Hello.

Ok. Here we go.

I have a 91 Ranger 2.3L 4 banger.

My starter crapped out on me three days ago due to the fact that the engine cranks, but is very hard to get going. So in order to start the truck, I would have to sit in there with the key turned over crankin' and crankin' and crankin' and...finally she'd start. This wore out the starter so, I got a new one.

I thought that maybe the reason for the hard start was the plugs needed replacing, so I figued while I was at it, I would change the plugs and wires.

I put the new starter in, and after 20 to 30 seconds of continuous cranking, she started. I turned it around, nosed it in the garage and went to work on the plugs.

After many scraped nuckles, a few choice explatives and a lot of wondering where Ford finds their engieneers, I have all eight plugs and wires changed. All four wires on the intake side are placed correctly as are the wires on the exhaust side.

Now, here is where I am ready to throw a flare in the cab and kick back on the front lawn humming camp tunes!

It wont start. I got crank, I got battery, I got the smell of gas under the hood, but no matter how long I let it crank, it will not start!

Wouldn't it stand to reason, that if it would start before with crappy plugs and a lot of cranking, that it would now at least do the same with new plugs? I didn't mind the crankin' and crankin' and well you get it, before, I just figured that if I changed the plugs it would fire up easier.

Why don't I got nothin'?

Could this be as simple as the wires are touching one another and this is causing some kind of a shorting out thing?

Please help me

 

Your old crappy spark plugs probably had a smaller gap than the new ones. The new ones have too much gap for the (original ?) coil. Pull one of the new ones out and check the gap with one of the old ones. I'd wager that the ignition system is the culprit. I'm pretty new to Ford; I just acquired a '92 ranger 2.3. Does yours have the duel coils? They are probably just getting old and tired. Check to make sure both are getting full power and have a good ground. Also check the resistance on the primary and secondary sides of the coils.

 

Hey BF$

I pulled one of the plugs, ground it to three different places and I have no spark so I'm thinking it is the ignition coils and yes there are two of them. The right side one should be easy to change, but the left one is under the alternator and power steering pump.
Plus they're a little pricey, $65 each. Will have to see.

Thanks anyway