2.3L ('83-'97) Cranks with battery and check engine light on/ NO START

[Ranger27]

I recently bought an 89 Ranger for a reasonable price and has fairly low mileage and wear. The previous owner has replaced and checked the following after his wife took the truck out and it stalled:


Fuel Pump
EEC relay
Fuel filter
Battery
Plugs and wires
Starter
Starter relay
ICM
Coil pack
Battery Cables
Checked Inertia switch
Checked/replaced fuses

One possible lead I have is that maybe the wiring for the starter relay is incorrect?
Seen a post that said I should hold the positive battery cable connected to the relay to see if it was a bad connection. I did so and that’s how I got it to start cranking when it was previously only clicking.

Last owner says he’s checked compression, but I have yet to do so. Has full tank of gas and it cranks all day but the battery drains fast (even on a jumpstart). The check engine light and battery light are both illuminated during the entire process. Only things my inexperienced mind can think of are alternator, crank sensor, and ignition switch. Besides a compression test, which direction should I go next?

 

[scotts90ranger]

Check for spark on a passenger side plug wire as they're they only ones to get spark when cranking. If no spark I would think it could be the crank sensor assuming the previous owner did check compression meaning the timing belt is intact. It's kinda sounding like it's not seeing rpm meaning crank sensor.

 

[Ranger27]

Check for spark on a passenger side plug wire as they're they only ones to get spark when cranking. If no spark I would think it could be the crank sensor assuming the previous owner did check compression meaning the timing belt is intact. It's kinda sounding like it's not seeing rpm meaning crank sensor.

Thank you very much for your response. That will be the first thing I check tomorrow! I do believe that was the side I tested but then again, maybe the spark was weak and the plugs weren’t gapped right?? Since fixing connections, it has been consistent. I'm even wondering if maybe he had the plug wires mixed up

 

[scotts90ranger]

If you had spark at all the crank sensor and ignition module are working. If it were me I would pull the plastic/rubber cap on the front of the timing cover and see if the timing belt is loose... heck might just do a timing belt anyway since it's likely been 60k miles... no worries, if it did skip or break it's a non interference engine.

If it was running and just stalled and no won't start it has to be something dumb like timing belt, I'm assuming you have fuel pressure (don't know the spec but at least check for pressure at the rail schrader valve). I would also recommend pulling codes like THIS just follow the analog volt meter method to the point of putting in the jumper then go to the drivers seat and turn the key on, the check engine light will flash the codes for you

 

[Ranger27]

I just checked the timing belt and it doesn’t appear lose but does have stretch marks and looks to be brittle . Also checked the plugs again for giggles and each one had yellow but not blue spark. Unfortunately I lack the proper tools or the knowledge to do the timing or ignition switch :/ thank you for your help though