2.5L ('98-'01) Timing Belt??

[Lowflyer]

2000 Ranger 5spd. 170K.
Turns over, but no start of fire. No codes. S

 

[Dirtman]

When the timing belt goes the engine usually sounds quite different when trying to start it. It will spin alot faster and easier since it has no compression. Easiest way to confirm a broken timing belt however is to just take the plastic cover off the front of the engine and look at it...

Would be worth giving it a squirt of starting fluid first to see if it tries to fire. This will rule out a fuel issue. If it starts with starting fluid the timing belt is fine and you've got a fuel issue like a bad pump.

 

[Lowflyer]

Dirtman,
Pump was replaced recently and yes it does spin faster, so I will remove the cover and check it out. Thanks much for the fast reply.
Lowflyer

 

[tomw]

There may be a small black plastic plug almost directly behind the upper radiator hose that allows easy access to observe the edge of the camshaft sprocket and the timing belt. When you rotate the crankshaft, such as by turning the fan(it may work) or cranking, you should see the belt and sprocket move. When the timing mark on the crank pulley is at TDC, you should see the triangle on the edge of the sprocket at about the 4:00 o'clock position. If it is still in time.
You likely will see rotation even if the belt has had a few teeth pulled... but the cam won't be properly timed to the crankshaft.
tom