I have a no start/no crank condition on my '89 Ranger [2.9L,AT,4X4] & I'm
baffled. Ran fine the day before, next morning, no start. Battery tested weak
and was 2 yrs old (avg life in AZ), so I replaced it. Broken ignition cylinder
housing from previous theft attempt (6 months prior), so I replaced complete column and purchased new ignition cylinder/key. Replaced ignition switch on
column and solenoid on firewall. Followed instructions on switch install from
Haynes and Chilton manuals, also tried both adjustments for rod in switch (close and away on column). All fuses good visually and tested, under hood and dash.
I'm not getting any voltage at the S terminal of the solenoid, so no battery
voltage is reaching the starter. I also pulled the starter and had it bench
tested by 2 different part stores, on a whim, and it's good. Finally, I chased
the wire from the solenoid throughout the under hood, to see if there was an
open (red with a blue stripe), but I had continuity up to the firewall. I did find,
however, there is no red with a blue stripe wire entering the ignition switch
on the column. Does anyone know anything about this, or perhaps, where I
can get a specific wiring diagram with a power flow chart? Any help would be
greatly appreciated!

 

Heres what the Ford EVTM for my 87 2.9 shows. From S terminal to a splice is R/LB from splice to neutral switch is W/PK from neutral switch to pin 7 of the ignition is R/LB. Theres also 3 connectors along the way all R/LB.

Has someone rewired this thing & changed the color coding?

 

Ford may have changed it, for example, W/PK is from the oil pressure sender to the computer on my truck, a '94.

 

Yeah, anything is possible.

Ringokid, on my 87 the neutral & reverse lights switch is on the drivers side of the transmission & there should be 2 R/LB wires, try removing the connector & jumping it with a bent paperclip. Does it start now?

What you need for this is the Ford EVTM for your 89. 20 bucks at helminc.com
It will tell you everything you need to know about troubleshooting this.

 

Make that R/LB & White/Pink at the neutral switch.

 

My 1989 EVTM shows the w/pk wire your talking about 87 as only pink.

 

I'm not sure about the wiring on your particular truck but i've seen other that had a fusible link on the starter wires, it's something to look for.

 

Thanks Ken, thats good to know.

 

Any luck getting it started?

 

Thanks for the input, everyone. I'll definitely pick up that evtm. It'll probably be 4 or
5 more days before I can mess with it again. However, the wires that are coming out
of the ignition switch on the column I wrote down; they are top row 1 black w/green,
1 red w/lt.green, 1 brown w/pink, 1 orange & 1 pink (crimped together inside the pin).
Bottom row is 2 yellow, 2 grey w/yellow, 1 grey, 1 purple w/yellow & 1 purple w/
lt. green (crimped together inside the pin). There is no red w/blue present at the
switch, which is what threw me, since that's at the solenoid. When I get done with
work in a few days, hopefully that evtm will be here and I can proceed. Thanks
and talk to ya'll soon!

 

The connector diagram pin locations look like this....

- -
- -
- -
- -
- x
-

The one that I used an "x" for is the pink wire.

 

Hello again and Happy 2006! I'm back on my Ranger again & still have the same issue.
I got the EVTM and have worked my way to the Neutral Safety switch on the tranny.
The question now is, which one is actually the switch? On the side of the tranny, I've
got a 3 wire switch and a 5-6 wire switch. I'm thinking the 3 wire is it, but I'm unsure.
The wires are Red/Blue, White, and Brown/Lt.Blue, while my EVTM shows a Pink coming
from the Ign.Switch to the Neutral/Safety. Afterwards, on the schematic, it goes to
the starter solenoid. Can anyone help me identify and know a test procedure for it?

 

Take a look at the reverse lights section of the EVTM, it should have a picture of the side of the trans & which switches do what.

On my 87 theres one switch for reverse lights and neutral safety. If yours is the same the 6 wire is the one to look at.

The EVTM will also show you where the connectors for the neutral circuit are located. On my 87 theres 2 of them under the hood/drivers side & they are between the neutral switch & starter relay. You can open those connectors & check for 12 volts with someone holding the key at start.

 

Thanks 87 XLT. On your previous post, you said to jumper the connector. I take it
you meant the 2 R/LB wires with the paper clip? Also, the EVTM shows a clutch
triple function switch jumper for A/T, and I don't see anything of it on the truck. Is
that something I need to worry about? It's said every man has his demon, I believe
I've found mine!

 

Try this, on the side of the starter relay theres a wire with a rubber boot. Pull that wire off & connect your voltmeter between that wire & the negative post of the battery & have someone turn the key to start.

Do you read 12 volts?

BTW that wire should be red with a light blue stripe. Is it?