Ford Ranger / B-Series :: 1997 - No Spark / Start When Wet Or Humid Outside
Oct 1, 2016
997 2.3 TruckSo this has been an issue for a long time, actually one of the issues I had when I got the truck 3 years ago. After it rains or is extremely humid, my truck does not want to start. Sometimes it will after cranking and cranking and cranking for a while (stopping to cool the starter of course) and other times it won't start.
This time around, it won't start. I cranked it for a little bit and had my dad check for spark while cranking. No spark at all. What should I start looking at? Coils, crank sensor and wires are all newer. As mentioned before, EEC has been replaced. Could it just be bad luck and I got a crap crank sensor? All fuses and grounds are good.
No codes, either except for the occasional misfire code that I get for some reason after pushing in the clutch to decelerate from a higher RPM. It'll fall and start to misfire, but clear up when taking back off.
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I recently replaced the plugs & wires on my '97 3.0L XLT automatic, and now I'm hearing some pre-ignition (spark knock). Only happens under light load, as in climbing a slight grade on the highway. No CEL, no codes on my code reader. Was not happening before I did the work.
The plugs & wires I removed were the factory originals (AWSF32P & PG, 3 of each), truck only has ~85,000KM (~50,000 Miles) on it. Well maintained, & only used occasionally. The only mod from stock are the wheels & tires, I'm running 215/70 R15 instead of the stock 225/70 R14, the difference in the tire circumference is minimal.
The gap on the old plugs was just over .050", no evidence of any fouling or other problems. The new plugs are Autolite XP104 Iridium, which is what the Autolite catalog calls for. Plug gap was checked & set to .044", midway in the range called for by Ford (.042-.046).
I realize that the narrower gap on the new plugs will cause a slight advance in timing, and I have done a computer reset/relearn as per Paw Paw's instructions. I'm stumped.
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Any way to tell if the ECU is faulty? I hooked my analyzer up to my friends 1988 Ford ranger 2.3L and it wouldn't even detect that the ignition switch was on. He was driving it the other day and is shut off on him while he was making a turn and it wouldn't start back up. We have rebuilt the distributor by replacing the pick-up, rotor button and cap, and we had the ignition module tested and found it was good. We have also replaced the coil. When the ignition is turned to the on position, the fuel pump comes on and never cycles off.
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I have a no start no spark situation i am having trouble diagnosing
Truck started and then died it has fuel pressure but no spark I know that there is a theft light that is flashing (slowly) when the key is off. Could this bee the problem?
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My Ranger was running great when suddenly on the highway it just died. I towed it to local nationally known brake/ muffler shop where a good friend is the manager. He narrowed it down (guessed in my opinion) to no spark and no fuel. He thinks it could be the crank sensor, the fuel pump or the ignition module. Is there any way to pinpoint the problem without replacing parts? It will sometimes start and run for about 2 seconds before shutting off. It will not repeat this unless it sits for a day or two. I am not sure if there are different 2.3 engines available but mine is fuel injection and has two sets of spark plugs and wires.
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working on a 84 ranger it did run fine for 3 wks then while driving there was a thump and it stopped and wouldn't start. Now working on it has spark cranks but won't start. while trying to start when I let off the key it tries to catch but only at that time not when the key is turn to start normal. we poured fuel into the carb and it still didn't start. Leaning toward compression maybe?
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I'm getting tired of the same problem about every 6 months. Plug #4 keeps going bad. Its been doing this for years. It starts with rough idle when first starting up that clears up quickly then eventually it leads to a misfire when accelerating. Every time this happens I replace plug #4 and its good to go. Just recently (roughly 6 months ago) did a full tune up and all new injectors. About a week or 2 ago it started its rough idle at start up and just the other day it started misfiring again. What would keep causing this??
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Sons 94 ranger 4.0 4x4 Auto 185k got him to work yesterday but would not start to bring him home. No spark, checked with timing light, and no fuel pressure. Searched and read alot of tips from Pawpaw so I tried a few things with no luck. Swapped the relays around, inspected coil pack and plugs. CEL was not on and goes out while cranking. I have a OBD scan tool but this truck must be too old or I need finding plug. Crank sensor maybe?
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My son's 97 2WD Ranger with 2.3L, 5 speed, no a/c, basic XLT standard cab.
I was using his truck because my 93 Ranger was getting a new starter on it. I drove to work with no problems, then after work, it started just fine and drove a few hundred feet to a stop sign where it promptly died. I was able to start it again with some effort and drove to the next stop sign maybe a quarter mile away. Truck died again, but this time it would not start. Towed it home about seven miles and its in the driveway now. The previous owner had new Motorcraft platinum plugs and wires installed, new fuel filter, fuel injectors cleaned, all about 11,000 miles ago. My son has had it for about 6,000 of those miles.
It felt like it ran out of gas, but the gauge showed about 1/4 tank, and I put about 3 gallons more from a gas can into the tank with no change in being able to start it.
Here's what I've checked so far according to my Haynes manual:
Turned key and listened for fuel pump and it seems to go on just fine.
Checked fuses and they are fine.
Swapped around relays in distribution box with no change
Checked resistance at coil pack and it was about 1.7.
Checked resistance at one injector and it was about 1.7.
Checked inertia switch and it did not need a re-set.
I don't have the ability to check fuel pressure.
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I have a 97 ranger with 3.0 it runs great but once you drive it and shut it off and go to restart it it will turn over but not start it used to start once I let pressure off the fuel rail, but now is a little harder to start when it does this but it looks as thou coolant comes out of the reservoir when this happens I think it might be coolant sensor or thermostat problem causing the timing to advance until it cools but then again why was it starting when I released pressure from the fuel rail and also I don't believe my check engine light works...
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My friend's 1997 4 cyl ranger died and won't start. Cranks fine with no codes on OBD2. Was running fine before it died.
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1997 2.3 Ranger w/ 160,000 mi. Every few months it won't start, sometimes after just having been running fine. Symptoms:
-the dash lights will be dim or off completely
-the chime will be softer than normal
-the headlights will not work, or be dim
-the starter will sometimes briefly click, sometimes crank once, sometimes do nothing
-the emergency flashers will sometimes click much faster than normal
-if during one of these "episodes" it does start, the battery light will sometimes flutter on and off, and the meter will flutter a little higher than normal. The next time I stop it, it typically will have the same problem.
-it will typically start if i get it jumped
My battery, starter, plugs and wires are all fairly new. On occasion, when it is having this problem, and I am trying like crazy to start it, if when I turn the headlights on and they are no longer dim, it starts right up and runs fine.
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Truck has no spark except when you first turn key on it sparks or right when you let off from cranking it will give one spark. You can be cranking it and nothing and when you let off it kinda acts like it wants to start for a millisecond.
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1990 ranger 2.9 ... I have put about everything new on this ranger. It has no spark, ran fine til i went across a set of railroad tracks, it died 6 months ago and never started again .. Many dollars and many hrs has gone into this thing and still no spark. It will spark when you turn the key on. Crank it and 3 more sparks and thats it. Every electrical piece has been replaced. I've checked and bought relays ,fuel shut off, new distributor pickup coil, rotor, cap, wires, plugs, coil and still no start?
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My father in law has a 98 4wd, 4.0L that cranks but doesn't fire. We pulled a plug to check for spark....no spark. Possibly coil pack, or crank position sensor?
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I just finished rebuilding my 1990 2.9 and it wouldn't start. When we did the initial start up, the truck needed ether to start and ran decently while stumbling. I found out that the spout connector was removed from the previous owner so I spliced it but still no starting ...
I installed a new fuel filter, fuel pump, cleaned the injectors, spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap, rotor, air filter and cleaned the MAF. ..
Its not a spark problem because I'm getting good spark from all the cylinders and yes the timing was set correctly. It sounds like it wants to start but just doesn't have something to make it boom. There are also no codes...
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I have a 94 ranger with the 2.3l engine there is no spark at the ignition module (the front one both on the drivers side) that controls the plugs on the drivers side of the engine. I swapped with the module for the exhaust side but the problem stays at the same two plus and doesn't move with the module .. What can be the source of this problem? ECU?
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2004, 4L, sohc - Is there any issues or problems changing spark plugs?
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I have a 2005 ford ranger, 4.0 auto, 4x4, 60psi fuel presser, has spark and injector pulse, will try to start if you hold the throttle a little over 3/4 the way down, but will not fire on starting fluid.
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Al right i have a 94 ranger 4.0 4x4 auto 186k ... The truck has new bosch double plat plugs gaped .054, new wires, MAF, TPS, FPR, O2 sensors, ECTS and I checked the intake air charge sensor and is fine ....
My issue is cylinders 4,5 and 6 dont fire... the coil is sending a spark, i can pull the plugs one at a time and watch them fire (strong blue spark)... All fuel injectors do not leak and spray a perfect cone out of all 4 holes and noid light test is good ...
The truck runs like crap back firing and no power under 4k and i can pull off all 3 wires for bank one and it make no difference and when i unplug the injectors no more back fire....
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My 95 Ranger has been a good truck in the 6 years I've owned it. I had to pull the heads to replace a leaking head gasket and wound up having the heads rebuilt due to weak valve springs and worn valves. I replaced the gaskets, installed the heads, get it all back together.....won't start. Fuel pressure is good. Found that there is no spark. While putting the crankshaft position sensor connector back on I noticed it didn't look too good. I replaced the connector and that's all I did and no spark. Long story short, after a lot of research, the coil pack, cps and coolant temp sensor were replaced and still no spark.
Everything has the proper voltage to it. After a little more research I found a post with the same basic issue. His issue wound up being the ecm. So I removed the ecm....it's a used one from a salvage yard. I've owned the truck 6 years so I have no idea when the ecm was replaced. It showed up today and will get installed when I get home from work. I also ran across posts about the camshaft sunchronizer and they should be replaced at about 80K miles. Since the truck has 289K I'll replace it. Still no spark. I'm hoping it's the ecm.
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