Truck won't start!

[MKams]

Forgive me gentlemen (and ladies). My husband is deployed with the Canadian military and I am stuck here with this 1990 lifted auto Ranger. He has sent me here for some help. I went to check the mail yesterday and I got back in the truck and it won't friggin start! It clicks but that's it. I had a few guys come over and they found a wire under neath that looks to be from the starter just hanging there. Today a guy form his unit tried to put it back in but it didn't work and he wasn't 100% sure if that was the right spot for it to go.

So now I have no idea where to look or what to do. This may or may not even by the right place to post this, but I need this thing to work because I'm stuck here alone on base with a 2 year old!

Any info would be awesome as I don't really want to spend money on getting it to a shop if I can possibly get one of the guys to do a quick fix.

Thanks in advance.

 

[adsm08]

We need to know which engine you have. There were 3 different engines that year, and the starters don't all wire up the same.

As many pics as you can take of the underside would also be helpful.

Also, is it one strong thunk, or a series of light rapid clicks? That makes a difference in which way we go chasing this.

If you don't know what engine is in it a picture of the engine from above will tell us which one it is.

 

[MKams]

I'll crawl under and get some pictures first thing in the morning.

It's a 4L v6 engine. The noise is one solid tick or thunk I guess.

 

[adsm08]

Alright, now we can get somewhere.

There should be two wires that go to the starter. A big one and a little one. The big one carries power from the battery to the starter itself and should have power available to it all the time. The little one is a signal wire that powers up the starter solenoid and gets things moving when you turn the key.

1st test, get some jumper cables, hook one red clamp to the post on the starter that the big cable goes to, hook the other red clamp to the battery + post. Then try to start the truck.

 

[Shran]

1st test, get some jumper cables, hook one red clamp to the post on the starter that the big cable goes to, hook the other red clamp to the battery + post. Then try to start the truck.

BEFORE YOU DO THIS - I did not see that you mentioned if you have a manual transmission or not - if so put it in NEUTRAL with the parking brake on, and preferably with a block of wood or a rock behind a tire! It would be real easy to accidently hit the other terminal on the starter with the jumper cable, thus making the truck move and possibly run you over. Be safe!

 

[adsm08]

BEFORE YOU DO THIS - I did not see that you mentioned if you have a manual transmission or not - if so put it in NEUTRAL with the parking brake on, and preferably with a block of wood or a rock behind a tire! It would be real easy to accidently hit the other terminal on the starter with the jumper cable, thus making the truck move and possibly run you over. Be safe!

You do have a very valid safety point. The possibility of arcing to the frame or accidentally engaging the starter is why I told her to hook it to the starter first. That way, at least the truck doesn't run off with her under it. But she did say imply that it has an auto-tragic transmission.

I'll admit that being in front of a truck when it takes off unexpectedly is pretty scary. I did that to an 87 F-150 a few months ago and did't have it out of gear completely. It grabbed and pulled the shifter back in instead of spitting it out, I'm still not 100% sure how I still have my right leg.

 

[92NHranger]

have you tried the starter solenoid on the firewall? when i first got my truck it went. An easy fix is to just ground the posts off on it with it in neutral or park. i think it costs a whole $15 for a new one.

 

[armadillon]

I hope all worked out. Unfinished stories are pooey.

 

[--weezl--]

have you tried the starter solenoid on the firewall? when i first got my truck it went. An easy fix is to just ground the posts off on it with it in neutral or park. i think it costs a whole $15 for a new one.

hey man, i know you're just trying to help, but please try not to jump into the middle of someone walking another through diagnostics, while your post may be well intentioned, it most likely will confuse the original poster, and set the whole process farther behind... diagnostics should be done linearly, starting from any point, not jumping around...

if you wish to suggest something, you can address or PM ADSM your suggestion, but please don't just jump into the middle of a diagnoses...


additionally, my first thought was the solenoid on the fender also, but one large thunk, and a wire hanging from below typically do not denote a packed up solenoid

 

[adsm08]

one large thunk, and a wire hanging from below typically do not denote a packed up solenoid

My thoughts exactly. That's one of the reasons I started with the jumper cables and not bench testing the starter.

 

[--weezl--]

My thoughts exactly. That's one of the reasons I started with the jumper cables and not bench testing the starter.

oh for sure! that blue banner below your name, to me says "don't doubt me man!"

 

[Mark_88]

I'd offer to drive up to BB to have a look but I'm busy till Tuesday next week...if you don't figure it out I have other business in Cookstown and can drop by...Colin is in Barrie...maybe he has some free time...

 

[adsm08]

oh for sure! that blue banner below your name, to me says "don't doubt me man!"

I'm not always right. I'm just right more than I'm wrong.


I do however seem to be out of tissues.

 

[det107]

hey man, i know you're just trying to help, but please try not to jump into the middle of someone walking another through diagnostics, while your post may be well intentioned, it most likely will confuse the original poster, and set the whole process farther behind... diagnostics should be done linearly, starting from any point, not jumping around...

if you wish to suggest something, you can address or PM ADSM your suggestion, but please don't just jump into the middle of a diagnoses...

What kind of response is this ?? 92NHranger was trying to be helpful & looked to be promising. Please keep your "Heightened Awareness" to a minimum AND post your "trolly moods" elsewhere -

 

[MKams]

Okay sorry guys, we had a bit of a stressful weekend. So I had one of the base mechanic guys come by and take a look before I killed my self. He seems to think I need a new starter.

If anyone else is around here and wants to come take a look, be my guest! You can't always trust everyone. I guess I'll go try a new starter and let you know.

His way of explaining it to my small mind was "the thingy is going in and out but it's not turning around" (I think he may have also been French)