reversed cables on 1987 ranger, won't start

[Jeff C]

Bought a 1987 ford ranger ,4wd, 2.9 liter, stx, the previous owner reversed the cables while jump starting the truck, on account of dead battery. The other truck a chevrolet 3500 4wd , anyways truck giving a jump had to replace alternator as a consequence. so far on the ranger I have replaced the battery, positive cable to starter solenoid , the starter solenoid, the positive cable to starter from solenoid, and the negative battery cable, still no power to anything. I checked the fuse block in the cab of truck but fuses all look in tact, I bought a hanes repair manual but still having trouble understanding where or what to do next.I see in manual alot of fuesable links could these be suspects to my problem? please help,a stuck guy, that can't wait to take this pickup for a spin!

 

[bigblue88]

Are you getting any sound, if so what does it sound like? If not i'd check the alternator too, take it down to aut store and they test it for free.

 

[Jeff C]

I'm getting no sound of any kind, no interior lights no nothing...

 

[kimcrwbr1]

does the starter turn when you jump the solenoid short a screwdriver from the pos cable from the battery to the small terminal on the start solenoid or use a isolator start button to bypass the ignition switch it could be a bad connection or yea a fusable link or the ignition switch. If you have a schematic get a test light and start at the battery and test for voltage up to the ignition switch and fuse block fuses 1 and 10 and yellow wire to ignition and are you getting power to the alternator yellow/wht wire.

 

[srteach]

By crossing the cables, he created a hot short. This probably vaporized the fusible links ... specifically the main link. Check that.
He was also feeding battery back into the alternator, which fried it as well.

No sounds or lights means no power supply to the truck. All power runs through the fusible link.

 

[Jeff C]

So I finally got myself some free time to get to business and ....When I jump the solenoid like you said the starter does turn over! the small "red" wire that I removed to jump solenoid is very loose. Will give it a pinch to tighten it up. Now on the topic of fuseable links, there is 3 disconnected wires on the right side of the battery, the negative side closest to radiator. one has a fuseable link on it, the colors are black orange,which I believe go to alternator? or are hot at all times? but w/ the "haynes" schematics I have I do not see the blk/org fuse link till after a green fuse link ... I may be in over my head here . I wonder if u know of a place to find a broken down schematics of the starting system only or if something like this even exists?... adhd is strong w/ this one... P.s. Thank you for your help this far, I have hope now that I heard it turn over!

 

[Psychopete]

My '88 diagram shows a BK/O wire through a green fuse link 14ga wire that runs from the starter solenoid bat +. From what it looks like on the diagram, that is feeding the ignition switch and fuse box. Looks also like that is the wire that charges the battery from the alternator. I'd be willing to bet that needs connected - it's typical to put fuses closest to the power source on the positive side of the circuit, so this may be the issue.. But the PO might have disconnected it for some reason(?)

Not sure what the best direction would be for replacing a bad link, but if you have a blown fuse link, let me know what color and I can a least get you the amperage rating.