My 1994 ranger 2wd 2.3l has 250k miles on the original timing belt so I decided time to change it. Pulled the radiator and power streering/ a/c pumps and brackets got the timing belt cover and crank pulley off. Next was the dampner bolt. Tried an impact at 150psi no go. tried a 4ft breaker bar with truck in 5th gear and the wife standing on the brakes no go. Tried bumping the starter with breaker bar on the frame no go. I decide to give up for the day. I put it back together know my timing is off and my starter acts dead. This thing is usaully pretty easy to work on but this time it won the battle. Just fishing for some ideas as to what to try next.
Glad its a farm truck now, so I can take my time. Might be time for that 302 swap.

 

Don't use 5th gear. You can break it. Use 4th. You can also pull a spark plug and feed some rope down in and then crank the engine by hand until it jams against the rope.
Make sure you crank so as to preload the piston against the way you want to turn the bolt. I.e., counter-clockwise.
You may have finally removed a few teeth from the timing belt. You may have gotten the starter motor warmer than usual, so it bound up for a bit. It may work when it has cooled down. They do not like to be fed lots of amps and then not be allowed to turn. It can burn out the windings or cook the commutator & brushes. Hope for the best.
Get a longer breaker bar, or put a piece of pipe on the end of the one you have. Put in 4th, and cram the emergency brake on as hard as is reasonable. Maybe have a helper step on the brake pedal. Try using the breaker bar standing on the passenger side, pretty close to the top of the fender so you can use your weight to help pull it down.
tom
(hire it done...?)

 

I used the rope down the cyl, trans in reverse, jammed the parking brake on as hard as I could, and cranked up the air pressure for the impact.

It eventually came out.

I also had borrowed a car so I could walk away from it..

Be careful not to break the crank position sensor like I did, that's a $110.00 mistake.

 

Thanks for the advice about the sensor. I've heard about using nylon rope just worried about bending a valve or some thing.