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Oh I also tried with a new battery and still this battery would not hold a charge.
Radius arm bushings can be bought anywhere.
If it is a mounting bushing for the crossmember, what kind of abuse did this truck go thru that would knock these out?
And - is this crossmember bolted or riveted in? If rivets - you are going to have to grind or torch this thing off.
If anyone knows more, please share.
Any suggestions?
I have attempted the following remedial actions to help resolve the issue:
Changed Fuel Pump (thought was the cause)
Changed Starter (went bad)
Changed Battery (went bad)
Changed ignition Coil (thought was the cause)
Changed Distributer Assembly (screws on cap were rusted and broke)
Changed cap, wires, rotor (Was done as tune up)
Changed Starter Soilinoid (went bad)
Adjusted timing (was necessary and done correctly)
Used carb and choke cleaner as well as fuel cleaner (Tune Up stuff)
Essentially, the issue seems to be electrical related. However since the issue seems to happen whether I am going down the highway or just sitting at a stop light... It is frustrating to say the least.
I have also noticed a few things. The Oil, Gas and temp gauge all rise together from time to time and is followed by the engine stopping as if the key was shut off shortly after and on occassion the truck will just simply not start. It may turn over and over or it may seem like it is starting, but will fire briefly and stop almost right away...
At this point in time, I am at a loss on what to do or else what can be done... Any suggestions or ideas that people may have would be most helpful and very appreciated.
1st time posting here. I have a few issues with my older , but clean, '95 pick up, and I am wondering the best place to post, so I'll start here.
1- I get a rattling sound ,when going uphill , usually between 2nd and 3rd gear , from the lower , back end. Any idea's ?
2-My blower motor is not working , although no problems with the defrost or fan. I did contract dragging a ballfield for a few years , with a lot of dust. idea's?
3- The clip on my armrest is shot.How can I get at it , to remove and/or replace ?
4-What is the best , cheapest way to improve the ride in my truck ? The shocks could definately use replacing, based on the bounce test.What is the best shock type to replace with, or is this the best answer to maximize a comfortable ride , on an older truck (105,000k's) ?
Thanks-Brian in North Van
did you ever get a new armrest-I have the same problem-broken clip. thx
there is a way to test your blower motor just unplug the wires and run a jumper to the battery to see if it will run if it does then your problem is probably in the fan switch or control. some of the older rangers had a heater control rely. you can find information at your local library most new manuals don't cover things like that. hope this helps
i have a Chilton manual , and I will research your advice, and see if I can correct the problem. I am on long term disability , with little money , so my '95 Ranger could be the last vehicle that I will own.
Thus , i really appreciate any help on how to prolong its life,and now that i have found these forums , i am confident that with help and some elbow grease , i'll be able to do that. Thanks again-much appeciated !!
I am having a problem with my 98 Eddie Bauer, as the A/c motor only blows on high speed and its been suggested its the fan motor resistor. Any idea where this is located on the Explorer(Ranger probably similar). If not too much trouble find my message in Expl. forum #5863 and reply. Thanks
Thanks
Find the blower housing. It probably will have a large black wire feeding into it, to power the blower. Trace this backward, it should go into the resistor pack, which should have several wires going into it.
Also, any idea what it may cost to fix-ballpark-and can it be done by a Layman , following directions ? I do have time , when I CAN walk , unfortunately not money.
Thanks Brian in Vanc
First thing's electrical (I think). When I turn on my lights, all four lights come on fine. When I turn on my right blinker or hit my brakes, my back-right blinker and brakelight don't come on. I thought the brake light was just basically a brighter version of the regular light, so maybe a fuse? Dunno about the blinker though...
Next is startup in the morning. I turn it on and the engine almost dies. It drops to about 100RPMs (Yeah, 100, not 1000) but doesn't die. If I pump the gas, the RPMs jump back up and stay up. It also doesn't want to go into gear when I put it in drive in the morning. It sits there until I rev it to about 2000RPMs and then catches. I just had a transmission flush a couple weeks ago, might be the problem? Both only happen after I've left it off for around 10-12+ hours.
Last thing (thanks for reading all this) is a strange noise my truck just started making a couple days ago on my way home from lunch. It's like a metal dropped on metal sound (like if you dropped a quarter on a metal bar, or into a glass). It gets faster and louder the higher my RPMs. A couple people have told me it might be my fan hitting something, but anyone had the same problem? Thanks for all the help guys, I know this post is long!
Well, at 106,000 miles, you, or previous owners, have gotten a lot of the 'good' out of this truck. But I will give you some guesses about what might be wrong. But first, is the 'check engine' light on? If so, have the 'codes' pulled and someone tell you what they mean. Some of the things you have going wrong might have some code/codes set that would give excellent guidance about repairs needed.
"First thing's electrical (I think). When I turn on my lights, all four lights come on fine. When I turn on my right blinker or hit my brakes, my back-right blinker and brakelight don't come on. I thought the brake light was just basically a brighter version of the regular light, so maybe a fuse? Dunno about the blinker though...
Electrical can be tough to find. If one brake light comes on, but not the other, its not a fuse problem. One is coming on, right?
I would first go for the more simple things.
Has someone cut into the rear wires and put a trailer light package on it? If so, this 'cutting' should be the very first thing to check. Or, the wiring in the tailer wires. If you have this, and do not intend to tow a trailer, I would recommend taking it off, making sure the wires are re-connected and taped well.
Then look at the rear wiring. First try to find the grounds back there. One or more black wire probably is screwed into the body or frame for the rear grounding. If you find this, make sure this is secure and not rusted up.
Next, take the lenses apart. Pull the bulbs out. Look for overheating, melting, etc. Look for corrision inside the bulb housings. Look at the back of the lens to be sure the wiring is intact. Look to see none of the bulbs are burned out. If you have any of these problems, the simplest thing might to be completely replace the lens, housing, and wiring - it is all one piece usually.
If this is all good, it might be the 'multi-switch' in the steering column. One switch inside the column usually controls the turn signals, dimmer, wipers, washer, etc. It can fail. It's not easy to diagnois or replace, and not cheap.
"Next is startup in the morning. I turn it on and the engine almost dies. It drops to about 100RPMs (Yeah, 100, not 1000) but doesn't die. If I pump the gas, the RPMs jump back up and stay up.
Idle Air Control. A black and metal cylinder somewhat larger than a 35mm film cannister. On the left side of the intake manifold with two wires into it. This is the main controller of the idle speed. It has an electrical solonid and small valve inside. And can be take off and the valve cleaned with carb cleaner. DO NOT LET carb cleaner get into the electrical end of this thing, it will eat the winding up! Carefull removal should let the gasket remain intact - two small bolts hold it on. A new one is about $65.
Something simpler - the throttle butterfly valve could be sticking in the intake. Due to 'crud' from gas fumes building up over this many miles. Or the throttle linkage itself is sticking in the cable. Have you ever 'pumped the gas' before cranking? If the idle is then ok, you have a linkage or valve sticking problem. You can take the big black hose apart and get into the intake manifold where the main throttle linkage is and scrub the 'crud' from the surface where the butterfly contacts the intake, and both the front and back of the valve itself. Using electrical or carb cleaner, clean rags, and a toothbrush. (Ford posts warning about using carb cleaner here for some reason - some c**p about 'special coating on the inside of the intake', but if crud builds up in here and causes problems, it's got to be removed.)
"It also doesn't want to go into gear when I put it in drive in the morning. It sits there until I rev it to about 2000RPMs and then catches. I just had a transmission flush a couple weeks ago, might be the problem? Both only happen after I've left it off for around 10-12+ hours.
Did it do this BEFORE the 'flush'???? If not, then the flush screwed you up. This is the reason most knowledgable people do not do 'tranny flushes', especially on high milage trannys. It can break crud loose which then becomes lodged in small holes where it should not be. And cause problems. Most of these are ripoffs at oil-change places. Bet this is where you got the flush, right?
In any case, you've got tranny problems. Another thing about 'flushes', they probably did not drop the pan and change the filter. If this were my truck, I would check the owners manual for the correct tranny fluid, buy a case (or two) and two new filters. Drop the tranny pan, replace the filter, refill the fluid and drive it for a week. Then drop the pan, replace the filter and refill. This MIGHT help the shifting problem. And it MIGHT NOT!
"Last thing (thanks for reading all this) is a strange noise my truck just started making a couple days ago on my way home from lunch. It's like a metal dropped on metal sound (like if you dropped a quarter on a metal bar, or into a glass). It gets faster and louder the higher my RPMs. A couple people have told me it might be my fan hitting something, but anyone had the same problem? Thanks for all the help guys, I know this post is long!
If this is from the middle of the truck, Rangers about this time had some problems with noise from the drive shaft. Ford replaced a lot of these, under warranty. Different splines, different material in shaft, not sure exactly what changed. You probably also have a 'split driveshaft'. It other words, there is a big bearing in the center of the shaft, with actually two shafts under there, a front and a rear. This center bearing can wear, making noise.
Do you think you can do any of the things I've discussed above? If not, then stop asking questions about them, start saving your money, and take the truck to a mechanic for repair.
Besides the blower problem, my left blinker blinks rapidly, and the dash board light near the fuel gage is out. All of these electronic problems started over the last 6 months. Something definitely wrong with the electronics.
I'm taking the truck to the Ford dealership Thursday. Trying to narrow the problem down would require a few electronic gizmos I don't have. This is probably the last of my Ford Ranger as things are starting to fall apart. Too bad, the truck's in excellent condition.
Problem #1: Fuse #2: Problem narrowed down to wires shorting out on the steering column leading from the Overdrive (O/D) button at the end of the shifter. Thanks to those on this and other reader boards that gave me that knowledge to relate to the Ford mechanics. Not sure how much that saved me but I'd of bet they would of replaced the blower before fixing the obvious. I remember the O/D light on the instrument panel going off and on at times. Shifting and bumpy roads would result in a blown #2 fuse. The blower not working was just a symptom.
Problem #2: The rapid blinking of the left blinker light was fixed by replacing the bulb.
Another problem the Ford dealership found was a faulty sensor in the driver's side female portion of the seat belt buckle resulting in the flashing air bag light. I had that replaced by a recall warranty years ago, but apparently it still had trouble.
Problem #3: No repaired. The dash board light near the fuel gauge would cost over $300 to replace the wire cluster.
I forgot to put the on/off switch to the truck's interior light on the repair list. The on/off switch is activated by opening and closing the doors. For some reason, my switch gets stuck and the interior light stays on.
It's interesting that all these electrical problems occurred within the last few months.
We'll see if the repairs worked.
Ummm what exactly does this mean? wires shorting out on steering column leading from OD button at end of shifter to where?
1. It used to make an awful high pitches squealing noise whenever I'd accelerate from a stop, and get worse the faster I went until i reached about 35mph.
2. I was coming to a stop sign one night, and it just died and would not restart. Apparently, a wire melted somewhere.
3. Both power window motors have gone out.
4. The driver door panel broke so I can't use the handle to close my door. They want $500 to fix that, so its probably going to stay broken.
5. Multiple problems with the brakes.
6. The button for my cruise control just fell of my stewing wheel.
7. CD player skips cd's like crazy, esp when I hit bumps.
8. AC went out and they want $900 to fix it. I can do without it.
9. Transmission is slipping like crazy. Had it serviced and it began doing it again 2 weeks later as I was merging onto the interstate.
Can you imagine how I feel about fords now? In the process of selling it now. Sharp looking truck but I just can't take it anymore. I'm sure there are few more issues I've had with it that I just can't think of. Any one else have some of these problems?
I get the "door ajar" problem with the passenger door occasionally, and the dome light staying on. From other posts I was going to try cleaning the door switch. I thought it was the black plunger located just inside the outside return bend of the sheet metal at handle level, but when I pulled the interior panel off all that it appears to be is a clip which is securing the lock cylinder. No electrical goes into it.
Probably a stupid question, but where is the sensor? I didn't see anything else that looked like one on the door jamb, but I know it's there somewhere.
Thanks
Starts maybe one in 10 times.
Turns over normally.
Runs rough when it does start.
Replaced distrib cap, button, coil, plugs, battery and alternator.
No joy.
Battery tests good, alternator tests good.
No check engine light.
I can hear the fuel pump when I turn on the ignition.
Here's where it gets weird.
Everything works fine when hooked to charger. Starts and runs fine. Sometimes dies when charger removed, sometimes continues to run.
When a battery load tester is hooked to battery, truck dies when battery loaded. Checker shows 13.5 volts when running. 12 not running. Maintains 12V when loaded, and not running.
:confuse: :confuse: :confuse:
Any help would be most apreciated.
hope this helps!
I've been having problems with my gears shifting manually on my truck, It's an automatic. I took it to Advance auto and they found out by the readings that I needed to have my speed sensor replaced. I'm of course trying to do it my self and have no experience with working on cars. I found and managed to get the old one off. However the part that I bought does not look the same. Waddle-I-do. Can someone help a lady out. Is there another name for this part. Maybe they gave me the wrong one. :confuse:
hope this helps you !
Don't 'throw parts' at the truck. Just changing the plugs is going to probably waste money you could be spending with a good mechanic that can track down your actual problem.
Wild guess - with absolutely no basis - Did you have a minor accident with the truck? Did you run it into something, and now it will not start? If so, there is a fuel shutoff that might have been triggered. This is under the carpet, on the passenger side, on the side of the tunnel. There is a pushbutton that needs reset, if the truck was wacked.
If you turn the key on, but do not turn it to 'start', can you hear the fuel pump (inside the gas tank) run. You should be able to hear it run for a few seconds after you turn the key to 'run' position. If not, the fuel pump may be burned out. Or there may be a bad fuel pump relay, which controls the pump. These relays are in the big fuse box under the hood. There probably are 2 or 3 of these relay, little black boxes, plugged into the fuse box. They usually are all the same, so you can swap these around, and if the one for the fuel pump is bad, maybe you will swap it with a good one, and the truck will start.
Actually, as I said, all these are wild guesses, from a far distance, with absolute no info to base anything on. If the two things above don't help, drag it to a shop.
Any thoughts?? Piston slap old tired and dieing 2.3l ?
Thank you for any ideas
Here's an update. The problem comes and goes.
I got it fixed, or so I thought. Drove fine for several days then same symptoms one morning. That evening it started and ran.
Drove it several days. This morning it won't start.
Plan of the moment is new battery cables, just because. And clean all connections I can find.
And put on that lube for electrical connectors that helps it make good contact.
Then point to point with a voltmeter. Thinking probably coil or, maybe ignition module has poor/intermittent connection. Has to be something that contributes to spark.
How can I tell if I have 4 wheel ABS or just rear wheel ABS?
thanks,
Tom
if the oil pump is getting clogged up with sludge and bits of metal or the oil pump could be just getting weak.
When your accelerating your causing the oil pump to spin quicker which would send more oil up to the lifters.
when the RPM's of the engine are down then the pump isnt spinning under so much force and it might just barely be abloe to send oil to the top of the engine anymore.
I would do a complete oil change and new oil filter with a sythetic oil, something with teflon in it possibly.
or do a regular oil change and filter, run it for 1 day like that and then do another oil change with another filter and then stick in sythetic.All depends if the first oil change gets rid of the problem, to stop it from making the oil pump work so hard id do another oil change to synthetic fairly quickly. within 200
I don't think thats the problem here, My Father-in-Law changes the oil every 3k like clockwork..and he comutes 75 miles one way everyday so the changes come pretty fast..Last weekend we tore the front off and replaced the timeing belt and verified the timeing..after getting it back together it is still the same and running worse at idle..I think it may be something with a TPS or MAF sensor..but it is not throwing codes..We probably will be sending it to a shop to see if the can find the problem.