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Dead truck, HELP!


mtglick

Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
10
Vehicle Year
1996
Transmission
Manual
Hi, all--

Looking for some assistance with a dead truck. This is my 96 ranger, 221K on the clock. 4 banger.

Went out yesterday and discovered a rather large puddle of fluid on the ground, truck started fine, drove it around the block, and discovered the source of the leak. There are four soft, foam-covered lines all converging on a multi-port tee with a small cylinder attached, located underneath the air intake on the passenger side. The cylinder has a vacuum line attached to the end of it, and a small metal post opposite that. Two of the lines are running from the passenger-side firewall, and two from the driver's side of the engine, where they attach to a couple of hard lines. The leak is coming from the cylinder itself.

One, I don't know what that part is. No P/N evident on the tee or the cylinder. Seems to be dripping either brake fluid or power steering fluid.

Two, I drove the truck to work today, about thirty miles. Topped off the clutch, brake, and power steering fluid before I left, since I couldn't stop the leak, and just before I arrived at the office, the whole truck died. Engine still turns, but the hazards and the flashers all went, and no ignition. Brakes still worked, though. I don't know if this is connected to the fluid leak, a nasty coincidence, or if I jarred something loose when trying to figure out the leak.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!
 
What color and consistency is the fluid ?
If you have a camera take photos of the parts in question.
 
Looks like either brake fluid or P/S fluid. Thin, slightly yellow, a little oily.

Don't have a camera with me. The leaking part is directly under the intake, with four soft lines coming from it. It's not bolted to anything, just hanging from those four lines.

Thanks,

Matt
 
You have two power steering lines that are near the intake on that side, as well as break lines coming off the fire wall and your clutch line from the master cylinder but it hugs the fire wall all the way to the frame.
Bout the only thing it could be would be power steering. Dead give away would be horrible steering and a whine like you have never heard.
If so then rest is all just an unfortunate crap fest of coincidences.
 
Thanks, Duane--

The leak would seem to be P/S, just by the description you posted. What's the name of the !#$!@# part that those soft hoses/lines attach to? Four lines in, one vacuum cylinder, just below the intake. If you can tell me what it is, I'll look at some spares online and confirm.

On the non-start, it appears that the brake fluid reservoir blew some fluid out all over the engine bay fuse box. Blinkers are working, but hazards are not. Everything else electrical is working, of course, excepting the ignition. Engine still turns over, but no ignition. Any thoughts there?

Thanks so much,

Matt
 
Are you sure it is power steering fluid? It almost sounds like you are describing the heater control valve.Check your coolant level.Sometimes old coolant is yellow to brownish in color.If it is that part, it is around $25. A picture would help. Good luck.
 
Are you sure it is power steering fluid? It almost sounds like you are describing the heater control valve.Check your coolant level.Sometimes old coolant is yellow to brownish in color.If it is that part, it is around $25. A picture would help. Good luck.

You beautiful, beautiful pirate. That's the gizmo! I thought it was odd that the leaking fluid got warm so quickly, now that I know what's leaking, I can fix that easily enough. Will a failed HCV prevent the truck from starting?

Thanks,

Matt
 
Not unless you ran it dry and fried the engine :-(

If you soaked the fuse box real well that would do it via blown fuses like a mug.....
I completely had a mind fart.. you said air intake BOX. I read and thought "intake side".
Sheash.. my bad.
 
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Not unless you ran it dry and fried the engine :-(

If you soaked the fuse box real well that would do it via blown fuses like a mug.....
I completely had a mind fart.. you said air intake BOX. I read and thought "intake side".
Sheash.. my bad.

No problem. That's what makes internet forums and newbie questions so much fun--the surprise factor!

OK, first puzzle solved. Now on to puzzle #2--the complete lack of go. There is coolant in the engine, I only lost about 8 oz. or so. Engine turns over, a little weakly, but it turns. The black power distribution box (as labeled) wasn't dripping, just a good coating on the cover towards the relay end of the box, some on the brake power booster, some on a black soda-can sized cylinder above the booster on the firewall, and on a smaller cylinder attached to the driver's side fender. All of the fuses in the box are intact. I pulled all of the relays and sniffed 'em, no particular burned smell and they all look OK. The fuel pump is activating with the key (I can hear it), and the plugs are relatively new (within the last three months or so). This thing died in a hurry--was idling at a light just fine, made a left, and nothing.

I don't own a code reader, so I can't pull codes. And I don't know if the leaking HCV did other damage, the brake fluid did something, or that this is all a bizarre coincidence. Any ideas where to start?
 
You over filled the brake fluid res. and it shot out with the cover back on it and driving ?

Check the starter. Coolant may have soaked the starter wire or the starter....
 
You over filled the brake fluid res. and it shot out with the cover back on it and driving ?

The reservoir was low, I topped it off to MAX and didn't quite get the cover fully attached--dumb mistake, I was in too much of a hurry. Most of the fluid loss seems to have been directed at the top of the PDB, with some carrying over onto the top of the clutch res--there was fluid all over the top there, enough to form a small drip. Not a lot of loss, the reservoir is still pretty much full. I checked the clutch res as well, no loss there that I can see, and the splatter pattern points towards the brake reservoir. The insulation just above it took a pretty good splash, about a 6" spot.

Check the starter. Coolant may have soaked the starter wire or the starter....

The engine still cranks OK--just no ignition. And the leak I saw from the HCV was more of a stream of drips, maybe 5-6 per second, than a real serious loss. Plus, the position of the HCV meant that, for the most part, the coolant went straight to the ground. It rained a bit here, so I can't absolutely rule it out, but the engine parts on that side are dry.

There was a very, very faint ozone odor near the PDB, I couldn't find the source, and it's now dissipated. Could have been anything, but it had that telltale overheated electrical flavor. Ironically enough, the brake master cylinder is fairly dry, the lost fluid went up and over towards the PDB. Like it had been aimed there.

What are the two cylinders attached to the firewall and the driver's side fender? The firewall one seems to have a rubber coating, it's black, slightly smaller than a soda can, and has a bump out on one end. The other one is much smaller, attached to the fender wall, with a couple of exposed electrical connections. Both received some fluid, not as much as the PDB or the clutch res cover. Just trying to eliminate components that could cause this kind of failure.
 
I would really need a photo to tell you for sure.
My truck is a 93 I am sure they are a little different by 96'
 
The reservoir was low, I topped it off to MAX and didn't quite get the cover fully attached--dumb mistake, I was in too much of a hurry. Most of the fluid loss seems to have been directed at the top of the PDB, with some carrying over onto the top of the clutch res--there was fluid all over the top there, enough to form a small drip. Not a lot of loss, the reservoir is still pretty much full. I checked the clutch res as well, no loss there that I can see, and the splatter pattern points towards the brake reservoir. The insulation just above it took a pretty good splash, about a 6" spot.



The engine still cranks OK--just no ignition. And the leak I saw from the HCV was more of a stream of drips, maybe 5-6 per second, than a real serious loss. Plus, the position of the HCV meant that, for the most part, the coolant went straight to the ground. It rained a bit here, so I can't absolutely rule it out, but the engine parts on that side are dry.

There was a very, very faint ozone odor near the PDB, I couldn't find the source, and it's now dissipated. Could have been anything, but it had that telltale overheated electrical flavor. Ironically enough, the brake master cylinder is fairly dry, the lost fluid went up and over towards the PDB. Like it had been aimed there.

What are the two cylinders attached to the firewall and the driver's side fender? The firewall one seems to have a rubber coating, it's black, slightly smaller than a soda can, and has a bump out on one end. The other one is much smaller, attached to the fender wall, with a couple of exposed electrical connections. Both received some fluid, not as much as the PDB or the clutch res cover. Just trying to eliminate components that could cause this kind of failure.

you probably a fuse......check the fuses in the cabin and the distribution box. it might be a fuel pump fuse or a pcm fuse.......if the fuses seem ok..check for spark.........
 
you probably a fuse......check the fuses in the cabin and the distribution box. it might be a fuel pump fuse or a pcm fuse.......if the fuses seem ok..check for spark.........

Thanks for the info--I will look in the cabin box for anything blown.

I'm reconsidering my position on the fuel pump relay, it LOOKS fine, and I hear a hum, but maybe it's faulty enough to not provide adequate pressure? Will get into it this afternoon.

Thanks,

Matt
 

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