Troubleshooting help please. Very difficult starting 92' w. 2.9L

[mr_roboteye]

Truck is 92' Ranger reg. cab, SB, 2.9L V6, 5 speed, manual t-case, manual everything, windows, doors etc, no a/c.

I have recently (2 months) replaced my cap, rotor, and put some nice big wires with 4 electrode plugs to pass emission testing. (it passed)

I'll try not to make this a frikken' novel.


Symtoms:



After cranking, can smell gas in engine bay, but no noticable leaks are present.


Truck will bump start and run fine, as if nothing's wrong. (No black smoke / overfuelling)


Intermittently, starting motor will crank noticably slower in some instances, then crank at normal speed.


Have tried cranking with throttle closed and wide open. Will eventually start with wide open throttle (after a very long, long time, cranking for about five seconds per time, then allowing about 30 sec. to rest), but if you shut it down, will not start again immediately after.


Thanks for looking, if any of you have had similar problems and could tell me what to investigate first, that would be great. I'm quite mechanically inclined, just need some experienced help.


later,

Dave R.

 

[McCormack]

It might be starving for fuel... if you crank and it won't start, pour a little gas down the carb and try starting it again - if it starts right away then it's not getting fuel for some reason - possibly a clogged fuel filter.

I'm just throwing out ideas here: I once had a timing belt jump a tooth, and the engine displayed the same type of symptoms that you're describing, so another possibility is that that your timing chain jumped a tooth.

 

[mr_roboteye]

Thanks for responding, I was going to try giving her a shot of starting fluid (ether) to see if she'll start. Will update tomorrow.

I considered the timing chain idea, but it runs great and makes power just fine if you bump start it, so.........

later,

Dave R.

 

[McCormack]

Thanks for responding, I was going to try giving her a shot of starting fluid (ether) to see if she'll start. Will update tomorrow.

I considered the timing chain idea, but it runs great and makes power just fine if you bump start it, so.........

Oh OK... I missed the part about running fine once you got it started. It sounds like a fuel problem then, and squirting some ether in it should let you know one way or the other.

 

[mr_roboteye]

From cold, sitting overnight.

Unhooked rubber intake from filter housing end and gave her a shot of ether. Cranked with throttle wide open, started right up.

Let it idle for a minute or so, turned off ignition. Cranked over normally, started right back up. Turned off ignition and let sit for 30 sec, started up again no problem, let run 30 sec, turned off ignition. Would not start, cranked over slowly. Gave it a shot of ether, would not start.

I think my battery cables are internally corroded which would account for the inconsistent cranking speed. There are obviously other things going on here though.

What part of the ignition system is the most prone to failure?:thumbdwn: BTW since I bought the truck my tachometer reads all squirrelly, ie:when the engine is idling normally it says 3500rpm. Is this a hint?

Thanks,

Dave R.

 

[McCormack]

I'm just throwing out ideas here... it's possible that your starter (or some part of your starter's system) has an intermittent short or some such thing, and when it acts up it draws juice from your ignition system which prevents your spark plugs from getting a good spark, and that's why your truck won't start.

 

[mr_roboteye]

I have a theory...........

Thought about it a lot. I think the problem may lie in my ignition switch. It's possible that the contacts inside the switch are not sending power to the ignition system while cranking the engine over. I will test my theory tomorrow by simply turning on my ignition and energizing the starter by jumping across the starter solenoid on the passenger side fenderwell, effectively bypassing the key switch. We have a lot of snow here right now so I'll try it at some point tomorrow and post up.

later,

Dave R.

 

[mr_roboteye]

So much for that, it still won't start.

later,

Dave R.

 

[410Fortune]

so you jumpered the starter solenoid and it still doesnt crank
Could it just be a weak starter?

The ignition RELAY switch in my 1988 BII's steering column went out at 250K miles, very intermittant issue. Truck would be finem then all of a sudden, no starter. I re-wired everything, new fender mount solenoid, new starter, same issue. It drove me nuts! until I found out there is a relay in the steering column. $30 at Carquest later it works 100%

The component in your ignition that is prone to failure are:
TFI module
Coil
Wires/connectors to coil from computer
electric pickup in the distributor

I would plan to re-wire your battery, to the body, frame, engine and computer harness goes the ground, the + side goes to power dist, the alternator, the starter and starter solenoid. Simple 4 wire battery cables can be purchased at any auto plarts place, I re-wired mine building my own cables with parts from West Marine

the ether test actually points me towards a fuel problem
Check the fuel pump relay?

 

[mr_roboteye]

It cranks fine, a little slow at times. It will bump start (you know, down a hill) and runs totally normal. For this reason, I don't think it's a fuel issue, but when you shut it off, it cranks but won't start. I know I need to replace my battery cables and will do so soon. I have been reading about the ignition system in my manual and on other sites like TRS and RPS. Thanks for letting me know about the relay in the steering column. I suspect the TFI module as well. Since my truck has a body lift it's a little easier to get at the TFI than on some other trucks.

thanks for the tips,

later,

Dave R.

 

[410Fortune]

Dave when I had a 2.9L I kept a spare TFI module in the glove box with the thumb wrench required to change it out
I repaired a few late 80's fords by replacing the TFI module, my 2.9L ended up never needing one

They get hot and then fail
Next time it does this I suggest checking for spark
If not spark then TFI module is first on the list

if you get really sick of dealing with the 2.9L you can bolt in a 4.0L with no distributor, in a 92 truck this would be a bolt in conversion

 

[mr_roboteye]

if you get really sick of dealing with the 2.9L you can bolt in a 4.0L with no distributor, in a 92 truck this would be a bolt in conversion

Since my truck is the smallest and lightest of the 4x4 rangers, I really don't have a problem with the amount of power the 2.9 has. However....I plan to keep this truck for a long time, and when this engine goes, I planned to do exactly as you suggested, drop a 4.0 in there.

thanks,

Dave R.

 

[410Fortune]

weekend 4.0L swap for under $500 would make you think twice LOL
I loved my 2.9L, but the day I drove the BII with the 4.0L I could see the old car engine had no place in the heavy 4x4, the 4.0L is made for the truck, low end torque!

If you get in deep with this 2.9L, starts having lots of issues with ignition, head gaskets, etc, something to consider.
Your 92 was available with both 2.9L and 4.0L, a 91-92 4.0L from a Ranger or Explorer would drop in, you can also use the block form a much much later model almost as easy, I can get a 98ish 60K mile 4.0L all day long with 90 day warranty complete (no alternator or ac compressor) for $300 in Denver....

 

[mr_roboteye]

Little update for y'all.

It finally stopped raining for awhile last Sunday afternoon so I went out and tinkered around for a bit. I found that my ground cable wasn't quite as tight as it should be. (not the around the post bolt, but the two 1/4" vertical bolts on the top that bite the cable)

It seems to start reliably now. It does take a little long to catch, and I can smell gas a bit. Once ranger injectors are worn a bit do they dribble and cause a mild flooding condition on warm starts?

I think my starter is on it's way out. On cold starts it will crank fine for a few seconds, stop for about half a second, crank normally for another two seconds, then stop for half a second and so on.......... Warm starts are normal, the starting motor behaves fine.

Anybody else had this?

later,

Dave R.