Not starting

[borked]

Hello helpful folk!

My Ranger is not turning over. No click, nothing.

I have replaced the battery with a brand new battery, and put new terminals on.
I replaced the ignition switch.

Current symptoms:
No click, nothing. Completely dead. No lights.

If I disconnect the battery and reconnect the battery the dome light will come on.

Soon as I turn the key the dome light cuts out. Still no clicks, no response from the motor.

Any ideas?
here is a pic of the part I replaced on the steering column

 

[borked]

interesting this is for the same truck but has an extra piece

 

[RonD]

1988 Ranger with 2.9L w/automatic?

Yes that's the ignition switch in the picture

When you turn the key to START that ignition switch will send 12volts to the Neutral Switch on the transmission
If the transmission switch is in Park OR Neutral it will pass the 12volts on to the starter relay on the inner fender
The starter relay will activate when it gets 12volt on its "S" terminal(smaller post)
When starter relay activates starter motor will get 12volt but from the Larger cable on the starter relay

If you have a test light or volt meter
Pull off the red/blue wire that's on the starter relay's "S" post, the smaller post
Put test light or meter on that wire and Battery Negative(a ground)
Turn key to START

You should see 12volts on that red/blue wire
If so then the starter relay is most likely bad, use a jumper wire from battery positive to the "S" post, relay should 'click' then starter motor should engage, if not this confirms relay issue

If you don't have 12v on the red/blue wire with key turned to START, then Foot on the brake, shift transmission to Neutral and try again, if you have 12v now then Neutral switch may need adjustment or the Shift cable does
Re-try after shifting to Park again
If no 12v even in Neutral then could be the Neutral switch(NSS) is bad, but.....................

All Rangers up to 2002 were wired for manual transmissions, so when it got an automatic "they" installed the Clutch Switch Jumper connector under the dash above brake pedal area
Its a 6 pin connector, not all 6 pins are used on all models
But you should see red/blue wire and PINK wire in the connector
If you have done any work under the dash recently this connection may have been separated a bit

If you have a helper unplug the Neutral switch connector on driver side of transmission, its above the shifter
Its a 4 or 5 wire connector, round, plugged in on top of the switch
This is also for your Reverse Lights

Should be a pink wire and a red/blue wire, but can be 2 red/blues
Pink or red/blue should have 12volts when key is turned to START, that's where helper comes in, lol

NSS switch looks like this: https://shop.broncograveyard.com/images/8083ntrlsftyswtchsb.JPG

It is screwed in above the shifter so points down when installed, wires connected on the top
There is a 2 or 3 wire connection on the side of the transmission, thats not it, thats for the solenoids

Starter activation wiring
Ignition switch-----(red/blue)------clutch switch jumper----(pink)-------NSS switch----(red/blue)--------starter relay

As said the Pink wire can be red/blue as well there really wasn't a year by year standard, lol

 

[borked]

Thanks so much for all that information.

I'm going to lean towards the NSS as I was having an issue where the vehicle would turn off while driving and shifting to neutral and firing it back up was the solution.

In fact I just ran outside after reading your post to try my old "trick" (shifting through to neutral) I got the key jingle alarm for a second then everything died again.

 

[RonD]

Well the starting circuit is ONLY used to activate the starter relay/starter motor

Doesn't power anything else

For the engine to shut off while driving the EEC Relay would have to turn off, that turns off the EEC(computer), fuel pump and injectors

There is a Red/Green wire that runs from ignition switch thru firewall and to EEC relay to turn it on

Maybe something in the column shifter is causing an issue with that wire, assuming column shifter not floor shifter

If the dash gauges also shut off then cab fuse panel is also effected

 

[Cmillzz83]

Okay...so I think this is where I need to be asking a serious question about my 91 ranger sport,manual shift with the 4.0 liter engine...I have replaced the ignition lock cylinder,the ignition coil pack,the battery,the crank shaft sensor,the fuel pump and it is getting fuel pressure,and replaced the icm. The guy I got it from keeps saying something about the ecm computer and said that when he looked at it he saw corrosion in the board but I pulled it apart and the board is clean as a whistle and I'm getting no spark. There are a few questionable wires under the hood on the left side when facing the motor. They are both black with white stripes. One has a wide white stripe and the other has a thin white stripe. Not sure if those have anything to do with the issue but they are both cut and not connected and I don't know where they go. The ecm computer module does for some crazy reason have the date 2003 printed on it so I was wondering if it's possible he put a computer from a 2003 in it and it may have fit and that could be the reason for no spark or will the one from a 2003 not even fit a 1991? Please help I need to get this sucker running badddd lol. Thanks

 

[borked]

Well

After doing a new starter and solenoid it ended up being a bad wire from battery positive to solenoid

 

[RonD]

Good work finding that, unusual failure

 

[Shadowrider6661]

Electrical systems are a pain in the a**, its the one area I hate the most. Good luck with the search. Welcome to the club.