Let the smoke out... :(

[Munchie1615]

Well.... I'm new here and I'm the lucky owner of a 1990 V6 2.9 Ranger, I'm planning on doing a write up later today about everything I've done to try to get this beast running again but I'm feeling defeated this morning as I was trying to do some tests on the Air charge temp sensor and the ECT sensor.

I was trying to do a voltage test to see what the output was when I noticed that wonderful electrical smell and then found the smoke inside the cab coming out of the ECM. I put my volt meter to voltage, I was using paper clips on the backend of the sensor connector (they were NOT) touching, I had the battery connected, key on and went to test what the output voltage was -- upon connecting only 1 lead I heard about 3 random clicks then smelled the smoke. I disconnected everything and went to check in the cab that's where I found the majority of the smoke and the lights off of the dash. Disconnected the ECM and opened her up and found this:

I'm planning on going to the junkyard and seeing if this 1991 Ranger ECM matches before I spend more at RockAuto but just hoping that I didn't do any other damage.... Any insight to that thought? I checked all the fuses in the fuse box under the hood and all of those tested good...

 

[rusty ol ranger]

If you didnt pop any fuses i would think maybe something shorted in the ECM itself? Maybe thats why its not running?

Ive never seen an ECM kill itself like that though.

Good news is as long as the 91 has the same trans (auto or manual) it should work assuming you have federal emissions and the 91 is to.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

If it's just a capacitor, that's a super easy fix

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

When I got truck cig lighter was just ugly hole. Turned out cig lighter was pushed thru the bezel because plastic of bezel worn/broken. The fix is to take a 1" split key ring, may have to cut it to get just one thickness, use that as a washer. Worked great, and cosmetically invisible. Hole in bezel is tapered so two thicknesses prevented proper seating to engage threads, but once you have one thickness it has some give to it and can be made to work. I was tired of seeing ugly hole, plus, can use it as Aux 12V and not have cord hanging so much in the way.

Oddly radio and heater vent etc came out with bezel, which I'm pretty sure didn't happen when I took off bezel before, so I'm assuming something is just stuck there. I think bezel should come off as a separate piece and not be stuck to radio etc.

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I think you replied in the wrong thread buddy lol

 

[James Morse]

yeah it was sposed to be in "what did you do to your ranger today" SORRY pls move it then delete this post THANK YOU

 

[fastpakr]

It's moved

 

[Munchie1615]

Well, lucked out and the ECM was still in the '91 at the junkyard. Came back and threw it in my '90 and at least I have lights back again, but still the same problem - cranks but no start. Look for my write up about the truck later. It's definitely time to start scratching some more heads than just my own, all the videos I've watched and the threads I've searched haven't come back with the right fix yet...

 

[Munchie1615]

Well, lucked out and the ECM was still in the '91 at the junkyard. Came back and threw it in my '90 and at least I have lights back again, but still the same problem - cranks but no start. Look for my write up about the truck later. It's definitely time to start scratching some more heads than just my own, all the videos I've watched and the threads I've searched haven't come back with the right fix yet...

Also, sorry about not posting it in the right spot! thanks for moving it!

 

[fastpakr]

Keep it simple first and determine if it's fuel or spark by using a bit of starting fluid.