1989 Ford Ranger engine quits

mtig · Posted at Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:29 am

Engine Mechanical problem
1989 Ford Ranger 6 cyl Four Wheel Drive Automatic

89 Ford Ranger ran good, just quit. let set for 20-30 min. and re-starts. drive abour 2-10 miles-quits again and re-peats. Runs fine, no power loss or rough running. no accidents, hit or being hit. fuel at carb, spark at coil and distributer. Spark yellow/blue at main coil. should be blue/white? cranks good, everything works, just no start for 15-20 min. rest time. Not over heating. any suggestions? replace coil? Mtig

Jacobandnickolas · Posted at Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:21 am

When it dies, are you still getting spark and fuel? Also, I believe the vehicle is fuel injected. Have you checked fuel pump pressure?

mtig · Posted at Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:23 am

Correct on fuel injection, my "old school habits".
42lbs. fuel pressure and steady. spark at all times, fuel at all times.
existing distr. cap was junk, replaced with new rotor and made no difference. unit will not start at all now.
"Check engine lite" was on, tried to find the computer read port. supposed to be on the riders side inner fender or over shock strut tower. unit does not have strut towers, never the less tore that thing apart trying to find diagnostic port. not under dash either. I am thinking the problem is in the EEC system. can not test if can not find? found what appears, according to the book, the female 1/2 of the unit but only has 4 wires on it. book says there should be 6. book says its supposed to be Male and Female (Chiltons) and you have to cross jumper back to the system and yada yada.
Truck is not mine, belongs to a couple of old timers with little to nothing and am trying to get them up and running for as little exspence as possible.
Did find out the truck had been wrecked in the front and evrything was changed.
when trying to start it I hear a knock every so often. can hear it when turn motor over by hand as well but not consistant. can not place the sound, almost like a broke cam/crank? do not know. can not exactly locate it. Thanks, Jim

Jacobandnickolas · Posted at Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:45 am

I think the EEC would shut the spark and fuel off if the relay was bad. It's in the relay box (passanger side) under the hood.

If you have spark and fuel then timing or compression is a problem. I realize you have fuel pressure to the fuel rail, but have you checked the injectors? Will it start with starting fluid?

mtig · Posted at Mon Nov 02, 2009 4:58 am

Sorry for the delay geting back to you guys.
compresion is good. after much deliberation and checking #1 tdc with rotor placement it appears to have jumped time by 1 or 2 teeth. The illustrious designers decided to hide the Distributer under the rear of the injection manifold so can not get a clear view of #1 rotor position.
#1 at TDC, Crank pulley @ TDC, rotor position is so close, just can not tell.
Is possible the Stater/Commutater whatever its called in this thing, electrical in Dist. cap may have puked. I will have to check that out. somehow. Thanks. Jim

Jacobandnickolas · Posted at Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:55 am

The stator could have have gone bad, but you wouldn't be getting spark if it did.

Isn't it great how things are designed today. I miss the old days too.

As far as it jumping time, I really question that. If it did, it wouldn't start at all and if it did, it would run poorly. I reviewed our past postings. Are you sure that you are getting spark and fuel when it dies? Also, will it start with starting fluid when this happens?

Your problem sounds so much like a bad EEC, but if you are getting spark and fuel, then it can't be bad. Also, let me know if it will start with starting fluid. If it does, that tells me that even though you are getting fuel pressure to the rail, the injectors may be causing a problem.

Let me know.

Joe

mtig · Posted at Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:41 am

Joe
full 42lbs preassure on rail at all times, spark was continuos throught starting attemp's.
Would not fire on starting fluid.
I have thought from the start that the EEC was the problem. at first was not able to find the test unit on vehicle, found and tested and came up with 2 codes for unit, neither involved problem. both related to temp. sensor and I beleive ACT? anyhow, these will only give poor fuel economy and or rough run till engine warm-up. will have new timeing chain/gears in unit tomorrow and go from there. Problem is I dont know where to go from there. If timeing does not fix this thing will tell them to yake it to the local garage. Jim

Jacobandnickolas · Posted at Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:43 am

I doubt the timing belt is the problem. Will it fire with starting fluid? Does the engine try to start at all? Have you checked engine compression?

mtig · Posted at Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:53 pm

No timeing belt. this engine has chain so year?
will not fire on anything. once in a while it would sort of do a counter rev. like a backfire but with injection can not say that is what is actually going on. when starter is just hit breifly unit will counter rev. for a split second so chainging gear and chain in morning.
am thinking that the timeing chain retainer/guides have held chain from getting to sloppy in there and not letting the thing jump like usually seen with units haveing no guide for chain.
This particular unit has been a sore in these boys side for some time. all sorts of tranny prob's, flywheel prob's and tranny pump prob's. Got all that worked out for them now this. Told them its time to break loose and find another truck. If they were being charged mech's. time they could have bought a nice truck! Even the Garage told them that. Thanks for your time, Jim

Jacobandnickolas · Posted at Mon Nov 02, 2009 5:01 pm

Jim:

I agree with you. If when it fires it kicks back, it's firing too early. Are you able to advance the timing with the distributor to see if that changes anything?

I agree with your idea of it being time for a different truck. However, if they have luck like me, they will fix this, sell it, and it will run perfect for the next person.

Let me know about the timing.

Joe