1988 2.3l wont start after powerwashing underbody

[vasol]

Hi,

My ranger is not getting spark after i was a bit overzealous with the powerwasher (relatively weak ryobi electric unit). I did not wash the engine bay but did spray up onto the trans/oil pan area to rid of some oil residue. i did see a few electrical connectors around the front bottom area but everything seems to be intact. Is there anything on the under side that i could have damaged that would cause me to have no spark? i opened up the distributor and cleaned it, pulled out spark plug and tested on the header (its a bit rusty) and saw no spark. I also found the ICM pigtail to be corroded so that was replaced (they sent me a backwards unit which i had to modify). I just got this truck literally 2 days before this happened, so i dont know much about it at all. please help me get it running! I will snap some photos and upload them here tomorrow.

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS


1988 was last year the 2.3l had a distributor, it used a TFI module

Info here: http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/TFI_Diagnostic.shtml

If you have an automatic there is a Neutral Safety Switch(NSS) on the transmission, just above shift rod, it screws down into trans.
It passes 12volts to TFI module when you are using the starter motor, cranking the engine.
Pull off connector and then put it back on to make sure it is dry and making good contact.

If you want to test if this is the problem, hook a test light, or volt meter, to Coil's + terminal and a Ground.
Turn on the key
You should see the light or 12volts
Try starting engine, if light goes out or volts drop below 5, then that is the problem.

Picture of switch here: http://images.oreillyauto.com/parts/img/medium/bwd/s9193_primary.jpg

And here: http://repairguide.autozone.com/zne...0c152/80/04/e3/1c/medium/0900c1528004e31c.gif

 

[Pauls 4x4]

This can happen with a bad dizzy cap and rotor. Did it to my 2.9 the first day u had it. Water made the center piece on the cap short and melt out.

 

[vasol]

thanks for all the replies, I did check the dizzy and everything seemed to be okay. i replaced the ICM connector pigtail, tried to start it...no luck. Didnt look at it for a few days came back and fiddled around with a few connections and voila, she started right up. now im trying to figure out where all these connectors go...check out my new thread here: http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169346