98 No Crank No Start

[98rangerin808]

Do you hear the Relay in the engine bay fuse box "CLICK" when you turn the key to START?

Yes i do

 

[98rangerin808]

When i first heard that click i thought it meant my starter was bad so my mechanic buddy came down with some dewalt sensor or something and it read my alt was bad so he said it’s guaranteed your alt, come to find out its not.

 

[RonD]

If you hear the Relay in engine bay fuse box "CLICK" then everything up to that point is OK

Ignition switch-----------fuse24--------neutral switch----------relay
All this is Good

That leaves the Starter motor
Simple test

1998 Engine fuse box diagram here: https://www.autogenius.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ford-ranger-fuse-box-power-distribution-1998.jpg

Relay 6 is the starter relay, the one that "CLICKS" with key in START, its the double square with the 6 inside toward the right
Pull it out

You will see these Slots in the fuse box after relay is out: http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/mini-relay-diode-wiring.jpg

MAKE SURE transmission is in PARK !!!!
And Key is in your pocket

Use a jumper wire to connect Slot 30 and Slot 87(not 87A) together, starter motor should activate
If not starter is for sure, 100%, dead

If starter DOES activate, replace relay
You can pullout Relay 9 and use it in place of relay 6, to get engine starting with key
Relay 9 is for the heater fan, so it won't work until you get a new relay

 

[2011Supercab]

When i first heard that click i thought it meant my starter was bad so my mechanic buddy came down with some dewalt sensor or something and it read my alt was bad so he said it’s guaranteed your alt, come to find out its not.

Seeing that the truck doesn't start, there is no way he could have tested the alternator.

He may have assumed the alternator was bad because the battery voltage was low.

Are you sure this new battery is fully charged and that both ends of both battery cables are clean and tight ?

 

[98rangerin808]

Seeing that the truck doesn't start, there is no way he could have tested the alternator.

He may have assumed the alternator was bad because the battery voltage was low.

Are you sure this new battery is fully charged and that both ends of both battery cables are clean and tight ?

He said multimeter

 

[franklin2]

Like was said, the alternator will not keep the truck from starting if the battery is charged up. Do you have the battery on a little trickle charger? Or have you had the battery tested?

Once the engine is running, then you can check the alternator.

 

[98rangerin808]

If you hear the Relay in engine bay fuse box "CLICK" then everything up to that point is OK

Ignition switch-----------fuse24--------neutral switch----------relay
All this is Good

That leaves the Starter motor
Simple test

1998 Engine fuse box diagram here: https://www.autogenius.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ford-ranger-fuse-box-power-distribution-1998.jpg

Relay 6 is the starter relay, the one that "CLICKS" with key in START, its the double square with the 6 inside toward the right
Pull it out

You will see these Slots in the fuse box after relay is out: http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/mini-relay-diode-wiring.jpg

MAKE SURE transmission is in PARK !!!!
And Key is in your pocket

Use a jumper wire to connect Slot 30 and Slot 87(not 87A) together, starter motor should activate
If not starter is for sure, 100%, dead

If starter DOES activate, replace relay
You can pullout Relay 9 and use it in place of relay 6, to get engine starting with key
Relay 9 is for the heater fan, so it won't work until you get a new relay

Thanks so much i just made the jumper wire and the starter did activate, but when i replaced the relay and tried to start it the same thing happened. No crank no start just a click. Battery is at 13.1v

 

[RonD]

Have someone put their finger on the starter relay(#6) in the fuse box while someone else turns the Key to START
Should feel it click
If not then another relay is making the "click" noise so problem is in the wiring to that relay

Ignition switch------X-----fuse24-----X---neutral switch----X------relay

X marks the spot, lol, so a few things to check, and there is ONLY voltage on these wires with key turned to START

You can start the engine using the Jumper wire, just have the trans IN PARK and key ON, activate starter
Then you can test if alternator is working
13v at battery should change to 14volts but under 15volts, 13.5-14.8v is the range for alternators

 

[98rangerin808]

Sorry what are the X’s, and how do i check them?

 

[98rangerin808]

Have someone put their finger on the starter relay(#6) in the fuse box while someone else turns the Key to START
Should feel it click
If not then another relay is making the "click" noise so problem is in the wiring to that relay

Ignition switch------X-----fuse24-----X---neutral switch----X------relay

X marks the spot, lol, so a few things to check, and there is ONLY voltage on these wires with key turned to START

You can start the engine using the Jumper wire, just have the trans IN PARK and key ON, activate starter
Then you can test if alternator is working
13v at battery should change to 14volts but under 15volts, 13.5-14.8v is the range for alternators

So i started engine and alt was running at about 14.5 and same as the battery, so i think my problem is in my starter relay right?

 

[RonD]

X marks the wires to test for voltage, assuming you don't feel a click at starter relay

I would test fuse 24 first, see if it has 12v with key turned to START, if not then ignition switch under steering column is most likely the issue

Unplug neutral switch, called the DTR
Test PINK wire to see if it has 12v with key turned to START, this is the 12v IN from fuse 24
There is a Tan/Red stripe wire on the switch as well, that's the OUT to starter relay

If you jumper the pink and tan/red wires together then relay and starter motor should activate with key turn to START, i.e. bypassing the DTR, like you did the relay


EDIT
test if relay is working with finger feel or just swap in relay 9

 

[98rangerin808]

sorry, I did feel the click in my relay 6, and when i replaced it with relay 9 the same thing happened. I was able to start engine from the jumper wire though

 

[franklin2]

Here are the two different starting diagrams for a 1998 ranger. One diagram is for a 2.5 engine. The other is if you have a 3.0 or 4.0 engine. You have been doing good using jumpers and your fingers to troubleshoot, but I think it is time for you to graduate to at least a testlight. You can get one cheap at Harbor Freight. Once you get that, you can check for voltage at different areas and find where the problem is located. People on this board can walk you through doing some testing and reading the diagrams. Otherwise you are going to have to take it to a shop.

 

[franklin2]

Looking at the diagram for the 3.0 or 4.0, it looks like it has some sort of anti-theft relay at the top of the circuit. I wonder where this "relay box" is located? That would be a interesting spot to check the circuit.

 

[franklin2]

Here is the ignition switch part of the circuit that feeds the theft relay in the other diagram.