86 ranger electrical problems

[nbaisden]

I am currently having a very frustrating problem with my 86 ranger. When i turn the truck on, you can hear the fuel pump kick on and once i turn the key, the solenoid clicks once, fuel pump turns off and all power on the truck is lost. Here is where it gets tricky....Once i reset the negative on the battery(pull off and put back on) it will do the same thing again. I have replaced the battery, the starter solenoid and the starter. I got the starter tested and it was defiantly bad. But now that i have the new one on it still wont start. I tried the whole un-plugging the alternator trick(i unplugged both connector and then tried them one at a time with no result. Please help! you can call me tonight if you would like. I am working night shift from 5pm until 1am so i am awake. call me anytime. I would like to try to look at it more when i get home from work... Thanks!

Nick Baisden
440-339-9313

 

[IMenriched]

If you remove all the spark plugs can the engine turn over then with the starter??

look those battery cables over very well....maybe corroded from the inside out.

check and clean the grounds.

see if you're getting 12v to the starter

 

[nbaisden]

I forgot to mention. I literally drove it home from work one night. then about 12 hours later, went out to it and it had these problems.

 

[IMenriched]

I forgot to mention. I literally drove it home from work one night. then about 12 hours later, went out to it and it had these problems.

Nick
IS the coolant level low?? just trying to see if you had a head gasket let go or a head crack....filling a cylinder full of fluid...(aka hydro-lock) on the last drive. or the FPR could have let go and filled the cylinder/s with gas...same effect. is the crankcase overfull?? does the dip stick smell like gas?

were the new components ,listed earlier, installed already for this last drive?
or after ?

there might be a inline fuse on the positive battery cable that is bad...can't remember if it before the starter solenoid or after? thinking that it is after.

so the new battery is fully charged and ready to go...as you turn the key on (not all the way over to engage the starter), can you hear the fuel pump prime...this should only last 1-3 seconds

 

[nbaisden]

The engine installed in the truck is a new 2.9l bought from everdrive.com. I checked the coolant and it is full, the oil is good and i don't smell gas. The new parts i installed on the truck(solenoid, starter and batter) and for troubleshooting. I am close to 98% positive it is an electrical problem and not mechanical.

OK, so here is what my brain is thinking. The old starter was burnt up. Which believes me to think that on the last drive, the starter shit the bed and when that happen is caused some other shit to fry. Or it could have happen the 1st time i tried to start the truck after the starter had fried. I think that maybe something is shorting out every time to try to start. then, like i said, once the battery negative is reset, everything comes back on until the next time i turn the key.

the fuel pump does turn on too. Basically, everything works great until i turn the key to the start position then EVERYTHING dies. Until i reset the battery.

 

[IMenriched]

The engine installed in the truck is a new 2.9l bought from everdrive.com. I checked the coolant and it is full, the oil is good and i don't smell gas. The new parts i installed on the truck(solenoid, starter and batter) and for troubleshooting. I am close to 98% positive it is an electrical problem and not mechanical.

OK, so here is what my brain is thinking. The old starter was burnt up. Which believes me to think that on the last drive, the starter shit the bed and when that happen is caused some other shit to fry. Or it could have happen the 1st time i tried to start the truck after the starter had fried. I think that maybe something is shorting out every time to try to start. then, like i said, once the battery negative is reset, everything comes back on until the next time i turn the key.

the fuel pump does turn on too. Basically, everything works great until i turn the key to the start position then EVERYTHING dies. Until i reset the battery.

seem like your on the right track...
still wonder if the starter is getting full 12 v???

look battery cables over very carefully

as well as all grounds

 

[cckc135r]

What about the ignition switch?

 

[loneranger48]

i would try bump startin it and let it run for awhile if it even does and then shut it off and try to restart it.

 

[nbaisden]

Well everyone! I have it pegged. I decided to check the battery cables one more time. HAHAHA. And sure enough, the negative cable where is runs into to the post clamp was all corroded inside. The only reason i ruled this out is because i literally put new terminal clamps on the truck 2 weeks ago when i changed the engine.

I cleaned out the corrosion, clamped it back together and she fired right up!

Thanks for all the help guys!