Hi;
My 88 Ranger 2.3L 4X2 5spd. has NO ELECTRICAL POWER TO ANYTHING. Grandson smashed the dash panel while it was hanging out with tractor wheel weight. Replaced the the entire dash panel but still no power to anything but the battery and the batter side of relay. I'n going to town to get links to replace the 3 20 gauge links at the relay but doubtful the problem is there. Dimmer switch was bad and had light bulbs burned out on dash is reason for pulling it out. After crushing the dash now no power anywhere. Battery is 12.6 V. Will crank by jumping starter relay but will not start of course. I really need some input here as I doubt if the links are going to fix it but it's a quick inexpensive repair to isolate things. Could something under the dash have been shorted out when it was hanging out and got smashed? If so what maybe? The only thing live at the time he dropped the weight on the dash was the dome light. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! In SE Minn. so getting too cold to be working on it but need the truck for feed hauling. Thanks for any help you may have!

 

See if the horn works. I'm looking at the factory wiring diagram and fuse link C (16 gauge orange) feeds fuse link D which powers the horn
It also feeds fuse link E which powers the ignition switch.

If the horn is dead and everything powered from the ignition switch is dead, then it looks like you're right about having a blown fuse link.

 

Are you getting B+ from the under hood Power distribution box to the under dash Fuse box? If not, trace the B+ feed wire between the two to find & repair the break.
If you don't have a wiring pictorial, you can log in here & access no cost wiring color code & pictorial wiring connections, along with TSB info on all your rides. BBB Industries - TSB's & Wiring Diagrams
Some starting trouble shooting thoughts for consideration, let us know what you find.

 

Well I appreciate your input. My wife got me before I could escape and got me on the Honey Doooo list. I'll be back at it for a little while tomorrow AM I'll let you know!!

Thanks Again Dr. Frankenford

 

I will look at the schematics if I can figure out how to locate the right one LOL I just glanced at them but it's time to feed the cattle!! Thanks Again

 

Ok, on the wiring link, select Wiring Diagrams, input your Year/Make/Model/Engine. Beside System, select "Engine", beside Subsystem select, "Charging System" then click on Search & that'll open a couple of choices. Open the top choice & look at the Yellow lead that feeds B+ to the ignition switch & in dash fuse panel & use your 12 volt test light, or multi-meter on the 20 volt DC range, to see if power is making it into the cab on that Yellow lead. If not trace it back under hood to see were the battery B+ is going missing. Might have blown a fusible link when the drop happened. When you can get back at it, let us know what you find.

 

Well as I had mentioned, I did the horn check first off and checked for power to lighter. Not remembering if I ever used the horn in the last 25 years I tested it with a jumper from battery first to find out if it would click or make a sound and it did honk to my surprise. But no power! Checked for battery power to yellow ign. switch wires and same scenario no power. So how to figure out where the power is lost at? Suggestions? I guess I'm being told by some others here that I'm not supposed to be doing this stuff for a couple days. I have to feed cattle but I guess the truck project s to wait for at least a few days. It's going to be too cold even bellied into the shop to do much for a while too. I'm sure open to suggestions on best way to find my problem now. I have the gauge cluster and dash open. BTW I did replace all 3 of the 20 gauge fusible links by the relay. So where from here. Thank You Kindly and Merry Christmas to everyone here. Got nine grandkids and 4 great grand kids tugging at me to get off the puter so, so long for now!!
Dr. Frankenford

 

OK, so lets think about this some more. You say you replaced fusible links, were the old ones blown/open circuit?

Did you check the new ones to make sure they were ok??? Make everything prove itself, I've seen bad new parts right out of the box!!!!

If no B+ at the ignition switch, as suggested above, use your 12 volt test light to begin at the ignition switch & go forward toward the fusible links testing to see where the power is lost/test lamp goes out. In between those test points the wiring is open circuit.
It doesn't sound like your getting Any power to the in cabin fuse panel?

If not, do the opposite tracing, using the wiring link pictorials & your test light, trace power from the battery to & through the fusible links, through the firewall to the in cabin fuse panel, or ignition switch, to see where your loosing B+.
Using a 12 volt test lamp, or 12 volt buzzer is easier than trying to read a meter display, as we can listen for sound, or look @ the test lamp, to quickly find where power is going missing. Let us know what you find.

 

Hi pawpaw;

Well it's going to have to wait till I can get it in the shop or it warms up a little bit. I was on the same page as you though. I certainly have had my share of new defective parts. I should have tested for power going in to the fusible links prior to putting in the new ones. I didn't do that so I'm thinking that's the starting point when I do. The entire electrical ignition switch is dead. The two yellow wires show nothing. A friend of mine told me to use a jumper wire from battery + to the yellow wires in the cab to see if it does anything. First one yellow wire then the other. Is that a good idea or no! I'm a little leery of that thought. It's something I can do quite simply if that is safe. Let me know your thought please. I'll let you know how I turn out as I go along with it. I did NOT find a bad link prior to removing them but I replaced them because It was easy to eliminate that possibility from the equation or so I was thinking. Thank You Kindly Again. We've got 11 below 0 here currently so a little to cool for much out there LOL. But we live in MN cause we choose to. Wish me luck!!

 

Check out connector C110 on page 18 & page 28. See if you have 12 volts there.

Put page 18 & 19 together to see the whole circuit

 

And in case you miss the fine print, page 28 is under the hood on the drivers side.

It's 73 degrees here now so i don't think i'd want to trade weather with you now, but in the summer when it's 110 degrees here i'd sure like to trade with you then.

 

Well thanks to all the help here. I found my main issue at hand. There is a burned out link on the left wheel well. It's a 16 gauge link There's 2 of them there. I stopped after I found it. Just tooo cold. I was looking the connection C110 and quite by chance I moved those links and the dome light came on and buzzer started. I put my trickle charger on the battery and called it a day. I'll find out which of those guys is the culprit soon here. I noticed my parking lights were on as well but I didn't see the headlights on, and they too should have come on so I very well could have another issue yet. When I thought the dimmer switch was bad it may have been something else. I had only one low beam headlight that worked. I didn't change it right away just used high beams. Then the headlights both went out so figured the dimmer went out. I've got to check that out after I get the link replaced that needs done first then find the other issue if it still exists. I'll keep ya posted as I go but I'm relieved to have power coming back. Wiring harness is still attached so not too big of a job for reassembly LOL!!! Thanks Ever So much for all this. Will be back to let ya know this afternoon when we get back from town.
Dr. Frankenford

 

Hi 87XLT:

In looking at my 2 links on the wheel well. It appears like they are both 16 gauge links. In the diagram that you sent me it looks like one is 16 gauge and one 18 gauge. My links in my truck as very hard to read on them. Looks like they're both 16 can you tell on your copy of the diagram what they say. The copy you sent me is a little blurred on that part of it. I know mine could be a little different anyway but if you can see your copy any better or if you may knw what they should be would be great! Thanks Kindly!!

Dr. Frankenford

 

Thanks for the update, glad to see you're making some real progress on this.

Yes link D and E are both 16 gauge.

If you turn everything off and momentarily replace each link with a 12 volt test lamp and it lights up there's still a short somewhere. Then you can push, prod, wiggle the wires until the light goes off to find the short.

Good luck with it.

 

I'm going to give it a try before long here. It's a heat wave out there. It's a whopping 6 above, but snowing like no tomorrow so I'm going to try to get to the bottom of it. If it gets to crazy I'll just do some of it and go back after a little bit of defrosting and should be able to wrap it up reasonably soon I would think. Thanks for the testing tip here and I'll let you know of course. I bought my links yesterday so I'll just replace them and see what comes up after that. You and pawpaw are a great asset to this website and want to thank you both so very much. I think I will just stick with diesel trucks! I like BIG bolts and parts. A lot more room and I think a lot less complicated and cluttered LOL ! Thanks Again and here we go!

Dr. Frankenford