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89 ranger starting problem

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Old Sep 19, 2007 | 06:13 PM
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89 ranger starting problem

i have an 89 ranger and i have put in a new starter, relay and posiitive cable. the truck would work fine and then one time just not start, then i open the hood and look around and then try again and it works. it is happening all the time. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. anyone know what the deal is?
 

Last edited by slackert; Sep 19, 2007 at 06:30 PM.
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Old Sep 19, 2007 | 06:23 PM
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From: sunny fla sometimes windy
Is this a trick question?
 
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Old Sep 19, 2007 | 06:29 PM
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no, i don't know why my truck won't start sometimes then will other times, i think it is maybe the clutch switch but i really don't know. is there something that would make a bad ground somewhere that i don't know about?
 
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Old Sep 19, 2007 | 06:31 PM
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From: sunny fla sometimes windy
Alright double check your ground to the motor from the battery it is probably all corroded and nasty if it is real bad you could even add a new one straight from the battery ground to one of the starter bolts maybe 8 gauge wire would help it out! Do you happen to live where they salt roads or near the beach?
 
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Old Sep 19, 2007 | 06:42 PM
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yes, i live on an island, but i checked the connection and it is good. the ohms from my battery to the motor are good and to the frame. i also checked the wire from the batery to the motor and it was fine. i think, i mean i'm not a pro.
 
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Old Sep 19, 2007 | 06:50 PM
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another thing that may or may not be relevent, it all started where i i was not getting a connection to my battery (positive) so i went out and bought a positive wire from the battery to the relay. then a while later my truck would not start but it would make lots of fast clicks. i then replaced the realy and it still didn't work so i then replaced the starter, which i found to be toast when i tested it out of my truck. i got the new starter in and turned the key and nothing. my truck tried to start but there was no movements under the hood. a friend of mine (heavy duty mechanic) looked at it but didn't do anything and i tried it and it worked. it worked fine for a couple months and then it wouldn't move anything the first time i turn the key but the second time it would fire up and run. this continued for a month or so and now it doesn't start at all.
 
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Old Sep 19, 2007 | 07:00 PM
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From: sunny fla sometimes windy
Clean I mean make shiny metal the area where the starting relay mounts it needs a good ground to move!! Make sure you put dielectric grease on it before bolting it back on there!!! YEP I could have known it about the island! If you don't know by now just buy that CRC dielectric grease in the aerosol can it is worth it and easy to apply!!
I lived on a island and I bathed in freakin dielectric when I worked on anything with electricity in it. Just get used to that slimy feeling and start taking apart your connectors and spray them out with CRC contact cleaner then coat the contacts it doesn't take too much just a fine layer of the grease and some on the plastic of the connector itself. You and your truck will live a happy corrosion free life!!! Do you ever get salt spray so bad the transformers put on that light show at night (AHHH I miss that sound and blue light!!) If you put too much grease it can cause a kind of hydraulic lock and prevent the contacts from touching, so use just enough to leave a sheen on them!!!!!
 
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Old Sep 19, 2007 | 07:10 PM
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thanks i'll get on that. i know about it but never used it. u know one of those shoulda but didn't.
 
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Old Sep 19, 2007 | 07:22 PM
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From: sunny fla sometimes windy
Get back and let us know how it worked out!! These forums work best when you get you problem solved and post what you did, That way people can search and if they find a similar problem they will have thier answer!! Also put your truck info in your signature in the user CP what area of the country helps too because midwest life is way different than island life and there are gremlins that happen there that don't happen here(I think it has to do with the corn pollen!!!!) Anyways welcome to FTE search around, ask questions and try to answer some your point might just help someone else!!!
 
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Old Sep 23, 2007 | 09:26 PM
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Thumbs up problem solved

ok i found the solution. dumb as it sounds it was the battery, i don't completely understand it but my battery wasn't pushing enough power through to the relay. the battery was sitting at 12.3 volts but the relay wasn't even engaging. i think it was a lack of amps but i didn't have an ampmeter. so i jusmped the battery and tadaa!! but when the jumpers were taken off it died. so i got a new battery with lots of cca and it works perfectly now. thanks for all your help everyone and i hope this helps someone in the future. good luck everyone.
 
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