spark, compression, fuel => no warning lights, no start

[therabbithole]

Hi,
I have a 1987 Ranger that won't start after I myself drove it - under its own power - into the unheated, northeastern garage bay where it sat for about the last 20 years. Following is what I've already done and checked: it seems like it has both fuel and spark, and cranks really well, but doesn't sneeze or cough or really even seem to think about starting so I'm here for advice on what to do or check next. Please?

1. dash / warning lights: parking brake / low brake fluid light works, but warning lights with smaller bulbs on PCB (4x4, LO-RANGE, EMISS) do not illuminate (checked bulbs and confirmed shared ground with rest of instrument panel)​

​

2. wiring​

a. brand new battery, clean/tight battery cable terminals, clean ground from battery negative to radiator support, and jumper ground from battery negative to computer ground at passenger kick panel​

b. harness hot with ignition on for MAP, IAC, and TPS​

c. IAC 10.1 ohms between terminals & ~4,000 ohms either terminal to housing​

​

3. ignition: confirmed spark with timing light on coil & plug wires while cranking; distributor has not been moved​

​

4. fuel:​

a. all old gas drained, brand new gas and fuel filters​

b. fuel pump cycling audibly when ignition switched to run, and observable pressure at fuel rail test port​

c. injector harness hot with ignition on, and ground pulsing on both wires while cranking​

I'm grateful for any ideas or advice anyone can share; my best sense is that because I can't attribute the dead warning lights to a bad ground - either for themselves in the dash or for the computer itself - that I need a new computer. I know enough not to trust my own 'best sense', though, so... what else can I test or check? Thanks in advance!

 

[RonD]

Always 50/50 test
Spray fuel into the engine and try to start it
If it starts and then dies you have OK compression and hot enough spark at the right time but fuel delivery is the problem
If it doesn't start then you have compression or spark problem
50/50 instant results

Doing anything else first is a waste of labor, lol

You can test stuff separately but AFTER the 50/50 test so you don't waste time on non-issues

 

[therabbithole]

Thanks Ron!
Got it started last night - I'd gotten distracted by the warning light problem and assumed it was the computer, which was foolish not just because I wasn't initially thinking as you advised but also because the only thing wrong with the instrument panel was dead bulbs. Who'd've thought ALL of those bulbs would be blown? Certainly not me
Also, I bled a bunch of air out of the fuel rail test port, ran it for a few minutes, and called it a night.
Thanks again.
Justin

 

[RonD]

Good stuff

Thanks for posting the update