HELP.. Vehicle is now Gutted and still have no clue!!

JoanneHWilson · Aug 1, 2016

2008 Ford Ranger 4x4, 4.0 litre
Symptom: Engine bogs down when put under load, ie, Lights, Blower/Heater. Engine eventually stalls.
What we are seeing on vehicle: Right side headlamp(daytime running light) flickering, Instrument panel left side turn indicator faintly flickering. Left turn signal not working front & rear, Blower operating on 1 speed only(slow).
What we have checked/Replaced on vehicle: Alternator replaced,
All ground(Negative) continuity checked, all below 0.5 Ohms,
All connectors checked Engine compartment,
Floor carpet removed from cab & all connectors checked,
All rear bed connectors checked.
All underbody connectors checked.
Both fuse panels checked for corrosion.
We have tried disconnecting the turn signal stick & Hazard flasher from steering column, Same Condition seen.
We have disconnected the Cab center console,Same Condition seen.
We have tried isolating the issue by removing fuses from the Engine fuse panel,Same Condition seen.
We have tried isolating the issue by removing fuses from the Cab fuse panel,Same Condition seen.

RonD · Aug 1, 2016

A little confused

"engine bogs down, in example lights dim........." ???

What is the battery voltage, key off?
12.3 to 12.9v is normal

Start engine, what is battery voltage now?
Should be 14.2-14.9v
If not then alternator is not working, could be fuse, wiring, or alternator itself.

Engine can be effected by low voltage, it lowers spark voltage and fuel pressure as fuel pump slows down.

So first thing to check is Battery voltage, key off and with engine running, this is the problem to solve first, if it is low.

Mark_88 · Aug 1, 2016

I went through almost identical symptoms recently with my 96 2.3 (except I couldn't drive it) and if it weren't for being crazy it would have driven me nuts...

Mine was also giving signs of dead or dying battery which was due to a 10 year old battery...but the other symptoms were actually caused by a faulty ground on the starter circuit. You mentioned that you have checked the negative ground but so did I...as in made sure they were tight but not with a VM.

Mine wasn't a connection but a bad wire in the starter harness that I eventually solved by replacing all the wires one by one...till the problem suddenly cleared up. I think it was the ground wire running from the battery to the solenoid on the fender...that you may or may not have.

The other symptoms I did have...flickering lights, signal not working...blower not working...voltage was all over the place and would not read proper levels...except when I went out and wiggled the starter wires...(but this didn't dawn on me until later). Would not idle properly also...many things that made me think it was starter/alternator/connection...and it was...

Try wiggling the wires on the starter circuit...or if you have some to replace them just start with that...it is not as expensive as other things to replace but if further testing as RonD is indicating does not help...wiggle the wires at least.

Anyway...

JoanneHWilson · Aug 1, 2016

The Battery was checked after installing the new alternator.
Engine OFF, 12.6 Volts
Engine Running at idle 800Rpm, 14.4 Volts
Engine running under Full electrical load, 12.1 Volts

RonD · Aug 1, 2016

Problem in charging circuit, most likely
Lowest reading at battery, engine running, should be 13.6volts if battery, key off, was 12.6v, so 1 volt higher than battery, with all stock electrics on.

In 2008 the dash board computer runs the charging circuit, it is called "smart charging", but often can get "dumb" real fast.
In cab fuse panel check fuses #9(5a) and #10(10a), pull them all the way out to check them

On alternator check smaller red wire on 3 wire connector for 12.6volts(key off)
If no volts then a fusible link has burned out.

Engine off/key on, turn on 1 electric device at a time and check battery voltage, see if one drops voltage down to 10.6v, that 2 volt drop you see with engine running.

If not then what is happening is that the alternator is being turned off while engine is running for some reason.

Engine off unplug alternator 3 wire connector
Start engine
Check battery voltage, should be above 14.5v
Now turn on all the electrics, shouldn't drop any lower than 13.6v

Shut off engine, plug 3 wire connector back in, you should running engine longer than 10 minutes with 3 wire connector unplugged.

If this works, then could be bad wire in wiring harness back to dashboard, see if you can follow those wires thru the harness to check, especially anywhere near heat.

Also on the 3 wire connector there will be a Red wire, it should have 12.6volts key off or on, if not then a fusible Link has burned out

JoanneHWilson · Aug 2, 2016

Hey Mark88
Thanks for the information on your issues on your ranger. It appears ours is the same issue. Looks like it is between the battery and the starter motor where the short is happening. Question: Did you remove the wire harness to repair or did you fix it in place?

Mark_88 · Aug 2, 2016

Wow, is that a coincidence or what?

I can't really recall the exact sequence or even circumstances...but the symptoms and the fix were definite because I went out and bought a new starter, replaced the relay, was working on swapping the signal switch, and also considered buying a new battery (I sold the truck not too long afterwards with no problems in starting or running). and a few other parts.

It was in a moment of frustration that I wiggled the wires and noticed the symptoms cleared up...so I may have tried replacing the wires one at a time and tightening the connections as well as cleaning them with a wire brush and checking the wire for missing coating.

Did your symptoms clear up when you moved the starter harness around? If so, then you've narrowed it down. It would be great if you had a junkyard handy that you could pull that harness off another truck or, if it is not too complicated just make another one.

One of the problem areas on mine was a C shaped connector that goes on the relay on the fender. Pretty sure that was causing most of the issues because I ended up cutting that out with the replacement harness and used a DIY fashioned connector that I picked up at a local Canadian Tire Store.

I hope that answers your question...lol...and helpful.

JoanneHWilson · Aug 2, 2016

Some coincidence!!, i found another post on a forum that mentioned that the wire harnessbetween the batterry/starter motor was shortened between the model years 2004-2008.
hopefully will be able to find exactly where the issues are tomorrow

Mark_88 · Aug 2, 2016

Well if it works then that's another related incidence.

On my 96 part of the problem was I moved the relay from the driver side to the passenger side because the battery tray on the 88 cab I was using was on that side. The starter motor is also on passenger side so when I flipped the harness to the other side I had about a foot of extra wire that I had to deal with. Like I mentioned I had to modify the original harness but then found the other one that looked like it would be a better fit if I cut the ends that go to the block/starter...

That and removing that stupid C connector (I don't like combo connectors that you can't see the wires to know if they are broken or just barely hanging on)...

The previous owner might have been having issues with this because of the extra harness and a second wiper switch that seemed to work fine. The blower motor on mine was not properly hooked up because I was missing the resistor that goes into the heater box but when it quit completely I figured I fried something...

I was literally pulling my hair out trying to find out what was going on and was kinda surprised that the starter harness could cause all those (seemingly) unrelated symptoms...

Andy D · Aug 12, 2016

Doesn't the starter get its ground from the block? I'm thinking about the jumper strap around the motor mount. Try using a jumper cable to rig a ground and take a drive

HELP.. Vehicle is now Gutted and still have no clue!!

JoanneHWilson

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RonD

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Mark_88

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JoanneHWilson

New Member

RonD

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JoanneHWilson

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Mark_88

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JoanneHWilson

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Mark_88

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Andy D

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