Ignition Problem?

[BCPhil]

Hello, first time poster here.

I purchased an 87 ranger about 2 months ago. Just recently had a problem where I started the car, it immediatley sounded off. Like it was working way to hard and did not feel comfortable at all. I went to turn off the ignition, didn't help, took out the key and still no luck. I had to stall the car, the first time it half stalled then started back up, I managed to stall it on the second try and removed the battery cable immediatley after. I have asked around to a few people who know more than me. A lot have said it may be something to do with the ignition. Some have said it may have something to do with the carborator. A few have said its likely the starter (I replaced the starter about 2 weeks ago).

Also the truck does not have a Tachometer, and the person I bought it off said the timing may need to be advanced. The hard part is knowing when the truck is running between the ideal RPMs. I drove it for about 30 minutes assuming it would be warm and running between the Ideal RPMs. Then I set it to 6 BTDC as my truck manual says. It fixed most of the hesitations except once going up hill in 2nd gear, I was going about 25 so there should not have been that much work placed on the engine.

I am a 21 year old and this is my first vehicle I have really done any work on. I have replaced the; starter, solenoid, battery cables, heater resistor, vaccuum hoses and parking brake cable. I have also done simple procedures such as; advanced the timing, brake adjustment and oil change. I have also changed the timing chain and water pump and a friend's similar engine. The truck is old but has a 2 year old rebuilt engine, clutch, head gaskets and timing chain.

Any help with either of these problems would be very much appreciated, even somewhere to start would be great. I have no problem taking in my truck for major work, but half the reason I bought this truck was I had the room to work on it.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Welcome it sounds like a good project. The first thing I would fix is the ignition switch. You can get a used switch at the bone yard and put that in to see if the problem with it not turning off goes away. If not then you have two good switches more than likely. Give it a good visual inspection on the wiring. sand all the grounds metal to metal you can find pull the connectors apart and clean them with electrical cleaner and use some dielectric grease on them when you put them back together. Look over all the wires and fix any that are cracked or melted. Especially around the exhaust. Inspect and replace any vacuum lines that are hard or cracked and make sure they are in the proper place you should have a vacuum diagram under the hood on the radiator support. Having a manual puts you a step ahead of most ther is alot of stuff in the tech library here also so do your research. You never know what someone else did to it so if it looks wrong more than likely it is ask Qs. Does your dizzy have three wires or 6 wires coming from it my book says you have the TFI ignition with 6 wires three would be the duraspark. Plug wires , plugs ,cap and rotor, PCV, filters, oil change is the first thing I do on any vehicle I buy. no guessing on preventive maint that way eliminate variables. Wiring can be a biotch especially if someone hacked it so a good schematic and volt ohm meter is a must if you have to go thru wire to wire looking for shorts or breaks. It is time consuming but call me weird kinna fun especially when you get it right. Do the research at night print out what you need to and start in the morning with a clear head especially on the wiring a wire fire will ruin your whole month. GL and keep us informed good and bad.