the coil? as well as where the wire for the plug come from? this is my present problem so would like to start here.

Thank you for any insight
 


oksleeper

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I'll be over Sunday to look it over
 

4x4countryboy

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Found the connector at autozone and ordered it, should be here tomorrow, now I just need to know how to wire it up? and where the coil is supposed to mount at?
 

Mark_88

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The coil on my 88 mounts in the driver side corner under the hood near the firewall, but on the driver side fender.

There should be holes where it goes already drilled since it was common for them to be carbed. this is the only picture I have currently and it shows the coil on the fender...there is a rubber boot over it that came from an 88 Ford Tempo (distributor cover) to protect it from the corner drip that can happen...

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x399/akwarian8/New Truck Pics/EB-coilboot_zps4e8af043.jpg

Hope that helps!
 

4x4countryboy

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Ya that helps, but my wire will not reach from the cap all the way over to that corner, so it may have been changed between the years......hmm
 

Mark_88

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Yeah, some earlier models where actually mounted on the fender...but if you get a wire set for an 88 2.0 it has a long coil to distributor wire that reaches easily...or you can simply make one up or take one off another vehicle with similar connectors...

I had to change my oil yesterday so I got a better look at the mounting location and took a few more pics that I have yet to upload. They really don't show anything too specific...just where and the type of coil...

I've seen the coils with the pointed connectors like a distributor has and are sort of like a square box...the ones I've been using are round and the connectors actually plug into the top of the coil with a boot that covers over the connector.
 

Mark_88

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Not sure if this is what you will be using, but it is from the 88 2.0 ignition. There is another ignition module with either 2 or 3 plugs that goes to the key and power distribution. I would imagine that if you are splicing in wires and such or using a different harness then it really would be irrelevant to your application.

I upgraded an 88 extended cab (well, changed it) from a FI system to the 2.0 wiring system by removing the dash, fuse panel and main wiring harness for the FI and replaced it with the entire inside and under hood 2.0 wiring harness. I don't think it is set up for A/C or much else but it had everything for engine and internal controls that I needed.

Anyway...some more pics...showing the coil, the coil connector, and the distributor boot...

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x399/akwarian8/New Truck Pics/New 2013/Coilmount_zpsc6c3c714.jpg

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x399/akwarian8/New Truck Pics/New 2013/CoilConnector_zps9f048002.jpg

http://i1179.photobucket.com/albums/x399/akwarian8/New Truck Pics/New 2013/Distributor-Boot_zpsdb17bbdc.jpg
 

4x4countryboy

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Ok you have a different coil than I do, mine is round with a square frame around the outside if that makes sense and then there is a 2 prong plug on top as well as the hook up for the distr...... I may look at the wire set up for the 88 2.0 though, my current wire set is for the 85 2.3l, would the 2.0l wires work for the different sized engine? surely they are comparible, the only difference would be their lengths I would think.
 

Mark_88

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Yes, I am actually running a 2.3 now with the 2.0 wiring. Unless you can find an earlier carb version for the 2.3 the 2.0 is probably more common. You may not have to change the interior wiring for that but I had to because it was a 2.9 with FI and A/C and the wiring connectors were not even close to what I had...I probably could have wired it up by splicing here and there, but I had everything I needed and the thought of tracing wires and possibly messing something up in the process was the deciding factor.

The square based distributor was the one I was referring to above. I've seen many with that type of coil but they were all Fuel Injected and, again, I was not sure I could have worked one into my wiring.

With a computer controlling the signals to the coil it may be a bit more complicated also unless you are planning to delete that (or you don't have one currently).

It would be interesting to see how this works for you so if you have the time to document or take pics of the process I'm sure there are others on here that would be interested. Although most go the other way around...
 

4x4countryboy

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My truck does not currently have a computer on it and i have NO intentions of adding one lol, I have to keep it as simple as possible, this is my first time doing a project like this.

I am going to make this truck into an offroad/onroad "pre-runner" so I am just looking for basic things. Like you mentioned AC on yours, this one will not have that when I am finished, the previous owner had robbed so many parts off of it it was easier for me to just skip over it...for now anyways. Trying to just working on ignition wireing for now.

What would you like me to picture and document exactly?
 

4x4countryboy

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This truck USED to be fuel injected so that may be one of the reasons they used that coil, however it was converted over to be carburated so some of the parts I purchase for it have to be for a 1987 2wd ranger with the 2.0....however in this case they both used the same coil. Autozone C839 I believe was the P/N for the coil.
 

Mark_88

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Well, documenting a project can be a bit of a PITA when you are trying to figure out what you need to begin with so if it is, don't worry about it. Just that there have been a few people on here over the years that contemplated going to a carb setup just because it was so much simpler.

But if you are so inclined...if you could document what parts worked for your setup and whether or not you could work it with an existing wiring harness or have to resort to putting in one from an original carbed setup.

There have been people on here that said they did such and such to a FI wiring harness and made it work with a carb, but they didn't provide any other information...which is about as helpful as saying it can be done but you have to figure it out for yourself...lol

The 2.0 has an ICM (Idle Control Module) on the passenger fender which is or was a rudimentary control system for the carb to help it kick down (or so I've been led to believe) and it can be deleted. I've seen several people this is possible but when asked what needed to be cut out they sort of disappeared. It doesn't do anything on my setup and I've been thinking about deleting it...but reluctant simply because if I cut something out and the truck stops working...well...you know how that can be.

Anyway, maybe just focus on getting it running and take some picks of the wiring harness used, parts involved, and maybe it will help someone else some day...
 

4x4countryboy

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ok I will try my best, being a first time project this could be interesting, however I am ALL ABOUT making someone else's project easier if I can do that...finding information and understandable wireing diagrams to me on this thing is about like finding a needle in a hay bale after the cattle have gotten to it lol.

Now I am just trying to figure out the rest of this ignition stuff. I want to just get it running, then I can worry about wireing in the rest of the stuff if it is not working...lights,wipers, blinkers,...etc
 

Mark_88

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Haynes has a pretty good wiring diagram of the 2.0...that might help you with what you need and maybe find it in the current wiring diagram...Haynes also covers the 2.9, 3.0 and 4.0 engine wiring...

That's probably where I should look to figure out the ICM on mine...
 

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