• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

'89 Ranger/Wont crank/electrical issue?


Texican65

New Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
27
Reaction score
5
Points
3
Location
Maple Valley, WA
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Hi guys,

My '89 Ranger 5 speed 4x4 with 2.9, 220,000 or so miles....daily driver the last 10 years...minor issues and repairs, as well as regular maintenance. Well, its having an electrical issue now. About 2 weeks ago, I got in my truck after a shift at work, and started it up, went to turn on the radio...and all my "pre-set" channels were gone, like the battery had been disconnected. Didn't think anything of it, drove it home, and back and forth for a few more days, no issues. Well, after about a week, I went to get in to go to work, turned the key, and absolutely nothing. Interior lights, dash lights, door ajar chime all going, but no attempt to crank, no clicking. I jump started it with my wife's car, and it ran fine to work. I jumped it again to get home, no problems.

So I pulled the battery and gave it a 12 hour charge, re-installed. Opened the cab door, interior lights and door chime on...insert key in ignition, dash lights, blower motor all come on...turn the key....ZILCH! Everything shuts off. Now even with the key removed from the ignition...door chime very weak, cab light barely visible as being on. Tried to jump it...same thing...NOTHING.

Bought a new battery....just installed.....same exact scenario....all appears normal until I turn the key and everything goes DEAD. What gives? Faulty ignition switch? I took the column guards off to get at it...and I can't get the switch out for nothin!

Please advise experts...I need my truck running again.

Thanks,

Dow
 


Paulos

Active Member
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
479
Reaction score
210
Points
43
Location
North Carolina
Vehicle Year
1987 STX
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
There should be just two screws (probably security torx) holding the ignition switch in place. Are you talking about the ignition switch, or the ignition key/lock cylinder?
 

Texican65

New Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
27
Reaction score
5
Points
3
Location
Maple Valley, WA
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Hi Paulos,

What I’m calling the ignition switch is the part I insert the key in and turn....is there another switch somewhere else?

Thanks,

Dow
 

Paulos

Active Member
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
479
Reaction score
210
Points
43
Location
North Carolina
Vehicle Year
1987 STX
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Hey Dow,
The ignition switch is just to the right of the ignition key cylinder. It has two screws at the top of the switch (mine are security torx T27), and two electrical connectors on the bottom. Sometimes the switches start to come apart, as the tabs holding them together start spreading apart. The key cylinder wouldn't cause your problem. It either turns and locks, or it doesn't.
 

Nez'sRanger

Active Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2018
Messages
231
Reaction score
68
Points
28
Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Size
2.9L V6
Transmission
Manual
I had a buddy with a similar problem on a Tacoma. Long story, but it ended up being the battery cable terminals were bad and didn't allow a good connection with the battery. I'd at least check that out.
 

Texican65

New Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
27
Reaction score
5
Points
3
Location
Maple Valley, WA
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Hey Dow,
The ignition switch is just to the right of the ignition key cylinder. It has two screws at the top of the switch (mine are security torx T27), and two electrical connectors on the bottom. Sometimes the switches start to come apart, as the tabs holding them together start spreading apart. The key cylinder wouldn't cause your problem. It either turns and locks, or it doesn't.
Hey Paulo, this is what I’m working with. I don’t see a switch like you’re talking about.
F448F549-309C-4A18-BC83-36BA440F9724.jpegD8AAE22E-63B7-4391-A22E-E2C8A9498AFF.jpeg
 

Paulos

Active Member
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
479
Reaction score
210
Points
43
Location
North Carolina
Vehicle Year
1987 STX
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Hey Dow,
I see what you mean. I assumed that since the replacement switches look almost identical that they would be in the same place.
igswitch.jpg87igswitch.jpg
It must be farther down the steering column, with two bolts or nuts mounted to the column.
 

Texican65

New Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
27
Reaction score
5
Points
3
Location
Maple Valley, WA
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Oh boy! Ya, yours must be pre—1989...I traced the wires all the way down the column, and they just go to a huge taped wire harness behind/under the dash. From there...I can’t find the switch. What a pain, there’s plenty of room to have put the switch right by the key like yours.

Could it be in the engine compartment?

Thanks man,

Dow
 

Paulos

Active Member
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
479
Reaction score
210
Points
43
Location
North Carolina
Vehicle Year
1987 STX
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
No, it has to be somewhere on the column. When the key cylinder/switch turns, it slides a rod that runs down the inside of the column and the end pokes out of the column into the back of the ignition switch. So when the key moves, it changes the position of the contacts in the switch. It HAS to be on the column. At least you know what to look for, based on the picture of the switch I pulled from RockAuto. I can't imagine that they designed it so you had to drop the column to access it. It looks like there are 11 terminals on the replacement switch, so you have up to 11 wires going to a single connector. And yeah, the '87 is nice and easy to get to.
 

snoranger

Professional money waster
TRS Event Staff
TRS Forum Moderator
Supporting Member
Article Contributor
RBV's on Boost
ASE Certified Tech
VAGABOND
TRS Event Participant
GMRS Radio License
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
13,055
Reaction score
13,529
Points
113
Location
Jackson, NJ
Vehicle Year
'79,'94,'02,'23
Make / Model
All Fords
Engine Type
2.3 EcoBoost
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
I didn't ask for your life story, just answer the question!
Check the battery cables... both cables, both ends. It sounds like you have a bad connection at a main power or ground. It could be the cable ends or the cable itself.

Try hooking a jumper cable from the negative post to something metal on the engine. That's the easiest way to test if it's a bad ground cable.
 

Texican65

New Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
27
Reaction score
5
Points
3
Location
Maple Valley, WA
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
No, it has to be somewhere on the column. When the key cylinder/switch turns, it slides a rod that runs down the inside of the column and the end pokes out of the column into the back of the ignition switch. So when the key moves, it changes the position of the contacts in the switch. It HAS to be on the column. At least you know what to look for, based on the picture of the switch I pulled from RockAuto. I can't imagine that they designed it so you had to drop the column to access it. It looks like there are 11 terminals on the replacement switch, so you have up to 11 wires going to a single connector. And yeah, the '87 is nice and easy to get to.
Thanks Paulo..I found it. It's right inside the dash directly on top of the column, below the speedometer and gauge assembly. Looks like a pretty crummy spot to put it, not easily accessible by any means. I'm going to try other options at this point, before I try getting to that switch.

Any idea where the starter relay is? My Haynes manual doesn't show any of this stuff.....and all the old 70's trucks had all these components right close together, easy to find.....I can hardly trace any of the stuff out on this ranger.

Thanks,

Dow
 

Texican65

New Member
U.S. Military - Veteran
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
27
Reaction score
5
Points
3
Location
Maple Valley, WA
Vehicle Year
1989
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
2.9L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Check the battery cables... both cables, both ends. It sounds like you have a bad connection at a main power or ground. It could be the cable ends or the cable itself.

Try hooking a jumper cable from the negative post to something metal on the engine. That's the easiest way to test if it's a bad ground cable.
Well...I went out to try the jumper theory....but the (new) battery is completely DEAD. It went from being brand new and just sitting in the truck for a few days to completely dead.

And How can you tell if a cable is bad? They look fine to me, everything nice and tight. The positive wire goes right from the battery to one side of the ignition solenoid I believe it is...looks clean and tight on both ends. And the negative ground cable goes from the battery, to a clip on the side of the frame, to a bolt on the block down by the oil filter, everything is tight..but, there's dirt and residue oil on the attaching end on the block cable. This is nothing new though...been that way for years.

And the other wire from the ignition solenoid goes down to the starter solenoid on top of the starter. That wire also has oil on it where it attaches to the starter solenoid...but..been that way for years.

What ever it is that killed this truck happened sudden....and I'm perplexed...makes me think its a switch or something that wore out.

Thanks,

Dow
 

Paulos

Active Member
Joined
May 7, 2018
Messages
479
Reaction score
210
Points
43
Location
North Carolina
Vehicle Year
1987 STX
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
If the battery was connected when it went dead (I'm assuming), I would definitely check the starter switch. I know it's a pain to get to, but it sounds like you've got a short somewhere, and that would be a good thing to check off of your troubleshooting list. At least you would know either way. Like I said before, I have seen the switches start to come apart, and as a temporary fix you can squeeze the metal tabs on the corners to pull it back together. If you pull the switch out and it comes apart in the process, you'll know.

Like snoranger said, the battery terminals can cause problems if they're really bad. But I think it's more likely to be at the battery side of the cables than the engine block side. I'd say that if you tug on the negative cable to check how solid it's connected to the block and the cable doesn't pull off , you should be okay there. The battery side is usually the problematic side. I've never had a cable go bad at the block, but I don't live where they salt the roads very often, and I suppose that could have an effect on it over time.

You need to find what is drawing power with everything off. That could be what's causing all of your problems. A bad negative/ground cable won't cause a power draw when the truck sits. Actually, if that negative cable to the engine was bad, you would probably have starter issues, as the starter would not be getting a sufficient ground to operate properly. I don't think there's any other good reason to have that large of a ground going to the block.
 

rusty ol ranger

Im a Jeep guy now.
Supporting Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2007
Messages
12,268
Reaction score
7,275
Points
113
Location
Michigan
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Engine Size
177 CID
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
2WD
My credo
A legend to the old man, a hero to the child...
Charge the battery and have a buddy put a voltmeter on it. Start pulling fuses till you lose your parastetic draw. Then youll have a good place to start.
 

PetroleumJunkie412

Official TRS EV Taunter
Supporting Member
TRS 20th Anniversary
TRS Event Participant
Joined
Oct 31, 2018
Messages
7,826
Reaction score
6,565
Points
113
Location
Dirtman's Basement
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ranger
Engine Size
2.9l Trinity
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Give 'yer balls a tug. Fight me.
Check the battery cables... both cables, both ends. It sounds like you have a bad connection at a main power or ground. It could be the cable ends or the cable itself.

Try hooking a jumper cable from the negative post to something metal on the engine. That's the easiest way to test if it's a bad ground cable.
Agreed. Mine used to do this. My grounds were just rotted enough to make it "push start only" at one point.
 

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Members online

Today's birthdays

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Truck of The Month


Kirby N.
March Truck of The Month

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Follow TRS On Instagram

TRS Events

25th Anniversary Sponsors

Check Out The TRS Store


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Top