Intermittent starting issue 95 ranger 4 cyl 2wd manual tran

DUPEY87 · 06-29-2011, 02:05 PM

Ok, so the last couple weeks has been kind of a pain. I already posted this once but things have changed a little since then. From the start, i replaced the ignition lock cylinder. About a week later the truck wouldn't start. Single click. No turn over. No battery whn key is in "run" position(I know this because my iPhone charger has a light on it that would turn off when the key was in the "run" position, but stay on when the key was in the "off" position. So I give it a jump and it starts find but the battery voltage gauge is flickering and a bit on the high side. Then i go to autozone and replace the ignition lock cylinder again, and it starts without a jump! Which to me seems unusual because if the problem is in the ignition assembly why would a jump make it start? Anyway, the problem persisted again and in about a week it was the same thing. So then I replace the ignition starter switch. Doesn't make a bit of difference. Then I take it to a mechanic. The mechanic tells me I have a bad battery and thats the problem. So I replace the battery and it starts just fine. Later that day same problem. So I take it to ANOTHER mechanic the next day. This mechanic tells me after I drop it off that it's starting just fine and he tested the alternator, the battery, and the starter and all of them are testing ok. Also tells me the ignition is in good shape. This was a couple days ago and now it will start weak sometimes, not start sometimes, and start just fine sometimes. But a jump will always get it started. So it's an intermittent issue and I cannot for the life of me figure out what is wrong. And now 2 mechanics have told me neither can they. I have gotten to the point where i bought a battery booster and just carry it around with me for when it needs to be jumped. Odviously I don't want to do that forever though. Ideas? Anyone??

-also want to ad a couple of things.

-there is a single click when it fails to start completely then it doesn't turn at all.
-when it does have a "rough start" it turns over and kind of shakes for a moment but once I accelerate a little the shaking goes away.
-some times when I turn the key to the "off" position, it is difficult to remove. So I turn it to the "on" position. Not the "run" position, but just to the point where the battery is on and then I turn it back off and the key is removed easily.
-there is a wire with a clip that clips onto the ignition cylinder housing that seems to be slightly coming loose from the housing.
-when I did replace the ign lock cylinder, I was a dummy and tried for about 10 minutes to remove it while it was in the off position. Which makes me wonder if I damaged the housing and that is what is causing the problem?

...I know this is a lot of information and if you have read this and have any suggestions I would like to thank you so much. As you may be able to tell I am new to doing it myself.

06-29-2011, 02:05 PM	#1
DUPEY87 Wannabe Elite Explorer Memphis, TN 1995 Ranger Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 12 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Intermittent starting issue 95 ranger 4 cyl 2wd manual tran Ok, so the last couple weeks has been kind of a pain. I already posted this once but things have changed a little since then. From the start, i replaced the ignition lock cylinder. About a week later the truck wouldn't start. Single click. No turn over. No battery whn key is in "run" position(I know this because my iPhone charger has a light on it that would turn off when the key was in the "run" position, but stay on when the key was in the "off" position. So I give it a jump and it starts find but the battery voltage gauge is flickering and a bit on the high side. Then i go to autozone and replace the ignition lock cylinder again, and it starts without a jump! Which to me seems unusual because if the problem is in the ignition assembly why would a jump make it start? Anyway, the problem persisted again and in about a week it was the same thing. So then I replace the ignition starter switch. Doesn't make a bit of difference. Then I take it to a mechanic. The mechanic tells me I have a bad battery and thats the problem. So I replace the battery and it starts just fine. Later that day same problem. So I take it to ANOTHER mechanic the next day. This mechanic tells me after I drop it off that it's starting just fine and he tested the alternator, the battery, and the starter and all of them are testing ok. Also tells me the ignition is in good shape. This was a couple days ago and now it will start weak sometimes, not start sometimes, and start just fine sometimes. But a jump will always get it started. So it's an intermittent issue and I cannot for the life of me figure out what is wrong. And now 2 mechanics have told me neither can they. I have gotten to the point where i bought a battery booster and just carry it around with me for when it needs to be jumped. Odviously I don't want to do that forever though. Ideas? Anyone?? -also want to ad a couple of things. -there is a single click when it fails to start completely then it doesn't turn at all. -when it does have a "rough start" it turns over and kind of shakes for a moment but once I accelerate a little the shaking goes away. -some times when I turn the key to the "off" position, it is difficult to remove. So I turn it to the "on" position. Not the "run" position, but just to the point where the battery is on and then I turn it back off and the key is removed easily. -there is a wire with a clip that clips onto the ignition cylinder housing that seems to be slightly coming loose from the housing. -when I did replace the ign lock cylinder, I was a dummy and tried for about 10 minutes to remove it while it was in the off position. Which makes me wonder if I damaged the housing and that is what is causing the problem? ...I know this is a lot of information and if you have read this and have any suggestions I would like to thank you so much. As you may be able to tell I am new to doing it myself. Last edited by DUPEY87; 06-30-2011 at 06:17 PM.