Help us help you. By posting the year, make, model and engine near the beginning of your help request, followed by the symptoms (no start, high idle, misfire etc.) Along with any prevalent Diagnostic Trouble Codes, aka DTCs, other forum members will be able to help you get to a solution more quickly and easily!

1994 Ford Ranger 2.3 liter (No Start)

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5 years 1 month ago - 5 years 1 month ago #27182 by dannyrothwell
I have an intermittent no start. The motor is an 8 plug engine with waste spark system with 2 coils. It will usually have a hard start with long cranking time in cold weather. I live in Sacramento California and the coldest it gets is about 32 degrees. The other night it was 36 degrees and my truck did not want to start or attempt to start. I did some testing at 6:30 in the morning. I was not getting spark at any of the coils.
I did further testing later in the day and it was 54 degrees at the time. I installed spare coils and still no start. I put the old coils back on and tested the control wires and I was getting a pulse on both control wires. I was hoping for a coil so I decided to retest the coils for spark and I was getting spark now but no start. So I decided to change direction and check for fuel. I can hear my fuel pump priming and I dont have a fuel pressure gauge however I pushed in the shader valve and fuel sprayed out under pressure. my fuel injectors are reading 14 ohms and I tested for control and I can hear the injectors clicking. I set my test light to ground and while cranking I probed the back of each injector ground and my test light would blink telling me the PCM is sending control to each injector.
The engine is a little worn and the compression readings I took a month prior to my issue. Dry compression (cyl. 1 192psi)(cyl.2 200psi)(cyl.3 180psi)(cyl. 4 200psi) Keep in mind these reading are operating temperature readings. The only thing I can think of is that the compression isn't enough in colder weather
Last edit: 5 years 1 month ago by dannyrothwell.

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5 years 1 month ago - 5 years 1 month ago #27190 by Desmond6004
Something that comes to mind with temperature issues is oil viscosity. I'm not sure if this would be a problem with your engine though.
We had issues with a vehicle that would start and die several times when cold - once it was warm it started well the rest of the day. It had a slow oil leak and the owner was topping up oil from the bottle he bought for his tractor or something and the hydraulic lifters were jamming up and the engine would just lose compression.

Getting involved in discussions because I have a lot to learn still.
Last edit: 5 years 1 month ago by Desmond6004.

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5 years 1 month ago #27203 by dannyrothwell
I am running 20W-50 weight to slow the burning of the oil

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5 years 1 month ago #27251 by dannyrothwell
I replaced my oil with some 5w-30 oil and it fired right up however this morning when I came out to fire it up in the morning, it wouldn’t start again and I noticed it didn’t have any spark do any of you guys know of a part that is temperature sensitive I will do further testing but if I could save myself some time testing other items that would help me

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5 years 1 month ago #27253 by Tyler
Does the check engine light go out during cranking (and not starting), or stay on? Being an older Ford, this is a fantastic clue as to if the PCM is getting a crank signal or not. If the CEL stays on, the PCM is not getting a crank signal. It might be worthwhile to check for this while it's starting, to have a good point of reference.

This system has a goofy Ignition Control Module system, which has the CKP reporting to the ICM before going to the PCM. :silly: Before going a whole lot further, it might be worth doing a visual inspection of the ICM, specifically the mounting bolts. The module lives on the lower intake, mounted vertically. The bolts (which also function as the module ground) like to snap off. :lol:

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5 years 1 month ago #27258 by Matts Auto
Agree with Tyler checking control module. Ford in that era had ignition control module issues (I've replaced many for your exact issue). An automotive part store may have a tester for them ( I own one).

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5 years 1 month ago #27259 by Tyler

Matts Auto wrote: An automotive part store may have a tester for them ( I own one).


Seriously? :woohoo: I always hear about bench alternator or ICM testers at parts stores, but I've NEVER been in one that actually had either. Where do you find these things?

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5 years 1 month ago #27270 by Matts Auto
Don't know if any part store do test them for customers just a thought. The module tester I bought about 30 years ago was pretty darn cheap & works very well to this day that's why I thought they may offer that service. Most DIYers won't buy one for a one time use

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5 years 1 month ago #27271 by Matts Auto
Actually I purchased mine from a local part store back then although not sure if they would test them for anyone

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