hello,

my name is jamie and i am from L.A. area. i just registered here at this forum looking for help. i have 2000 ford ranger(the 4-cylinder@60,000 miles). when i tried to start the engine, it didn't even crank. what i noticed were :
1. the door light didn't came on as opened the door.
2. when i tried to start the engine, the light-indicators on dashboard briefly came on but was very weak and dim. the headlight didn't came on.
-- at this point, i thought it was a dead battery, so i tried to jump --
3. even with jumping it failed to start.
4. after shaking the bettery cable and the fuse-box few time, now the doorlight will come on, headlight will come on and the radio seems to be resetted.
-- now i try to start the engine, but still won't start --
5. now the doorlight won't come on, headlight won't come on and can't start the engine.
-- i touch the fuse-box again, shaking here and there --
6. doorlight will come on, headlight will come on but still can't start.

i have checked every fuse in the box and they are all fine. the bettery should be strong enough to start the engine. but i can't start the engine with all those things happening. at this point i really don't know what/where the problem is other than it seems like some sort of electrical(connection) problem around the fusebox. i don't know what/where to check. is there some part around the fusebox that could cause such problems when it goes bad?

i just check the battery again. it reads 12.2 v and 9.2 v with the key in engine running position. however with the key in engine running position, i hear ticking sound from the part which is between the battery and fuse box. i don't know the name of this part but it's made of black plastic with wires going in.

Please help me with this problem. any opinions and suggestions are very much appreciated. once again, please tell me what you thing and what i should check.

thanks very much in advance for your kind help.

sincerely,

jamie

 

Jamie,

Sounds like a dead battery.

Due to the constant draw on the battery in today's automobiles, (caused by clocks, on-board computers, etc.) many batteries will give little sign of impending failure. One time they start, next time they don't.

Make sure the battery cables are CLEAN and TIGHT! Remove both battery cables and clean the cable connectors and the battery posts. If you don't have a wire brush, use a pocket knife to scrape the terminals till they are shiney. If they are covered with corrosion, you can use baking soda dissolved in water to clean the corrosion off. Use a water hose to rinse everything down when you are finished, including the driveway. The corrosion washed off of the battery will stain your concrete. Replace the cables and tighten them securly.

Make sure the battery is full of water. The water should come up to the bottom of the split in the fill/check port for each cell. Just use regular drinking water.

Now try charging or jump starting the truck. Depending on how dead the battery was, you may need to leave the jumper cables on your truck for several minutes.

If this doesn't work, replace the battery with a new one. Replace the battery cables if they appear to be swelled up near the batter connections. Corrosion within the battery cable will cause them to swell. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible to repair this condition.

Hope this helps,

H2os50

 

hi,

thank you for your kind reply. i just check the battery again. it reads 12.2 v and 9.2 v with the key in engine running position. however with the key in engine running position, i hear ticking sound from the part which is between the battery and fuse box. i don't know the name of this part but it's made of black plastic with wires going in.

i also check the battery cables and cleaned as your advise. unfortunately it hasn't solved the problem.

what is so strange to me is that the lights won't come on sometimes. after shaking the fuse-box a few time, the lights will come on, sometimes very bright, sometimes very dim.


sincerely,

 

Still sounds like a dead battery to me. A fully charged 12V battery should read between 12.5 and 13.2V, engine off, key off. Mine reads 12.97 engine off, key off and 12.52V with the engine off and key on. A/C on blower on high. 9.2V is not enough voltage to start your engine.

The "ticking" sound is porbably your starter solenoid trying to engage but can't due to the low voltage of your battery.

H2Os50 - Fat Fendered Truck Fan

 

Hook it up to another car. If it'll start its a power prob probably the battery. If when u unhook it dies or slugs then check the post and a see what the volts are should be 14 or higher. If not it's an altenator problem.

 

Hey Jamie.
I agree with the above, i think its a battery problem. The battery might be shorted inside. It can handle a simple thing, like a low amp draw of a dome light, or radio. But when you put a high amp draw on it quits. Take the battery to a Advance Auto store, or AutoZone, Sears. They will test it for free. They will do a load test to see if it can handle the demand from a high amp draw like a starter, or headlights.

 

You may want to check the starter itself. If it has a loose power lead, it could act like a dead or almost-dead battery when starting. Be sure to disconnect the battery before trying to tighten the nut holding the starter lead to the starter. If the wrench were to touch anything grounded like the motor, frame, or even the starter, sparks will fly. Try tightening that nut before you go buying a new battery.

The rapid clicking you hear is the starter relay. If it can't get enough juice to flow to the starter, it closes and tries again, making a sound like a metal woodpecker. The clicking will eventually get slower, and when the battery is almost dead, you'll just hear one "click."

*The starter relay uses a low amperage signal to connect the high amperage starter leads (without relays, they would have to route stuff like that huge starter cable all the way to the switch on your steering columb). The starter solonoid is that small bubble on the side of your starter that engages the gear on your starter when the key is pushed all the way forward.*

 

First things first. Replace the battery. Now as for the ticking you are hearing It sounds like an After market Alarm box. Take a photo and post it. You might need to reset the antitheft system.