92 ranger wont start after head gasket replacement

[Closetcanibal]

I am trying to finish my first ever major project. I replaced the head gaskets on my 1992 ford ranger 3.0 V6. I recorded the entire disassembly process so i could make sure i followed correct process to put back together.

I got everything together and had no "spare" parts left over so that is a win. I go to crank her over and she turns over but wont start. I have confirmed she is getting fuel and new plugs are damp with fuel and pump comes on after key is turned.

I seem to be not getting spark. Tonight I am going to use an ignition tester on each cylinder but earlier today i was able to crank the engine over with the starter switch while holding the spark plug in my hand.

First question is, Will using the starter switch that is jumped off the connections near the battery still allow the spark plugs to fire? i know it bypasses the fuel pump, but will it also bypass anything that helps create the "signal" for the vehicle to produce spark?

Second is if everything is plugged in and I am not getting any power at the Ignition coil where would i trace back to?

 

[Patriot1776]

When I did the heads on my 4.0 I had the same issue. I believe now that I should have disconnected the electronic ignition module before I tore into the rest of the project to prevent it from failing. I ended up using the ignition module from my explorer and got it to fire. It ran a bit rough because I had the firing order straight backwards. She runs pretty smooth now! Hope that helps.

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[Closetcanibal]

When I did the heads on my 4.0 I had the same issue. I believe now that I should have disconnected the electronic ignition module before I tore into the rest of the project to prevent it from failing. I ended up using the ignition module from my explorer and got it to fire. It ran a bit rough because I had the firing order straight backwards. She runs pretty smooth now! Hope that helps.

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do how did your EIM fail?. I disconnected mine before i removed the distributor, battery was already out so what would have caused it to fail?

 

[Patriot1776]

Not sure, but I had left it all hooked up so I wouldn't cross wires. The battery was out already, so I'm thinking that it was going bad before the head job.

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[RonD]

If key is on then using a remote starter button on Starter Relay will work.
Check if you have 12volts at the Coil with key on.

Distributor is timed with the Cam, not the crank, but it is easier to use the crank for spark timing because you can see the crank, lol.
Crank turns TWO full revolutions for 1 full revolution of Cam/distributor.
So if you used Top Dead Center(TDC) mark on crank to setup distributor timing then you have a 50/50 chance of getting spark timing right, and so a 50/50 chance of getting it wrong as well.
You can install distributor 180deg off correct timing, engine won't start if this is the case, doesn't hurt anything but the battery draining trying to start it this way .
Spark is working, just sparking on the exhaust stroke for each cylinder, you can sometimes get a back fire on warmer days with this, but usually just a no start.

You can go to the trouble of pulling out #1 spark plug and then turning crank manually until #1 cylinder is on it's compression stroke TDC, then reset distributor to #1.
Or you can put crank on TDC again, and look at where distributor rotor is pointing.
It will be pointed at #1 or #5 if it was "timed".
If it is on #1 then pull up distributor and rotated it to #5 and lower it down, 180deg.
If it is on #5 then pull up distributor and rotated it to #1 and lower it down, 180deg.

Then see if engine starts

#1 and #5 pistons are "matched pairs" they are both at TDC at the same time, one will be on compression stroke the other on exhaust stroke.
2 and 6 are match pairs, as are 3 and 4, that's how an engine is balanced, a V6 will have 3 matched pairs, V8 4 match pairs, 4 cylinder 2 matched pairs

 

[Closetcanibal]

If key is on then using a remote starter button on Starter Relay will work.
Check if you have 12volts at the Coil with key on.

Distributor is timed with the Cam, not the crank, but it is easier to use the crank for spark timing because you can see the crank, lol.
Crank turns TWO full revolutions for 1 full revolution of Cam/distributor.
So if you used Top Dead Center(TDC) mark on crank to setup distributor timing then you have a 50/50 chance of getting spark timing right, and so a 50/50 chance of getting it wrong as well.
You can install distributor 180deg off correct timing, engine won't start if this is the case, doesn't hurt anything but the battery draining trying to start it this way .
Spark is working, just sparking on the exhaust stroke for each cylinder, you can sometimes get a back fire on warmer days with this, but usually just a no start.

You can go to the trouble of pulling out #1 spark plug and then turning crank manually until #1 cylinder is on it's compression stroke TDC, then reset distributor to #1.
Or you can put crank on TDC again, and look at where distributor rotor is pointing.
It will be pointed at #1 or #5 if it was "timed".
If it is on #1 then pull up distributor and rotated it to #5 and lower it down, 180deg.
If it is on #5 then pull up distributor and rotated it to #1 and lower it down, 180deg.

Then see if engine starts

#1 and #5 pistons are "matched pairs" they are both at TDC at the same time, one will be on compression stroke the other on exhaust stroke.
2 and 6 are match pairs, as are 3 and 4, that's how an engine is balanced, a V6 will have 3 matched pairs, V8 4 match pairs, 4 cylinder 2 matched pairs

awesome info sir. i figured out that i didn't have the key on while using the remote start so i will be trying again. i bought a trickle charger too just in case. i will give that a try

 

[Closetcanibal]

Ok so update last night i was trying to get it started and it keeps surging like it wants to but doesn't want to start. I have timing mms from perfect. Went out and bought a timing light just for that. Why wont it just start up. Is there something else i am missing besides the distributor i am missing?


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[hoosier1104]

For boom to happen, you need 3 things; air, fuel and spark. Make sure it is breathing correctly i.e. no vacuum leaks, MAF is clean, TB is gtg, make sure you are getting fuel pressure at the rail, check your plugs and see is they smell like fuel (2 birds 1 stone there), make sure your plugs are gapped right so on and so on. Could be the coil failed as well.

 

[Closetcanibal]

Plugs do smell and look like fuel. Is there a vaccuum diagram in the resources that you know of. I labeled everything when i took it off but want to be positive


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[Closetcanibal]

i believe I have it figured out i totally didn't catch me error when i plugged the wires in distributor. my firing order is 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 4 when it should be 1, 4, 2, 5, 3, 6 also since i bought a timing light last night im going to readjust the distributor to 10deg BTDC to fix all issues and hopefully it will start first turn

 

[hoosier1104]

Firing order makes a huge difference.

 

[Closetcanibal]

It now runs thank god. It was firing order i changed it and boom there she goes. She is loud as shit with nothing below the exhaust manifold but she runs


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[Closetcanibal]

OK so update, she runs good now but when she warms up the check engine light comes on. The only thing I didn't reconnect is the sensors on the exhaust y-pipe. also i am getting my "rear anti-lock" light coming on intermittently. not sure if these are related or not.

I am waiting to rent a stick welder to weld the y-pipe back together since i had to chop it off to remove the cylinder heads.

 

[RonD]

CEL is coming on because O2 sensors(on "Y" pipe), are not connected/working.
O2 sensors are not used until exhaust pipes are heated up, so about 5 to 10 minutes after cold start

Check brake fluid level, ABS light also comes on if brake fluid is low or connector for sensor in Brake Master is loose.

No, the two are not related

 

[Closetcanibal]

CEL is coming on because O2 sensors(on "Y" pipe), are not connected/working.
O2 sensors are not used until exhaust pipes are heated up, so about 5 to 10 minutes after cold start

Check brake fluid level, ABS light also comes on if brake fluid is low or connector for sensor in Brake Master is loose.

No, the two are not related

Awesome info Ron, as always. I am going to get the y pipe cheaply fixed this weekend i believe then I will reconnect the 02 sensors. So that should fix that. The brake fluid is full so I will check the brake master sensor connection.