I'm a new member. I searched but couldn't find this issue>
I was gifted my father-in-laws 1998 Ranger 2.5. It sat unused for a couple of years being started by him occasionally, then one day didn't start and after a year or so of sitting he gave it to me. I live 450 miles away so I have to be efficient with my next trip to work on it. He wanted it out of his driveway, so I went down this weekend to work on it/move it.

• It cranks strong,
• but isn't getting any fire while you are cranking.
• I swapped coil packs
• swapped relays,
• checked voltages with ignition on

everything looked great, but it still would not start or even fire. With a friend's help I decided to tow the truck to my friends house in the area. Once it was in the road and attached with a tow rope, I thought I would just give it a try and popped the clutch. It fired off immediately and ran fine. So now I am thinking maybe the ignition switch? Is there some other problem that is common with this model?

MORE INFORMATION: Is was told there was a P0320 code (CKP Sensor) when he first experienced the no-start so the first thing I did after verifying that it wouldn't start is replace that sensor. Codes were absent when I started working on it.

 

Welcome to the forum

No, outside of broken timing belt, or failed fuel pump(any vehicle) there is no common issue with the 2.3l or 2.5l Lima engines not starting

Yes, failing CKP sensor on crank shaft's front housing would certainly cause a no start, its the ONLY sensor that can cause a no start
Watch the CEL(check engine light), it should come on with key ON, and when cranking engine CEL should go OFF, that means CKP sensor is working, computer is seeing a timing pulse from CKP sensor
BUT..............could also mean computer power is being cut off, lol

When it started was it idling OK?

When trying to start do you do 50/50 test, i.e. spray fuel into the intake to confirm no spark
If engine fired then you have a fuel issue not a spark issue

I would unplug either coil packs 3 wire connector, test center wire for 12volts with key ON(run)
Then have someone try to start engine and see if center wire still has 12volts when cranking, should drop to 10volts, but should still have voltage
This would confirm coils have voltage but computer was not grounding and ungrounding them, so it may be OFF when key is turned to START
If no voltage then "maybe" ignition switch under the steering column

 

It seemed to idle just fine. It has FUEL just no SPARK during crank. I'll check voltages this weekend.

The CKP sensor is new. Would a failed CKP sensor cause NO START but allow it to RUN just fine?

 

No, CKP sensor sets spark and injector timing, so starting method wouldn't matter, computer simply does not know you want to start the engine until it "sees" the engine spinning, which only comes from the CKP sensor sending out a timing pulse

 

That is what I thought. So since the truck starts fine by popping the clutch (starting method is irrelevant) and runs fine thereafter (fuel and spark are no issue), I can assume the CKP sensor is doing it's job and need to look elsewhere. I'll know more after I go back down this weekend to work on it again. I'm just trying to be prepared as possible by taking the things I expect to need on this trip.

 

IGNITION SWITCH - Problem is resolved. The P0320 must've been a red herring!

 

Good work

Thanks for updating and posting THE FIX