New truck not firing

[venuspie1]

Just picked up a 91 ranger 2.3 thats not firing. new timing belt and just confirmed it is on correctly. How do you test the crankshaft sensor? Or do you just gamble for $120? Also, truck had no spout connector, is this normal to be missing on DIS systems?

 

[scotts90ranger]

where were you checking for spark? If you pulled a drivers side plug wire, you aren't going to see spark while cranking there... spark only on the passenger side while cranking (that's how I get away with running only a passenger side coil pack).

From my experience when a crank sensor goes out there's either no spark at all (usually from a broken or corroded wire or physical damage from the timing belt breaking) or it's intermittent and goes away mainly when the sensor gets hot.

 

[venuspie1]

I am checking with a passenger side plug. Also did
Driver side just to be sure. Last night I replaced the crankshaft sensor and still
Nothing. Rechecked timing belt and looks right on. Couldn't find any marks for
oil pump pulley so didn't line it up. Doesn't matter because it's DIS, right?? Parts house
checked my TFI module and it passed. Could both coil packs be bad at same time?? Running out of ideas. Thanks for anyone's help

 

[scotts90ranger]

yeah, aux pulley doesn't matter on a '89-94 (non california on the '94)

I haven't had a bad coil pack before, try swapping them from side to side. Have you checked all your fuses? If the DIS module and crank sensor have been replaced that's the main components, makes me think there is a power or ground issue to the system.

Have you checked for codes? Those will narrow things down sometimes

 

[venuspie1]

Retested module and it is definitely good. Replaced crankshaft sensor but the new one was a little different. The plug was different that has the single wire. I had to trim a part of the plug off to get it to fit but it did. There was also a red clip on the sensor as well that I had to remove to get the pulley to fit over it. Is this normal? Can you check codes without a scan tool? I have before on older gm but not sure bout ford. I've changed timing belt on a 97 ranger 2.3 and the timing marks had diamonds and triangles. This older one just has a mark on the cover at the 5 o clock position. I line it up and put crank keyway straight up, correct?? Thanks for any advice

 

[scotts90ranger]

I believe the red clip you talk of is the alignment tool for the sensor

The single wire connector is just a shield ground for the sensor wires. I should have mentioned the non intrusive method of changing the crank sensor, you take the crank pulley off (4 bolts with 10mm heads), disconnect the connectors, disassemble the 4 pin connector taking note of where the wires go, take the sensor bolts off, pull the wires through the timing cover, reinstall is reverse or removal...

to check codes without a tool is easy on these, go HERE and follow the analog volt meter method but skip the volt meter, connect the jumper with the key off then jump in the drivers seat with a pen and paper, turn the ignition on and count the flashes of the check engine light

 

[venuspie1]

Should I use alignment tool, or just bolt it on as I did? Could timing belt be 180 degrees off? Gonna check codes and fuses soon when I get back home.

 

[venuspie1]

As far as codes, I think I am only getting code 12 and 11. It will blink once then pause then twice then big pause then once pause once again. I thought 12 was intro code but am not sure

 

[scotts90ranger]

ok, no codes then...

When you bolted the sensor on did you make sure that none of the vanes on the crank pulley hit the sensor? if you visually centered it then you should be fine, if not it could be broken... It's been about 3 years since I put a timing belt on mine, not sure of the marks off the top of my head.

 

[venuspie1]

I readjusted sensor with the tool. It looked fine didn't seem to be damaged. Saw you tube video on how to test crank sensor. Wish I saw it before I bought the new one. Tested old one and it works, so i have an extra now I guess. Swapped coil pack and nothing. Redid timing belt and made sure #1 was on compression stroke and it is correct. Hate to spend another $120 on coil packs but just about out of options. Truck was running last week and sputtered a bit then shut off. never started back and here we are. What now???? Thanks for all your help so far.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Have you tried swapping the coils? It would be strange for both of them to die at the same time.

by chance coud you post a link to the vid to check the crank sensor? I'm thinking mine might be iffy, but I am just battling a misfire not no fire...

 

[venuspie1]

Yes I did swap the coils to no avail. Gonna tinker some more today but not even sure what to do next. How do you test that the correct voltage is getting to the coils, DIS and crank sensor? Guess I need a wiring diagram. I have a manual for 93-97 rangers but not the older ones. Here is that video I found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbnYkpe8kJ4

 

[venuspie1]

Ok update. Ive been doing some electrical tests and with the key in the run position, I am only getting about 1 volt to the passenger side coil and to the crankshaft sensor. Do they get full voltage only during starting or when engine is running? If not, then what is causing low voltage? ICM? Does a 91 have an ICM?

OK just realized that the ICM is the TFI module. Didn't know they were the same thing

 

[scotts90ranger]

Try THIS page, down in the bottom left corner is a description of all the wires on the ignition module

 

[venuspie1]

Ok. Narrowed down a bit. Think problem is that I'm not gettin power to icm or coils. Only about 1.8 v showing. Power distribution box and just about everything else with that red wire with the green stripe are getting 12 v. What is between power source and icm? Not sure where relays are but I've checked all fuses under dash and in power dist box.

After tinkering with the wires while checking continuity between everything, voltage somehow increased to about 4.5v on the icm and the coil, few minutes later it increased again to 7.8v but thats as high as it got. VERY confusing. Everything else was still getting 12v but this change doesn't make any sense.