88 Ranger eletronic feed back carb

[turbo2256b]

First post been lurking off and on.

Issue is I have a 88 Ranger base model. It has the eletronic feed back carb setup. Cant find much info on it. Think it was originaly purchased in Mexico brought into the US and made its way to Detroit area. The engine clutch and trans were shot. Replaced the engine and trans with a 2.3 that I built up for a Pinto I had some 25 years ago. The engine and trans sat in my shop for about 25 years after puting about 4000 miles on it.
Hooked it up with the 2 bbl webber and it ran good. The truck ended up in storage for 3 years or so. It was broken into and they tried to steal the tires and wheels busted out the front winshield.
I cant get it to start no spark. The only thing that has tested bad was the dizzy. Purchased several Cardone ones and they wount even fit in the block. Sent them all back except the one that tested best and swapped all the goodies into the one that was in the truck. Still no spark. Cant find a wiring diagram for this set up so I can trace wiring. Have a couple Ranger repair manuals and its not listed my old pinto book does but no wiring diagrams. Help

 

[Mark_88]

Welcome to TRS~!

Sounds like the truck originally had a 2.0 and not the 2.3. If you check the Haynes manual for the 2.0 wiring I'm sure you will find a match.

If you have any pics of the engine bay I'm sure someone can identify things for you and get this rolling.

Anyway, no spark...where does it stop? Does the coil have power? If not, then there should be an ignition module sitting somewhere on the driver side of the fender with two plugs...that can be tested...replacements are actually still available for around $100 last time I bought one...

If the coil has power then it feeds the distributor...check to make sure the distributor is turning when you crank the engine...if not...you have a gear issue and the distributor or the auxiliary shaft are the keys...

 

[RonD]

1st post welcome

Reads like a Frankenstein, my favorite

Is it a Duraspark or TFI ignition system?
These are both self-contained systems so should be fairly easy to trouble shoot

Does "+" side of coil have 12v when cranking?
On older systems there was "run" voltage(9volts) and crank voltage(12volts), so two separate power sources, if the 12v circuit is bad then no spark while cranking.
You can just put a 12v jumper from battery to "+" on coil to test.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

How many wires are coming out of the distributor. If it has three wire it like it says in the duraspark conversion if it has more get the three wire distributor and duraspark module that way the engine will run on a vacuum advance. A 1984 2.0 ranger will have the necessary parts. Module, distributor and harness and just use a stock TFI coil for good spark.

 

[turbo2256b]

It was never SEFI. Has a a Duraspark ign box drivers side and looks like a control box of somesort on the pass side with a plug in the center similar to a EFI but its not. i REMOVED THE ORIG ENGINE A 2.3 WITH A 1 BBL CARB WITH A LOT OF WIRES HOOKED TO IT.
Using fead parts from the orig engine and some other parts mixed them up andd installed my engine and trans. It ran with my engine.
Did have to hot wire the clutch pedal start switch since I COULDNT FIND ONE.

 

[turbo2256b]

sOME PICS. Extra ign box is from my 86 dually dont know if there is a differance in the boxes for a 8 and a 6 or 4. It got brighter higher voltage to the coil which is hot on both sides of the coil.

 

[Mark_88]

The box on the passenger side is the Idle Control and that was what my 2.0 came with...if this is an 88 then the original motor was a 2.0 as the 88s were either 2.0 carb or 2.3 fuel injection.

The valve cover on yours was also the way the 2.0 was configured as there was a vent hose that came off and ran into the breather.

Even the red bungee cord was standard equipment...

So it looks like you've changed the carb to a 2 bbl...but are you sure it's a feedback carb? Is there a fuel line that goes down and back towards the fuel tank or do you have a hose down to a canister at the front?

 

[turbo2256b]

It was a 1bbl on the engine I pulled out other than that the engine looked the same as the 2.3 Pinto motor that I put in. Scrapped the engine think I still have the carb in my scrap pile. If I KEPT THE INTAKE IT WAS STOLEN were I HAD IT STORED AS A BOX OF PARTS WAS MISSING. Things like the fuel pump pulleys belts started all came off the original engine. Was the 2.0 a destroked 2.3. Dont think my Ranger book has anthing about a 2.0 that I CAN REMEMBER.

 

[Mark_88]

Yes, the 2.0 is essentially a 2.3 with a smaller bore. They are identical otherwise and the parts interchange on them except for the pistons.

I ended up swapping in a 2.3 after few years of trying to make the 2.0 work and then changed out the carb and intake from another 2.3. The heads are a direct swap so sometimes you find something like what I had...a 2.0 block with a 2.3 head or vice versa...

 

[turbo2256b]

Looked it up and there was a 2.0 version of the 2.3. Since everything seems to work excpt the spark thinking of using the MSD street box think I already have a MSD adapter to the dizzy. That should bypass the issue. Probably run better anyway as this engine in the Pinto would out run a 2.3 Turbo Mustang.

 

[RonD]

Not a bad idea, the MSD.
If they made a GM type HEI distributor for the Lima I would recommend that if you are running a carb.

 

[turbo2256b]

I saw some aftermarket dizzys and they were in the 400.00 range give or take. This truck is goin to my 27 year old son that finialy got his licence and is taking body work in college dont want to put too much in it. The busted windshield has to be replaced too.

Just woundering if the feed back carb system had another box of some sort in the cab.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

If it has the feedback carb it is controlled by the computer along with timing advance. Dont waste time or money getting the feedback system working your better to either go EFI or duraspark. It is kinna hard to tell what you have going on there sounds like it has been bastardized. You can duraspark it complete new for around $130 for the ignition and probably make the feedback carb work.
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/Cardone-Reman-Distributor/1984-Ford-Ranger-2WD/_/N-ik8k5Z9n80u?itemIdentifier=108274_0_0_4431
I believe this dizzy will work parts from a 1984 2.0 ranger

 

[turbo2256b]

This engine puts out around 160 170 HP doubt a Feed back carb would work on it that well. I was building a few mini stock motors for friends and built this for a street motor. Ported the head, special oiling mods for the cam, milled the head 20 ot 30 other tricks. It was running with this engine before it was stored cant find any reason as to its not running now. Autozone here didnt even list a dizzy for it.
Org rangers dizzy was a duraspark. Guessing I putthe reman Dizzy I recurved 25 years ago then only put 4000 mi on the engine in my Pinto. Engine had enough power to start smoking the clutch as it passed 120MPH it wouldnt hold in the pinto.
Tomrrow a MSD street box should show up and I will go onward from there.

 

[turbo2256b]

Got the MSD about hooked up today. Just warming up a bit before going back in the shop.