Not able to Start 1998 2WD Ranger

[angrysmileyface]

So I have been working on this thing the better half of a year now. Got the truck last year and it was barely running after sitting for 2 years because previous owner had passed away and thought there was a head gasket problem. One of the cylinders did have low compression so I got the heads checked and did all the top end gaskets. I got the truck to crank and after draining the bad gas out of the tank, run exactly once since then on the original starter (It ran for 3 or so minutes). I then seemed to kill 2 starters, the original and then some AZ reman where the starter would no longer engage the flywheel (made the whizzy drill noise). After getting a chinesium starter from Amazon, Im now at the original point where the engine turns over and wont start and occasionally after 6 or 7 cranks feels like its binding. but there is nothing actually binding inside of it. So I am at a loss of what to do next here. Being that its a 98, can I put an 02 B3000 engine it, because one of the yards about a half state away has one, or should I continue kicking this thing and hoping it will run with what its got, or at least something to help me in the right direction here.

 

[Brain75]

any codes?

FWIW, unless you kinda know what you are doing you could end up with a worse motor going to the junkyard....

Given that it has never really really worked for you, I would treat it like a "parked for 30 years, unknown why" - test compression, leakdown test - identify any issues you can without disassembly first..
change oil and take a sharp look at the oil for coolant, chunks of anything - timing belt, metal shavings, plastic guides, etc. As well as the condition of the oil - black as a diesel or or.... run a magnet through it.

Given the state of aftermarket parts now (worse than 50% bad out of the box), don't throw money at it replacing all kinds of sensors in the hopes you'll get it - more likely to make it worse.

Take a patient and methodical approach to it, and while it will take some time - hit us up here, lots of experts, and the best of us will catch it through troubleshooting and testing.

Does it feel like the starter is mis-aligned, or like the engine is binding itself? - at the point it feels like it from the starter, can you still turn the engine over by hand?

 

[angrysmileyface]

No codes that Im aware of at the moment. They get erased because I dont have a continuous battery in the truck (Im using a JNC660 to pretend to be a battery). I took the plugs out and could crank the engine continuously without any sense of binding. Oil is brand new, coolant is brand new. I have the same coil I had on it before and when checking I was getting spark prior to the original starter quiting on me. I can put a bar on the alternator and spin the engine without any issues, as well as watch the flywheel spin when the starter is removed.

 

[Brain75]

Without codes the modern ones are kinda a pain to troubleshoot, but there still is some really old school basics... 99% of "no start" is going to be either fuel or fire (spark) - the remaining 1% is air.... that's all any engine needs to start - fuel, air, fire.
With 98, you are squarely in the PATS era so could be that (antitheft system) - especially if you aren't using a real battery - no telling what it might do with intermittent or flakey power.
PATS shuts off the fuel pump or prevents spark depending on the year and flavor.

First thing I would do is get a real battery in it, even if you are just borrowing it from another vehicle. That should get us codes to store and either reveal or rule out the antitheft. If we get a "trying" to start and catching - most likely fuel is good, but worth it to check pressure and verify that is in spec.
Having sat for 2 years.... did you clean out the fuel rail or injectors at all - wouldn't make sense that it starts fine when it does start, but old gas clogs crap up. If you have a clogged injector you should get a code for misfire, and plugs would never be wet.

 

[Brain75]

and just to rule out the oddball 1% issue, open up the air cleaner box and clean it all out make sure it isn't filled with a mouse nest and such - bang the air filter a couple times to get the worst out

 

[SenorNoob]

I've always liked:
Fuel
Air
Spark
Timing

That order is close enough to the most to least likely to make it work for troubleshooting quickly.

 

[Brain75]

I wanted to double check my comment on PATS and the guide (main article) here says 98 was pre-PATS, yet I swear I have seen threads with 98 PATS issues.... Just so we don't confuse the guy, is it 100% sure either way a 98 ranger does or doesn't have PATS?

 

[don4331]

'98-'00 4 cylinders don't have PATS. Couple of my '98 6 cylinders don't, but Canada was later getting PATS than USA. For sure, by '99, the 6 cylinders do.

Swapping An Explorer 5.0L In To A 1998-2011 Ranger - The Ranger Station

Ford Explorer 5.0L V-8 In Ford Ranger* Check your local Department of Motor Vehicles for smog & engine requirements. >Certain states, such as California, require the same year or newer engine as the vehicle. Overview: Using the Explorer 5.0L wiring, … Continued

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[stmitch]

With key on/engine off, can you hear the fuel pump prime? Are you getting adequate fuel pressure at the rail?
PATS issues would keep the fuel pump shut off. A bad pump, or inertia switch would do the same thing. A clogged fuel filter probably wouldn't get bad enough to result in a no start condition, but if you're seeing low fuel pressure, then that could also be contributing.

If you're getting proper fuel pressure, then it's likely an ignition issue.

 

[angrysmileyface]

I replaced the fuel filter. I also used the pump to get the remaining bad fuel out of the system since I had one side unhooked already. Truck doesnt have PATS, I will slap a pressure gauge on the rail, but it was totally off and drained, plus I had to replace all the tips of the injectors.

 

[angrysmileyface]

Video of cranking. I have fuel to the valve. Basically it feels like something is binding, yet the engine spins over. Also no codes other than a P1000 or whatever says nothing has changed since everything was erased.

 

[Brain75]

Sounds like a warped flywheel, hear how it catches every 2/3 of a second and bogs down. If it was all the time I would say the starter needs shimmed/aligned. That said I'd pull the starter first and go over it looking for issues with the bendix, etc - a lot easier to do that then pull the engine or trans to get to the flywheel. Once you have the starter out maybe see if you can use a runout gauge on the flywheel (through the starter hole) with an assistant turning the engine over while you watch the gauge in case I am wrong and you can save yourself pulling the trans.

I'm sure there are other possibilities, just right now none come to mind. Anyone else have a better hunch?

 

[Brain75]

I re-read the 1st post to double check original symptoms, etc... So you don't really know the history of the truck right - your the 2nd/3rd owner and no idea what the guy before you did. Warped flywheels I've heard/seen in the guys who drag race at bandimere when I hung out there (1/4 mi NHRA drag strip up in the mountains west of denver), and kids who have no idea how to treat a clutch. I might be a little biased to seeing / hearing that and you wont really see it with an auto.

 

[2011Supercab]

I think it's time to try starting fluid.

 

[angrysmileyface]

This is the third starter Ive had. The original when I got the truck (a reman which started the truck exactly once after everything was all together ) and then an autozone reman both make a whizzy drill noise. I tried a little bit of starter fluid yesterday and had no real luck, things still werent cranking over. Im not sure where to get a run out indicator, muchless where I could mount it to show a good bit. Being that the truck is an automatic, I am not certain how things could be tortured on the flywheel. It is lifted however using the 4x4 blocks in the rear, and Im not sure what they chose to lift the front with or how. Im kinda at wits end with this thing since even replacing the heads on my dakota 4.7l wasnt this aggrivating.