2000 Ford Ranger XLT 3.0 v6 starting issue

[Shanertin]

I just bought a 2000 ranger xlt and it's having some issues and I hope I didn't turn it into a lawn ornament.

It was overheating while i drove it home, around an hour drive. I went and bought a new water pump and I flushed the coolant out with water 3x, then a coolant cleaner 1x. After about 15 minutes running with the cleaner, the truck really overheated and when I turned it off, there was a ton of pressure and it started grumbling and steaming out the cap, and overflowing the reservoir. After about 45minutes I undid the radiator cap not thinking, and it erupted out full jet stream.

When trying to start after I cleaned out the cleaner gunk juice, the starter started loud rapid clicking. As I'm not mechanically inclined, I went out and grabbed a new starter. After install it still just rapid clicks. I slapped a jump pack on the battery just in case, still only clicks. I'm at a loss, and apprehensive bout throwing more parts at it.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Brain75]

couple thoughts on the start, could be corrosion on/in the starter cables (yes inside out) - take the cables off the battery and if they are replacement ends that aren't sealed (potted together one piece) check that they aren't just a corroded mess. Could be solenoid, could be the new starter was a dud out of the box (that seems to be worse than 50/50 chance now a days). Could be a dead battery from several starts with not enough runtime to recharge. (and the little tiny Li-Ion jump boxes are a mixed bag - was it a real jump box with a full size lead battery?)
You know how to bypass the solenoid to start with a pair of big water pump pliers?

As far as overheat... were you running the heat (inside cabin climate controls) on during the flush? Some years of Fords the heater core always circulates and some they have a bypass switch that shuts em off when heat is not selected - don't know yours. The most likely part in the heating system to clog is the heater core (the cabin heater), and if is clogged and you blew a big chunk out into the system that would explain everything else but the battery. A trick to get a better flush is to reverse the 2 hoses going to the cabin heater during flush.

 

[Shanertin]

The negative terminal had a weird quick release rigged onto it, I replaced with a normal one(?).

I did not think the new one could be a dud, so without testing it i put it in. 200iq. I'll have to price a heater core and replace it, the coolant the guy had in the truck was gnarly

The jump pack is a full size, with the lead battery. Battery was at 12.8 when I put it on the box, and when trying to crank only went down to 12.6.

I do not know that trick with the pliers, I'll have to look that up and give it a shot.

I had the heat on for the water flushes, but not the cleaner one, heck.



Thank you Brain75

 

[Brain75]

Don't feel bad about testing new parts... for years and years I never tested, new meant good.... now "new means new, not necessarily good"...

 

[Brain75]

if the heater core doesn't leak (wet floorboards) you can almost certainly flush it enough (maybe by itself with a shop pump of some sort) and save a whole lot of headache pulling it out (it is hell to replace on most vehicles).

 

[Shanertin]

Orileys giving me trust issues now.

While the floorboards are dry, there is the coolant smell inside the cab, and that was there while I was driving it home.

Aw heck, I don't have anything that would shoot water into the heater core lines, would pushing air through it with a compressor damage it?

 

[Brain75]

I'd just reverse the hoses, turn the heater on and run the truck again - see if you can get it puke, do it repeatedly with water....

Coolant smell in the cab could be a heater core issue, but it could also be a leak at the hoses to core connection or just the fact you had a big puke and it went all over the place under the hood. I'd check for leaks, wash the engine compartment when you get it done and see if it persists down the road.

 

[Brain75]

I don't know if air would hurt it, but air flows much easier than water so I doubt you would clean anything out...

 

[Shanertin]

I just got off work, and am going to try out the pliers trick to try to get the truck started.

If she sprong to life I'll hose her down and send it up the road.

Thank you again for your help, I really appreciate it.

 

[Shanertin]

Ah, that makes sense, I was reaching for the stars about the air compressor.

I'll reverse the hoses then for sure.

 

[Brain75]

Be careful since you are dealing with big un-fused leads...direct power from battery. Good rubber coated handles rubber gloves if not, don't stand in water, hang on to the bare metal fender, etc etc.. And I don't know if your year has integrated solenoid on the starter or not so it might be a no go under the truck if it is tight quarters and such...
Bypassing the solenoid is really a test to see if the solenoid is bad, and easiest (or at least possible) with the ones that have a solenoid mounted on the inner fender not integrated on the starter.
Solenoids that go bad entirely usually don't even click - just nothing... fast rapid click is usually a bad connection - corroded or loose.

As long as you are disconnecting both heater hoses, if you have a garden hose and a sprayer attachment (or something you can fabri-cobble together temporarily), you could just use a garden hose to flush through the heater (both ways) see what comes out.

 

[SenorNoob]

You can buy a flush kit that has attachments to do just that. Keep in mind the system is designed for ~16 psi. Water supply is usually closer to 60.

 

[Shanertin]

Quick update:
I put the newer starter in and it kept loud clicking, after I removed 2 bolts and loosend the third enough to kinda wiggle it out, and placing it back in did the trick and she fired right up. I guess the teeth weren't aligned or fitted into the flywheel correctly. A guy said maybe something about the bendex(?) No idea, but it worked.

I was able to look inside the hose lines of the heater core, and it was truly gnarly. So after about 2 1/2 hours, I got the dashboard kinda off and moved away from the heater housing. Lots of maneuvering of the black box it sits in and I got it out. Had to remove the coolant and wiper fluid reservoirs, along with a((?)Black box from engine side) that held in the heater core housing. Sneaky bolts hidden behind it and engine block. Pulled the core out, and when I turned it over Rusty brown water came out. No clue how to check if it's still good or not, so I ordered a new one and will be installing today.

 

[Shanertin]

It was a really tight fit under the truck, I was using big 6ton jack stands to try and get as much space as I could. I'm a bigger guy, so my gorilla hands had a hard time getting in there, as well as under the dash.(i was upside down inside the truck)

Brain, I was too nervous about bricking the second starter trying to see if the motor or gears on it would start by using the trick.

I did find that the heater control valve that hooks up to the core was blocked by some type of broken grommet or seal inside of it. Broke the vacuum line trying to remove it. I fit it backinside that L rubber connector that goes to the vacuum part, but it's not tightly sealed, so I don't know if I should silicone or glue it.

Will update once I fix my screw up and get the core back in.

Thank you guys for your ideas and help, I truly appreciate it.

 

[Brain75]

You are truly 10 times more ambitious than me... course I also left my 1948 heater all assembled and flushed it out in place... best evidence it hadn't been done since 1952.
It wasn't till I swapped 6v to 12v, and had to pull the fan motor which meant pulling the core that it ever came out.