83 Ranger won't start

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Sep 17, 2006 | 11:15 PM

RGRJN

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From: North GA

83 Ranger won't start

I have an 83 2.3 Ranger that I can't get to turn over with the key. Some background. We changed out the slave cylinder on the clutch, son took it for a test drive. Turned it off, dead in the driveway. We have have replaced the igntion module and the celinoid. I can get it turn over by jumping the celinoid. Had that checked and it's good(new one). When turning the key, the electric fuel pump comes on(we added it), so I'm fairly certain it's not the switch. A quick inspection doesn't show any obvious shorts in the igntion wire. Anybody have any suggestions on how to track this down ?

Thanks

Joe

Sep 18, 2006 | 06:27 AM

Rags

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From: Beaver, Pennsylvania

It sounds like the safety switch on the clutch. When you changed out the slave you could have disturbed the wires on the switch under the dash, take a look and see if they are still connected.

Although you said slave cylinder, that is in the bell housing is that the 1 you changed or the 1 on the firewall?

Last edited by Rags; Sep 18, 2006 at 06:32 AM.

Sep 18, 2006 | 11:58 AM

RGRJN

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From: North GA

I didn't think it had a saftey on the clutch with this model. It did start up and drive afterward, but he might've knocked it loose and didn't know it. My son actually did the changing, and I did ask him(he said it didn't have it), about it, guess I'll have to crawl under there. And yes, it is the one on the bell housing, it's external,attached to it. You can see it standing looking down from the drivers side.

Thanks
Joe

Sep 18, 2006 | 12:34 PM

Rags

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From: Beaver, Pennsylvania

Pretty sure it still has 1, Should be on the peddle under the dash, Maybe someone else would know if your truck should have 1, but I think that has been a feature on the standards for quite awhile.

Sorry if I'm wrong about the 83's

Sep 18, 2006 | 12:51 PM

Rags

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From: Beaver, Pennsylvania

I did a parts search the "Clutch Start Switch" shows up on 84 & 85's although I would still check to see if you have it, I don't trust the parts books anymore, and My books don't go back that far.

Sep 18, 2006 | 03:40 PM

wendell borror

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83 thats pretty old, are you sure you don't have to hand crank it ha ha. I'm curious, will it still push start, or what we use to call compression starting, or have you even tried that ? My 84 did that, my buddy ran a wire from the coil to the battery I belive it was, and it worked, but you had to remove the wire every time I parked it. I bought a jacobs omni pac, and that worked, it by passed the coil all together, but I dout if thats your problem, it semms it would be clutch related some how since you were working on it, but you never know. Maybe he ran the wire from the coil to the seilinoid, I don't remember for sure, but I know the omni pac fixed it.

Sep 18, 2006 | 04:26 PM

87 XLT

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From: SoCal

The only wiring diagrams that I have for an 83 are the Haynes, which are slightly better than nothing.

The ignition switch connects directly to the starter relay-no clutch switch- on a red/light blue wire.

If you pull the wire off of the relay & jump 12 volts to that teminal on the relay & it cranks, the ignition switch is shot or theres a break in the wire.