possible electrical problem?

[Zak]

Hello new here so thank you for looking and taking the time to respond.

I own a 2002 ford ranger 2 wheel drive with 2.3 liter engine in it. Recently I replaced the clutch which went real well. This all started happening a few days after replacing the clutch. When I let it sit in the cold and don't drive it much for a few days it will be a real pain to start it will click like the battery is dead, which it isn't, and it will crank slowly and then it will fire up and run like crap. No power and sounds awful but when I immediately shut it off and start it back up it runs fine. It may click a little starting the second time but it will fire up and run perfectly normal. No problems at all. It's been doing this for about a month or 2 now. One day I was pulling onto a highway to go home, and was on a pretty steep hill with a stop sign at the top. I stalled it by accident by letting the clutch out too quick, and after i tried to start it back up it would only crank over and over and over, so i tried again and it cranked only didn't fire. So I let it roll backwards and I pop start it back up and it ran fine and I took it home. I shut it off after I got home and started it back up 3 separate times and it acted fine. When it is warm or has been driven a few miles it seems to start up fine otherwise. It does not seem to be the battery as I have been able to start it, it just gives me a lot of trouble. I just took it on a 2 and a half hour drive to my mother's house for xmas and back and it had absolutely no problems what so ever. I checked all the connections I could find but they all seemed ok. I had to lay on top of the engine a little bit to get at the starter bolts when replacing the clutch but it doesn't look like i broke any of the wires or anything.

Thanks again for looking I really appreciate it.

 

[PanamaExpat]

Hi Zak and welcome to TRS. Say it started happening when you changed out the clutch. Sounds like you may need to check your starter alignment or possibly coincidentally your starter just happens to be going south also. The rough running when it does start could possibly be due to high amperage draw through the starter reulsting in a brown out condition and the PCM is getting confusing readings because of that. ADSM would be the one to answer that. But as I said I would look at the starter to see what shape the brushes are in and also condition of the bushings.

 

[Andy D]

PE's scenario was not uncommon 40 yrs ago. A dying starter would draw enough amperage to prevent a strong ignition . Typical beat old heap - itus, Nothing really terribly wrong, Everything 20 yrs old and a little tired. Could be as simple as a bad connection. I Had all kinds of stuff crumble and die at the slightest touch when I replaced the clutch on the Rat. A few large wires needed TLC around the starter, It was distressing . I try to take apart stuff so that it can be re-used, So many tortured old Ford bits just baaarrrely hanging together after 19 yrs of abuse abd neglect

 

[Zak]

Hi Zak and welcome to TRS. Say it started happening when you changed out the clutch. Sounds like you may need to check your starter alignment or possibly coincidentally your starter just happens to be going south also. The rough running when it does start could possibly be due to high amperage draw through the starter reulsting in a brown out condition and the PCM is getting confusing readings because of that. ADSM would be the one to answer that. But as I said I would look at the starter to see what shape the brushes are in and also condition of the bushings.

I will definitely take a look at the starter next weekend hopefully. Thank you very much for the reply and the welcome.

 

[Tedybear]

Just .02cents...

Make sure your engine grounds are good and tight. Loose or bad grounds can create havoc on the electrical systems.

S-

 

[509lifted]

as tedybear said check ur grounds but if they look good take them off and bend them to see if it bends more so in one area than another cause it can corrode from the inside and u would never know it.

 

[Zak]

I will definitely check the grounds as well Thank you all for your replies.

This morning I had another strange symptom, to me at least. It started up a little funky(clicked a few times and then slowly cranked over and started) but not bad. I drove for about 20 minutes and parked it for about 10 or 15 and when I got back in it and fired it up it was idling terribly but when I rev it up it would rev up fine and drive fine and when i got off the gas the RPMs would drop to almost 0 and it sounded like it wanted to stall and the battery light would flicker twice then after a few minutes driving I made a turn and it stalled on me. I pulled over shut it off started it back up and it was fine like it never happened. I got to my destination started it up 3 separate times and it was fine.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

+1 on checking the wires by bending them also pull the grounds apart and sand them metal to metal all the ones you can find. It dosent hurt to add a ground wire from the battery neg to the alternator body especially in cold weather upgrading cable size helps for those cold starts.

 

[Tedybear]

Another thing to consider.. It's kinda easy to have a dingle/dangle wire that loves to float around get pinched between the engine and bell housing. If you do not notice it? I've seen wires pinched, shorted to ground...rubbing and intermiddent shorting.... Or if you almost tighten it down all the way? And then notice and loosen and remove the wire? Sometimes the wire can break inside the insulation..and look 100% great from the outside.

If I may suggest?

A good old fashion "Wire Wiggle Test". CAREFULLY done when the engine is warm and at temp. Move the wiring harness in different directions...each sensor wire...Not unhooking any of the items of course---But moving wires until you find one that causes a problem. I say CAREFULLY because you do not want to have any wires hit the exhaust manifold---or have a spark plug wire that could be rubbing against a ground suddenly finding a path to ground in your hands.

S-

 

[Zak]

It was pretty cold out so I didn't spend much time checking for grounds but i cleaned off the one nearest the battery and that didn't help. it's -16 F right now so the old girl won't even start atm. I'll try wiggling the wires around and see if I can't find a loose connection. Thanks for all the suggestions I really appreciate it.

 

[Zak]

Ok so I threw my battery booster pack on there to jump start it and it fired right up like no body's business....it seems like every time i use that thing it starts up and runs fine. Could this possibly be the problem or at least part of the problem? The battery itself looks to me like it is original as it has the ford motorcraft stamp on it so I am guessing it is at least 11 years old.

It seems like every time I use that battery booster after the truck sat for a day or so or even in the very cold weather it fires up great runs great no problems.