Lol, I'm going to take one more look at the new fuel filter 2nite..I keep thinking this started when I put maf sensor and filterms on, I kept checking filter to make sure I had it facing front, I'd laugh if it's backward

 

Nope, filter is on correct, I did get my tps in yesterday...not a waste of $...better throttle response, still has that odd occasional buck when under load but comes thru it quick with new tps. We actually got a taste of winter last night so I locked the hubs in and enjoyed my awd

 

She did ok on the drive to work, lil bit of the odd bucking when I started going up the grade to Monroeville, I hit gas harder and she kicked down and did fine. I may have did the tps a disservice...I didn't take battery cable off when I did the tps so maybe she is confused with what she remembers as to what the sensors now telling it?

 

Does anyone by chance know how the starter solenoid on inner fender grounds...is it grounded by bolting it on? Tried to start it last night and it clicked, got a new one same thing. Tried again and she started

 

Yes, the starter RELAY on the inner fender is grounded by the bolts holding it to metal inner fender.
Inner fender should be grounded via smaller battery cable with rad support ground(for head lights)

You shouldn't hear a "click" if relay's coil wasn't grounded.

12volts-----Ignition switch(in START)--------------("S" post)Starter Relay(bolts)-------Ground-----Battery negative(0volts)

 

Ok, that's wat a utube video said. Here's my situation. The ranger didn't hav a solenoid like this , just one on starter. I put the solenoid on inner fender next to battery..not really much room ya know. I drilled 2 1/8 in holes and used small ten mm screws at first. In time those holes wore so I used bigger bolts but it's sheet metal so can't really tighten good. I'm going to put J clips in and tighten better. Only other thing is if starter itself is going and won't crank or I'm hitting a dead spot?0

 

Yes, starter relay and solenoid were combined on later models, so smaller "S" wire ran directly to starter motor.

You can just use a Ground wire on one of the relay bolts, run it to the rad support ground or ??

The solenoid on the starter motor does two things, it pushes the starter gear out to flywheel's ring gear and it also closes a contact passing the battery voltage, on larger cable, to the starter motor.
Some starters do not have a solenoid, no extra piece/bump on it, these use Bendix drive and Starter Relay on the fender is what passes battery voltage directly to starter motor.

If there is no solenoid then test if starter is getting voltage when Relay on fender is closed, if so then yes starter motor could be going out.

If it has a solenoid, and is getting voltage from Relay then could be solenoid or starter motor at fault

Starter motors have two brushes that are in contact with armature(part that spins) these are the weak points in electric motors, brushes are a softer metal and wear down every time motor spins, they also are in a slot and held against the armature with a spring, as they wear down they can get stuck in the slot, so spring is not pushing it against armature firmly, so limited contact(dead spot)
Sometimes tapping on an electric motor can free up a brush, popular fix for the Ranger 4WD shift motor, lol.

You can rebuild starter motors, which basically is just putting in new brushes and cleaning the armature contacts for those brushes, bearings on starter motors rarely wear out

 

Thanks, I'll do that

 

Actually I did smack starter with hammer, turned key, it clicked once then she started up...hmmmmm

 

I tested voltage at starter when trying to start, looks like 12.5 I think. Happens fast. I'm thinking I may hav dead spot in starter. My starter has what looks like a solenoid on it, only 2 wires..a mechanic told me it's not a solenoid? I think the 3.0 had 3 wires?

 

First a quick Pet peeve of mine
The words relay and solenoid are often used interchangeably and I can't change that, lol, but I try
A "relay" is used to pass electricity on, to activate an electrical device
A "solenoid" is used to cause movement, like pushing out starter gear or popping a ball out on a pinball machine

They both work the same, low amp coil of wire when powered becomes electro-magnet and causes electrical contacts to close(relay) or an arm to push out or pull in(solenoid).
So there is movement in both, lol, my dilemma


Here are some images of starter motors

Starter with solenoid but no internal Relay: http://autosystempro.com/wp-content/...rter-motor.jpg

Only 1 wire runs to this, the battery cable from starter relay on the fender, it is grounded via it's bolts to engine/bellhousing

When it gets 12volts on the one wire the Solenoid pulls in the rod which pushes out the starter gear
AND when the solenoid rod pulls in its "contact plate" connects Battery Cable terminal to Starter motor terminal, activating starter motor
So this is actually a solenoid/"relay" because it does both movement and passes electricity to activate a device


This is image of current starter motors with separate, but internal, Relay and solenoid: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....1L._SX355_.jpg

With these the positive battery cable runs directly to the starter motor(larger post on motor), no fender mounted relay needed.
The smaller post is the "S" wire connection, the wire from the ignition switch that has 12volts when key is turned to START.
The "S" post activates the Relay part which then activates the solenoid and starter motor.

During the transition to this type of starter there was often a fender mount "relay" but wasn't used as a relay, it was used as a power distribution post, to hookup alternator, fuse box and other electrics until newer wiring harnesses were ready.

And then a "starter relay" was put in the engine fuse box, this was part of theft prevention system, the starter motor was still connected directly to the battery but the "S" terminal got it's 12volts from the "starter relay" in the fuse box, this relay was activated by the Key in START position.
But this relay wouldn't work unless alarm was deactivated, either PATS or Ford alarm, so no crank.

 

I figured out thru driving that wat she is doing is shifting to overdrive at maybe 40 and bogs down a bit. Don't know if tires r too big for 302? But when I hit gas she goes to downshift and if it doesn't it bucks, if it downshifts she kicks some butt. The new tps seems to help it. I was looking at fuel line from filter to motor thinking I kinked it trying to get old filter off..it was tight, lol. I hav now been driving her for a week with no engine lite..wahoo a record. It does show a pending code..02 b something 11 switch not working? Mech here says that's the 02, if they weren't working she would run like crap cause that happened first time on road trip here

 

So I'm driving home and the engine light comes on. I get home and look with scanner, after mths of it running lean now it says it's running rich. I looked at live data and the 02s r at about 18 percent or higher on short term fuel trims. I realize that it's not necasarally the 02s that r the culprit, something could be showing something that is making them keep the fuel injectors open longer than really needed....

 

Ok, according to scanner the possible things that cause it to run rich are, maf sen, clogged air filter, I would think that would make it lean? or a stuck open injector, or bad 02 sensor, or vacuum leak, I'm going to be looking at my 02s even tho they may be fine. one is new, 3 are not. but the uprange ones are the ones that switch from lean/ rich fuel mix right

 

According to the scanner the 02 b1 s1 the voltage gets a ?...I looked at all data and all seems normal except that 02 voltage is higher than the bank 2 02, need to know what the voltage should be? she was cold and warming up but I'm guessing both 02s should give close to same voltage?

 

O2 sensors generate their own voltage, once they are warmed up above 600degF.

.1 to .9 volts is their range

Lean is .1
Rich is .9

.1 = 100mv(millivolt)
.9 = 900mv

Never seen one with % so disregard that, there is no % in fuel flow

Sweet spot for Upstream O2 is .4

But it has to swing between .2 and .8 to keep Cat Converter working, Cats require lean/rich switch to stay hot enough to work

 

The mech here that gave me his old maf sensor, I gave him $20 for it, I told him the scanner has a ? By the bank 1 s1 02 voltage ...I asked his opinion. He feels 02 not the problem, said I should drive it and watch scanner 02 action. Said as long as they go up and down like they should. I told him my short term fuel trims are high, he said maybe in time another code may come up giving me info?

 

I think I mentioned that about a week ago scanner said a pending code, but it was manufacture specific and it was 02 something switch, rich?

 

Ok, I have my 98 3.0 with 85,000 on it, ecu, wiring harness will need patched up, tranny...I'm wondering how much it's worth? I'm thinking about putting them on Craigs list but not sure what the stuff is worth