89 ranger wont start

[seth959ci]

hello everyone, this is my first post. im lookin at buying a 89 ranger 2.3L from my buddy but it wont start at the moment. we replaced the engine over the summer but the truck has been sitting for a few months and wouldnt start today.

I would turn the key and hear a fast chattering noise. What would cause this, starter relay or solenoid? Im not super familiar with rangers and their technical bits ( i've been in the MK3 supra world for a fews years now)

 

[Mark_88]

Hmmmm...fast chatter would be the starter motor...did you happen to swap in the starter motor from a truck with a automatic transmission to a standard transmission?

Apparently they are slightly different...and sounds like the starter is hitting the flywheel but not engaging...

 

[chilsam]

solenoide cant spell i kno

check your battery for charge and all cables and connections for tightness and corrosion then the starter to see if its good.take it off with a known GOOD battery and jumper cables hook neg side to starter housing and touch the pos cable to the terminal, if its good it will work keep your foot on it the torque will spin it over. If it spins then it's probably a bad solenoid GOOD LUCK!

 

[seth959ci]

thanks for the input, i think the starter may be froze up. gonna check the starter and solenoid and tap on the starter just to be sure its not permanently locked up.

 

[seth959ci]

blah, think i figured out another issue.. was gonna put a new battery in it to test it out, however i found that the wiring harness has been resting on the exhaust mani.. big oops from a first time engine install.. wires show sign of high heat. should i try the new battery or could the wires being in rough condition cause more bad than good?

 

[chilsam]

fix the wires

blah, think i figured out another issue.. was gonna put a new battery in it to test it out, however i found that the wiring harness has been resting on the exhaust mani.. big oops from a first time engine install.. wires show sign of high heat. should i try the new battery or could the wires being in rough condition cause more bad than good?

then if it don't work try the battry

 

[seth959ci]

will do does anybody know if a wiring harness for a truck with power steering will work on a truck without ps? (same engine of course) Also as an alternative can i replace the section of the harness that was burned. it was about 5 inches or so..

 

[Mark_88]

No harm in splicing in a section to replace the burned section...just match the wire gauge and use some shrinkwrap connectors (they're a bit more expensive but worth the extra)...

I've patched mine...it was mostly 16 gauge wire but a few were 14 (lower number = thicker wire)...

 

[seth959ci]

would soldering be preferred and then shrink wrap them?

 

[Mark_88]

Absolutely...if you're good with a solder gun...have at it...my crimped connections tend to loosen off after a few runs down bumpy roads...I had a soldering iron but I think I gave it to my brother last year...

 

[seth959ci]

alrigthy then, guess ill give that a whirl before i go diggin up a new wiring harness at the junk yard