I have a 92 Ranger, 167,000 miles on it and have had some problems starting the truck. Sometimes it does sometimes it doesn't.
I have had the starter checked at a dealership $$$, didn't find any problemms...

when starting sometimes the motor will just turn over and over without starting.

Tired of push starting, any sugestions...

 

Welcome to FTE.

Well it could be a number of things.

Are you saying it will start ok, if it's pushed???? If so, that sorta makes me want to suspect a voltage drop, maybe from a weak battery, or faulty battery cables, or their connections.

Why, well when you crank the engine with the starter, it'll really load the battery & cables & if it has some weak cells, or if the cables or their connections are bad, the voltage will drop under load & the starter will crank the engine more slowly, the operating voltage to the fuel pump & ignition system will be down, so the fuel pressure can be low & the spark weak, all of which will make a cold start more difficult.

Now if you push start it, the battery won't have to be burdened with the starter motors electrical current draw, so the voltage to the fuel pump & ignition system will be higher & so will fuel pressure & spark.

SO, with all that speculation, I'd maybe run this puppy by your favorite autoarts store & have a "in vehice" electrical system load check & over all electrical system check up done, with their portable electrical system tester. It can properly load test all the electrical system components, right in the vehicle.

It can spot a weak or bad battery, bad battery cables, bad grounds, dragging starter motor, faulty alternator, with weak or leaking diodes, worn slip rings, ect, ect.

Once you know the state of your electrical system & fix anything wrong, then if you still have starting problems, you can move on to fuel pressure & spark output checks.

Just some thoughts to ponder.

Let us know what you find, on your troubleshoot.

 

Thanks for the insite. Have had the battery checked and have done the starter/battery check in the repair manual and found not issues. Someone suggested that it may be a poor ground to the starter. Will check on things this weekend and hope alls well.

Thanks

 

Well if the battery is ok, but it's still cranking slower than it should, the battery cables, their connections, including the unseen end lug connections, under their insulation, a dragging starter motor, say from worn brushes or poor electrical connections, would all be good suspects.