truck wont start

[Pistons23]

took alternator to kragen and it tested fine. all it does is click. battery has 12.8v. the connections look good. i have no idea what to do and need my truck for work tommorow. please help


2000 Ford Ranger
2.5 4 cylinder
automatic
2wd

 

[Plum Ranger XLT]

Sounds like maybe a bad starter. If your truck has an external mounted starter relay, that could it, but I would check if the starter is getting any power first.

 

[Daedalus]

Have someone hold the key in the start position and rap on the starter with a wrench or hammer. Don't beat the hell out of it, a moderate tap usually frees it up and gets it started. If it turns over when you do this then you need a new starter....

 

[Pistons23]

Have someone hold the key in the start position and rap on the starter with a wrench or hammer. Don't beat the hell out of it, a moderate tap usually frees it up and gets it started. If it turns over when you do this then you need a new starter....

i did that for about 30 mins saturday night at 2am. then i said eff it and called a tow truck. turned out to be heavy corrosion on the postive battery terminal.

 

[modelageek]

i did that for about 30 mins saturday night at 2am. then i said eff it and called a tow truck. turned out to be heavy corrosion on the postive battery terminal.

I can't help it ....was there Alcohol involved here.......i see you have over 600 posts.........checking/cleaning the bat posts is the 1st thing you do..........

 

[Pistons23]

yes, probably about 10 coronas at that point. but the thing is, the corrosion has been there since i got the truck 2 years ago and its never been a problem. so i didnt think it caused my truck to stop. i thought for sure it was the solenoid. oh well, i was just gonna park it on my friends lawn and get a ride home anyway.

 

[modelageek]

at least your honest about it . I think I am older than you and it took me a long tome before I realized the importance of maintenance. If I was you I would survey the truck for maintenance issues and do them all on a weekend day. Clean Bat terminals,TB, maf, IAC. Change Air filter, fuel filter, , PCV, check replace coolant hoses, change tranny fluid! Check rearend fluid, flush coolant and check for other leaks, replace plugs and wires with autolite or MC. Your truck will thank you and I it will make it more dependable

 

[Pistons23]

yeah i did all of that last summer and i check the fluids about once a month. i do everything myself. i even changed the inner and outer tie rods last month. im pretty familiar with all the sounds my truck makes, so when a new one pops up, it bugs the crap out of me. it just seems to much of a hassle to go through the whole postive battery cable harness just to change the wires. so im gonna take it to a battery shop and see how much they charge. if its too much, im just gonna spend a day cleaning the wire ends real good then adding some solder to the ends to tin them.

 

[modelageek]

I don't you will have this issue because of your location, but the rear hangers and shackles on the rear leafsprings rust out....I doubt you will have a hanger issue but you never know with the shackles. They are bout $20 each........

 

[modelageek]

yeah i did all of that last summer and i check the fluids about once a month. i do everything myself. i even changed the inner and outer tie rods last month. im pretty familiar with all the sounds my truck makes, so when a new one pops up, it bugs the crap out of me. it just seems to much of a hassle to go through the whole postive battery cable harness just to change the wires. so im gonna take it to a battery shop and see how much they charge. if its too much, im just gonna spend a day cleaning the wire ends real good then adding some solder to the ends to tin them.

I think there are 2 wires from the pos bat ,right? one goes to the starter and one goes to the solenoid on the starter right? cant you just cut the ends off and then tape the new wires to the old harness without pulling it all apart!!!.........sounds like it would take about 1 hour 4 coronas and $20

 

[Pistons23]

yeah there are 2 red wires. one goes to the solenoid which is mounted to the starter and the other goes to the alternator. what im thinking of doing is just running some new 4awg next to the current wires then just zip tying them to the harness. ill just have to wrap them in some protective stuff.

i was only drinkin coronas because thats what they had. otherwise its sierra nevada pale ale or sam adams boston lager for me.

 

[modelageek]

yeah there are 2 red wires. one goes to the solenoid which is mounted to the starter and the other goes to the alternator. what im thinking of doing is just running some new 4awg next to the current wires then just zip tying them to the harness. ill just have to wrap them in some protective stuff.

i was only drinkin coronas because thats what they had. otherwise its sierra nevada pale ale or sam adams boston lager for me.

thats what I would do..........those brewskies are good..........but it is bud light and Harpoon IPA for me

 

[Pistons23]

ive had the regular harpoon. dont remember what it was called. it was on sale for 4.99 a six pack for st patricks. bud light is no good for me anymore. i can only drink 5-6 before i feel all bloated. plus they give me some mean hangovers.

 

[Pistons23]

I don't you will have this issue because of your location, but the rear hangers and shackles on the rear leafsprings rust out....I doubt you will have a hanger issue but you never know with the shackles. They are bout $20 each........

the only rust on my truck is on the exhaust. but i think ive seen that on all rangers though.