I need help please

Tiny
RKAWAMOTO
  • MEMBER
  • 1992 FORD RANGER
  • 150,000 MILES
I have a 1992 ford ranger the motor keeps dieing for no apparent reason it will not start back up until I turn the ignition all the way off then crank and it will start it seems if I push the ignition firmly into the column it doesnt appear to stall as much but that could be my imagination do you know what could cause this problem
Thursday, September 6th, 2012 AT 8:37 PM

17 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
What if you gently move the key around while its running will it die?
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Thursday, September 6th, 2012 AT 9:45 PM
Tiny
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Nope
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Thursday, September 6th, 2012 AT 10:54 PM
Tiny
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The problem seemed to get worse like it just didnt happen it would happen once in a while an now the only way I can drive it is to have my hand on the key all the time an wen it dies I just turn it off an then back on
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Thursday, September 6th, 2012 AT 10:59 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Could. Be a bad ignition switch or another issue. Do you have any codes?
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Thursday, September 6th, 2012 AT 11:00 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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No that sounds like a bad ignition switch.
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Thursday, September 6th, 2012 AT 11:02 PM
Tiny
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Meaning the part that I put the key in or the electrical thing thats down on the column that the rod goes into from the keyed part
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Thursday, September 6th, 2012 AT 11:48 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Your going to. Have to look and see if its the switch or linkage.
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 12:02 AM
Tiny
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What I meant was is it the key tumbler thing or is it the electronic switch thing that the rod goes into that is mounted on the col8umn
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 12:22 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Your going to have see which it is I can't tell because I can't see what's going. On
I would suspect the switch.
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 12:33 AM
Tiny
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I went and bought the electronic switch and that didnt help it does the same thing was testing it with the electronic part just hanging there using a screw driver dont really know if the key part of the ignition could cause it to do that or not but one thing with in the last month ive been able to start my truck without the keys in it just by turning the little levers they have that u put the keys into I just dont know what to think
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 3:28 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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Sounds like the ignition lock cylinder is worn out if it starts without the key in ignition. That may may allow it to move while driving to shut it off. Like I said I dont have all the facts to tell what it was.
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 3:39 AM
Tiny
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Does the only thing the lock cylynder control is the rod going down or does it control other weires as well
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 6:59 AM
Tiny
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The switch and the steering wheel lock.
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 4:02 PM
Tiny
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Do you have any idea what else it could be then
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 8:43 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
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The lock cylinder is hooked to linkage to the switch so my guess is the cylinder is sloppy enough to allow enough movement while driving for it. To. Shut off. But like I said this is a tricky one because iam not there to see what's actually happening.
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Friday, September 7th, 2012 AT 10:02 PM
Tiny
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Thats not it another thing its doing is backfiring sometimes I dont think its the tim9ing because it runs great when its running I found a vacuum line that was leaking an after I fixed that it seemed to not stall out nearly as much
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Saturday, September 8th, 2012 AT 1:44 AM
Tiny
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So now its not shutting off unless you hold the key?
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Saturday, September 8th, 2012 AT 4:46 AM

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