FORD Ranger Auto Tech Help Please....On the road Again

[Lee_Burough]

Visiting South Texas and my 96 Ranger decided to act up. Drove it 800+ trouble free miles yesterday.

Symptoms:

• 
  1) No crank....Sounds like bad starter solenoid (click, click, click, click).
  Will check battery cables snug on both ends, and battery terminals clean.
  2) Power to dash, dome light, PW, PDL and power management in general is intermitant and random (for example, dash lights can are dim one moment, then bright a moment later)
  3) Headlights are normal brightness (battery is two years old and probably good).
  4) Jumping the battery makes no difference.
  5) I don't hear the fuel pump run after turning the key on....

I'm fearing a PCM failure....Please, tell me I'm wrong

Thanks for any help you can give.

Lee

 

[John Larkin]

Overall I'd say it's a bad battery ground cable/connection since your lighting is intermittent but there are some freebies you can try. Try crossing the solenoid with a screwdriver; the two pins on the front of it that are threaded. Might say S or I under each. It'll spark so be prepared. If that starts the truck, it's the solenoid. My neighbor has a 94 Ranger 4 cyl. His starter went out a few months back, no click, nothing, just wouldn't crank. So if the solenoid trick doesn't work, it's likely the starter. Easy access on a 4 cyl. Don't forget to unhook the battery first when replacing. As for the fuel pump, find the test port on the fuel rail and depress the schraeder valve with key on; if fuel spurts, pump is probably ok.

 

[Lee_Burough]

Thanks for the ideas....I hope those old stand-by things work for me without getting too complicated. Was dark last night, so, we just parked it in the parking lot where it failed to start. I have basic wrenches and sockets along, nothing fancy.

We have a new Dodge Magnum sitting in the garage at home, my good wife is chiding me about why we drove this old 4.0L V-6 Ranger instead of her new car

Was 102F in Del Rio Yesterday.... And today too.

Lee

 

[mhogan6]

Overall I'd say it's a bad battery ground cable/connection since your lighting is intermittent but there are some freebies you can try. Try crossing the solenoid with a screwdriver; the two pins on the front of it that are threaded. Might say S or I under each. It'll spark so be prepared. If that starts the truck, it's the solenoid. My neighbor has a 94 Ranger 4 cyl. His starter went out a few months back, no click, nothing, just wouldn't crank. So if the solenoid trick doesn't work, it's likely the starter. Easy access on a 4 cyl. Don't forget to unhook the battery first when replacing. As for the fuel pump, find the test port on the fuel rail and depress the schraeder valve with key on; if fuel spurts, pump is probably ok.

I agree. Could be as simple as poor/dirty connections at battery/starter.
PCM won't cause the starter not to turn over.

 

[Lee_Burough]

Filled another gap in my education

An easy solution this time....Just a battery.

Twinturbos explained how a Ford Generic Eletronics Module (GEM) acts when the voltage goes down around 9 volts. That is what caused the changes in dash brighness and intermittant functioning of the electronic system observed last night. I've seen bad terminals, bad connections, bad starters and solenoids many times in the past, but never the associatied electronic antics experienced during this battery failure.

This morning there was nothing when I turned the key. I've never seen a battery fail so quickly as this one.

Thanks to all who offered advice, it was helpful. I'll file the information about the GEM for next time.


Lee

 

[Lee_Burough]

It was actually turbotwin2 who edumicated me on the GEM unit, Thanks Pat and Mike and John