Hold on, stop the shot gun trouble shoot approach & lets think about this some more.

I see you got the old O2 sensor out & the new one in. So, what kind of shape is the exhaust system from the exhaust manifold down pipe, cat converter, muffler, in now?

On the no start, when you say it won't start, do you mean the starter won't crank the engine, or it cranks the engine, but won't start & run?

If the starter won't crank the engine, seeing as how the serp belt has been removed, it's been cranking & running the engine without charging the battery, check the battery state of charge.
If charge is down, check & top off the cells with Distilled water so all plates are covered & put it on your smart charger at a low rate of charge, say 4-6 amps & let it run until the smart charger turns off, or indicates a Full charge.

If all that is ok, seeing as how it takes air, fuel, spark, & compression to make em run & proper timing to make em run well, what's now going missing?

If it's getting fuel & spark, check the timing belt to see if it's broken.

If all that checks out, scan for trouble code clues & post All code Numbers & remember we are to work & put right the lowest code numbers First, then work our way up the list.

Some more thoughts for consideration, let us know what you find.

 

The exhaust is a little black in the header. I idle this truck more than I drive it some times so it probably has some good carbon in it. The cat broke at the flange on its side. The exhaust could still be remounted but I took it off because it was rattling louder than if it was straight piped, plus, I wanted to hear the engine and trans when I got it.

Starter cranks, engine turns, timing belt is still working, but it gets 1 puff, and then dies. No amount of throttle changes it. Starter is binding and doing all kinds of nasty stuff. I'm sure it's original. The battery is brand new, interstate 550 amp. I don't think think the 10-15 cranks I've done with the belt off would drain it this much. This truck litterally used to start faster than you could release the key.


I still need to do the fuel pressure test I guess. I should probably get that stupid EGR tube on the way too. Fuel pump is only about 5 years old. The DPFE was done last year. The truck never had recirculating air conditioning, and used to blow out the dash vents under load, maybe that means another vacuum leak.?

There no other codes and I can't get it to run and produce any. Does this mean I'm needing a better scanner?

I'll look into this truck some more tomorrow. Getting tired of saying that...

 

Yes it sounds like you have a vacuum leak in the line to, or at the Heater/AC control, as it'll default to Defrost if it looses vacuum. That vacuum leak can corrupt fuel trim.

You can use your inductive timing light on any plug wire to safely check for spark.
From it chugging once on a crank, it kinda sounds like you have spark, but may have a fueling problem, so yes a fuel pressure test & delivery volume over time is warranted.
Volume should be like 1/2pt/15 seconds run time

Replacing all past & present due scheduled maintenance parts & fluids, to bring your Ranger up to date, isn't considered throwing parts at the vehicle.

On the tranny seeming to be acting ok after topping the fluid up, if the fluid was low, you have a leak some where, as a tranny is a sealed, closed loop system, so doesn't consume fluid doing it's thing, like the engine can.
If the tranny fluid was low enough, the tranny pump could have been sucking air on the hill, or in a turn when the fluid would slosh to the side of the pan & uncover the fluid pick up & the pump could suck in air & that'll aerate the tranny fluid & the tranny pump can't make good pressure with aerated fluid, thus the torque converter & clutch packs won't work right to make the vehicle move.
Good to hear the tranny fluid was still red & clear.

I'm not real clear on what state the exhaust is in, but I think I understand it's disconnected at the input side of the cat converter. If so, the engine might not idle, or run just right at throttle up, as the exhaust system is out of tune & the 4banger needs the tuned exhaust/with proper back pressure, to run at its best, so keep that in mind.

If the starter motor isn't spinning the engine up to proper speed when cranking it, that can cause start problems too, so maybe remove the starter motor & have your favorite/trusted auto parts store bench test it.
If you have to come by another starter, make sure to have it Bench tested Before leaving the store with it!!!!

How in the world do you suppose the power steering fluid could become contaminated with Water???? Is this a flood vehicle?
I'd flush the power steering system without further deolay with some Seafoam & a couple of qts of new fluid.

The ELM scan tool running FORScan on our viewing device choice, sure is a good bang for the bucks for our electronic tool box. It can help focus, shorten, increase trouble shooting accuracy & thus lower frustration & help lower repair costs too, all of which can bring Joy!!!

 

On the "scanner" question, we don't know what your using, but if it's just a code reader, or low end scan tool that's only able to access the engine computer, like my Actron CP9145 scan tool, then yes a more up scale scan tool, like the ELM327 is available for not much of our gold & the basic FORScan diagnostic software to run on our windows computer to control the ELM, is Freeware. They also have a version that'll run on a smart phone for about $5 I think it is, anyway if interested use the link I posted to check FORScan out to see if it's for you.

The ELM can be used on any OBD-2, or CAN equipped vehicle since about 1995/6 time frame when all vehicles diagnostics had to be OBD-2 compliant.

As suggested in the ELM327 thread, Just be sure to buy from a vendor with a good reputation for backing up/warranty what they're selling.

The ELM can access All of the vehicles computer/controllers for trouble code clues & many times that can help focus a trouble shoot, like your tranny, or EGR system woes.

My ELM & running FORScan on a laptop with Win-7 & later Win-10, paid for itself the First time I used it to trouble shoot my lit ABS trouble light. It Quickly refocused my trouble shoot & got it back on track to successfully fix the problem.

By being able access All of the vehicle computer/controllers, it also found Body codes in the GEM that I didn't know I had, that enabled me to also successfully trouble shoot & fix my power window woes. So it more than paid for itself in it's first use with the freeware version of FORScan.

 

2 things. The POS has rbroke teeth off the starter or flex plate because I can turn it, and it will spin, but then lock up and. I'm tired of this truck now.

 

Fuel pressure is solid at 60 not running. Still not getting it to run

 

OK, good feedback on the fuel pressure & it's fine, as spec on your 98 is 64 +/-8psi.
SO, next using your inductive timing light to safely check for spark, when you get the engine to crank again.

If no spark, check for 12 volts B+ to the coil pack at KOEO. If you have B+ to the coil pack, but no spark, have the coil pack bench tested for output.
Most auto parts stores can do it at no cost.

If the coil pack checks out ok, have a look at the crank sensor, it's wiring & make sure it's electrical connection pins/sockets are in good condition & that it's fully plugged in & locked into place.

If all that checks out & you still aren't finding any trouble codes with your code reader, borrow, or come by the ELM scan tool & load FORScan on your viewing device & have that combo have a look for clues & let us know what you find.

 

Currently, I'm having no luck with the truck. I cleaned the crank sensor and it's connections. I'm gonna throw 1 more part at it and then the neighborhood association wants it gone.

Ill put on a crank sensor on and let you know what happens.


I just cannot fathom how a misfire, completely ruins this thing. I'm very disappointed by this truck.

 

Hold on, is the starter motor now cranking the engine?

Are you getting a crank sensor signal sent to the computer, if not, the sensor, or it's wiring are suspect.

If the crank sensor signal Is reaching the computer & the coil pack has 12 volts B+ to it at KOEO & the coil pack has bench tested ok for HV output but the coil pack still isn't making spark, suspect a computer ground switching problem. The ELM scan tool could really help in your trouble shoot.

 

No codes. That's unfortunate. I'm gonna look into the ELM

 

Quick update. Charged the battery, checked and cleaned all wiring to the engine. Cleaned the crank sensor. Ordered a new one... and ran a professional scanner on it and came up with nothing.


I checked the coils for B+. They had power but I couldn't get someone to test them. There's 2 of them on this engine though so I figure what are the odds they both fail.

The starter will turn the engine over, but it sounds very nasty, lots of grinding. Like I've said before though, the truck used to litterally fire up faster than you could release the key. So I think if I can figure out the running thing, I can live with not repairing that on it right now.

I need more info on that scanner. I wanna run it on my iPhone but I don't understand how to go about connecting it to the truck.

 

Well lets see, the ELM plugs into the in cabin DLC, where you've been connecting your scanner. Like the scanner, it uses vehicle power from the cigar fuse to operate, so that fuse must be in place & not be blown, so it'll power up. You'll know it has power when the ELM indicator LED's light up.

You say you want a ELM that'll connect to your phone, so you want a Bluetooth enabled ELM, so vendor BAFX is recommended by folks over on the TCCA forum & one member from this forum.

When you go to KOEO, the ELM will broadcast via Bluetooth for the phone to connect to it. Don't know who's diagnostic software you plan to use on the phone, to connect with & run the ELM, so if your asking about that, tell us who's diagnostic software you intend to use?
If it's FORScan, go to their website & read about their smart phone version of FORScan & how it connects & runs. They have a forum there & have posted a lot of questions & answers that'll likely be helpful.

I'm using WiFi on my laptop & the FORScan WiFi version initializes the hook up automatically after we find & click on it's detected wireless WiFi signal, as I indicted in the ELM thread.
I've not needed nor used their smart phone version, so don't have any info on how it runs to offer up, but haven't heard anything bad about it yet. I heard there is a nominal fee to down load & use it, but it isn't much as I posted earlier.

OK good, so you have B+ to the coil packs. Only one coil pack is used/ground switched by the computer to make spark to Start the vehicle. So, using your DVM, check that coil pack Primary & Secondary windings resistance, to make sure they aren't open circuit.
Or, if you don't have & can't borrow a DVM, swap the two coil packs & see if it'll start.
If it does start after the swap, the other coil pack has a problem, so you can isolate a faulty one thusly.

 

Can I get an illustration on What order to hook up the passenger side plug wires?

 

Is this what your looking for? Part 3 -How to Test the Ignition Module and Crank Sensor (2.3L Ranger, Mustang, B2300)

EDIT: The Front coil pack/closest to the radiator, supplies spark to the intake manifold/drivers side spark plugs. The rear coil pack/firewall side, supplies spark to the exhaust/passenger side spark plugs. It's Very important to get the plug wires connected correctly.

EDIT: Here is a description of how the dual vane crank sensor signals the ICM & ECM & what they do with this info. Only the exhaust side spark plugs are activated when cranking the engine for a start & once running the intake side plugs are activated. http://easyautodiagnostics.com/ford/...sensor-tests-1 scroll down to read "How The ICM Works", for more detail.

 

So I put a crank sensor in. Nothing. I could not come by a ELM quick enough so. Gonna try to find storage for it for now. Can't get use the garage. The truck will not even turn enough now to get the first spark.

So, I've also gotta purchase another car to replace its position, I found a beautiful 98 Mark VIII. The thing I loved about this truck was it did great on gas, and it wasn't to much nor too little. Although I don't think the hills were good for it, I think it was quite a capable vehicle and I've more than got my $1500 from it.

I had originally bought this truck with a lot drag truck idea in mind, whenever this engine gave up. I was just hoping 140,000 wasn't gonna be the final, number, on this thing.

Gotta take a break from it.