1986 Ford Ranger 2.0 Idle/Stalling Problem Help!

[ianthegreat]

Ok, I suppose I'll try a new carb.

Any advice on a good company that sells reman'd carbs? I would love a 2bbl, but I'm not confident I could get it functioning properly.

Is this a good general price?
http://www.guaranteedcarbs.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?search=action&category=FTC4&keywords=all

 

[RangerFabWorks]

dude, www.lmctruck.com has the carbs ya need. screw the 1 barrel crap. if your gonna spend money on a carb. do it right the first time. trust me, youll get the 2 barrel tuned just fine. if you need help with it. were always here to help. just my $0.02

 

[dangerranger83]

I've seen 2 barrel carbs. in a ranger and im told it wakes up the engine.

 

[ianthegreat]

dude, www.lmctruck.com has the carbs ya need. screw the 1 barrel crap. if your gonna spend money on a carb. do it right the first time. trust me, youll get the 2 barrel tuned just fine. if you need help with it. were always here to help. just my $0.02

Will I have the appropriate vac hook ups with a 2bbl?

 

[RangerFabWorks]

yes its a direct replacement. you will be fine.

 

[ianthegreat]

Have a new 1bbl on the way. I couldn't do the 2bbl (next time), just not confident enough in my ability to solve a problem if it comes up. Can't wait! Hoping it solves the problem.

 

[ianthegreat]

Alright, got the new carb in finally! I went ahead and plugged it all back in and went to start it up -- not turning over (no clicks -- nothing). Not carb related, I think I may have connected something wrong. The only other thing I had out was the distributor cap, so tonight I'm going to go back over it and reconnect everything.

If I were to fudge something up when putting the ignition rotor back on could this be causing it?

Radio, lights, everything seems to power on fine.. just not turning over. Hopefully I can figure it out! Electrical issues are something I haven't started to learn about.

 

[Mark_88]

the rotor would not cause the engine to not turn over...and it appears that you are getting no crank at all...

check the little boot on the third connector on the solenoid and make sure it is tight...or remove the boot and use a nut and lock washer to hold it on...if that doesn't help, check the wires to the other two connectors, then check the ground wire to the starter...they tend to wiggle loose...if still no crank...you might have sat in the wrong truck by accident...lol

 

[ianthegreat]

Ah ok!

I did knock off two of those connections going to the "starter solenoid," which I guess is that thing where a bunch of wires connect to. They were coming from my ignition so I'll try and figure that out.

I wiki'd what a starter solenoid was and think I may be able to figure out how to connect it back up. Thanks for the help! .. again

 

[Mark_88]

The starter solenoid, if your truck is similar to mine (and I think it is) should be on the passenger side inner fender (not on the plastic splash gaurd as that is the idle control module) and should have two or three connectors...one goes to the starter...one goes to the ground...and the bottom one is a boot that comes from your ignition key...the bottom one is the one that is sometimes loose and can easily cause the starter to not engage...happened on both my Ranger and my Tempo several times...

 

[ianthegreat]

Alright I have her cranking now. Lesson learned, red and black does not necessarily mean positive and negative on an old truck. My iginition key thing in the cab doesn't work. The previous owner has a push start deal coming out of the ashtray that completes the circuit on the starter solenoid. It just dawned on me that it must complete the circuit -- I was trying to ground one of the two wires coming from that push start relay thing the whole time. I will eventually replace the key ignition -- looks pretty cheap.

Is there some trick to get it kicked up and going after a new carb install? I tried starter fluid first down the carb, then let it air out for about 20 min, then tried about a straw full of gasoline without any luck. Just cranks and cranks.

That copper or whatever it is fuel line between the fuel filter on the carb and the fuel pump seems pretty sketchy to me, lots of prying/forcing to get it to line up and into the carb. Anyways, lemme know.

 

[Mark_88]

One word...choke...

Make sure it's closed...and try quick start...seems a few posts ago you had it running fine after you changed your firing order...so changing the carb shouldn't affect that...other than getting fuel into the intake/cylinders...so choke it after spraying some quick start in and crank it over...

 

[ianthegreat]

Gotcha, will try when I get off work and update.

 

[ianthegreat]

** Update ** The carb is definitely closed. I went ahead and replaced the spark plugs and cables. Still same thing, just cranks over and over.

 

[dangerranger83]

If you have ignition spark and you have fuel all I can say is maybe your timing is off.