Ignition Troubles - 1996 Ranger XLT

[Steve W]

This sounds so hauntingly familiar.

I had a '92 Volvo that used to drive me nuts with the same sort of maddeningly intermittent problem. It usually happened in winter in Mass. so I began to assume it was frozen fuel line. I'd add drygas and the problem would go away.

Then it seemed to be related to wet weather. It wouldn't start or even catch, I'd walk away from it for a few hours and it would start right up again!

Finally had it towed to a local indy when it crapped out in June. Got the car back at the end of the day with a $25 repair bill. Turns out the main fuse to the engine computer was cracked and would intermittently open up, then re-close due to temperature change, vibration, lunar phase, whatever.

The $25 was mainly for labor of course. BTW, no ECM, no fuel or spark.

Just thought I'd throw out something for you to digest. Also, I'd check and clean all your grounds for the same reason.

Steve

 

[tbirdsps]

1. You really need to get rid of the check engine light.

2. Have you considered the ignition switch? I had a Cougar that would do the same thing. The switch halves were separated and sometimes it would just shut off and/or not start.

Just a thought.

 

[Duane867]

IF you have both fuel and spark......... Or one or the other iintermittently...
Crank sensor would be a really good guess( my 1st guess infact after hearing all else you have tried ) . Heat makes them act up even worse when they are already going bad. They will do every thing from a no start condition ( IE cranking and cranking all the while giving you both fuel and spark ( or intermittently) but no start) to giving the vehicle a stutter when you give her gas. Fickle animals. The wires and plug to and on the end of the crank sensor can get oil soaked over the years and short it out. They also just wear out. Its not a "normally thought of" wear part but due to the heat it takes on a regular basis it definitely is something that can and will go bad over the years. It sits behind the crank pulley so you will have to pull the drive belt and the crank pulley off to get to it ( I think ? )
Doesn't matter what kind of vehicle it is , Ford, Chevy, dodge, Toyota,, what ever.... if the crank sensor fails you will have both spark and fuel ( all the time or intermittently ) but no start. Went around with that on a cavalier and a Bronco. Banged my head on the wall for hours then it hit me. If the sensor is not supplied with the proper voltage it will not supply a signal to start and stay running. checked every thing but the crank sensor, then changed it and varooom.. right as rain ever since.

If you haven't already checked it out check the Ignition control module as well.

A bad cat WOULD eat up new o2 sensors quick, give you bad gas mileage, and wreak havoc on your sensors BUT this is something that would be fairly easy to tell if it were bad.
Severe loss of power combined with shit gas mileage, having to gain higher rpms to move out, rotten egg/ sulfur smell, shitty idle and over all shitty running condition... but not usually a no start condition...