Howdy everyone, i'm new here and i'm also not the most mechanical savvy so bare with me when I try to run down the details of what's been going on with my truck.

So first off, this all starts in moist weather, or seems to be worsened in moist weather.

My truck, typically after a little rainfall or a damp morning will neither crank or attempt to crank, I can hear the fuel pump engaging, air, radio, etc turning on but nothing from the engine.

My first step was to scrap it and get a new car since me not being mechanically savvy it would save me a lot of time most likely even though i'd lose on my purchase. I had someone come out and look at it and let them know the issue as well, what they did is had a short conductive wire from the positive terminal post over to the starter to basically bypass the ignition (And theft I guess?) and it started. After the gentlemen showed me this, I decided that the problem isn't that big since he was able to start it with just a wire. So for about 4 months, I started my truck this way, when it was wet out and I had no other way of starting the truck (Basically hot wiring it, with the key in the ignition on, on) I moved to California, and luckily it never rains here so my problem kind of went away on it's own. Well now it's causing unreliability these last few weeks with the spotty rain and I'd really like to figure out exactly what is going on.

What i've done so far
Replaced battery terminals, cleaned grounds, cleaned terminal wires, checked all fuzes (All good), Took out ignition (nothing seems to be wrong), I had my mechanic buddy help me with all this.

Next thing I've done was purchase a heat gun and warm up certain sensors to see if that might've been a problem. Seemed to work first, but once we got good downpour, it was back to no crank, no start.

I've done so many little troubleshoot videos I've seen online, forums, YouTube, you name it, I've probably tried it. So i'm hoping that all of these details might just ring a bell for someone who's had a closely related issue.

The last thing I want to do is take it to a dealer because the truck is worth 2k and i'd prefer not to pay another 2k to repair is.

Another wildcard here as well, they threw in an aftermarket anti theft system, it's got about 9 prongs with a little plastic lock that fills into the prongs. It's wired with red and black straight into the ignition and their is a ground for it as well. (I have absolutely no clue what this is, never touched it)

My theft light does blink fast when it's not starting or cranking as well if that helps.

I appreciate anybodies time, and any help is greatly appreciated.

 

Bump

 

Welcome to the forum.


Fast flashing theft light means your Key is not passing the PATS(passive anti-theft system) test, so no crank.

But it also would NOT start, if light is flashing fast, even when "jumped" the way you described.

So there is something missing.

Almost any lock smith can test your PATS key and either make you a "clone" of that key or make you a new "spare" key and add it to your vehicles PATS memory.

The 3rd party alarm is a concern, these normally sound a siren when a breach is detected and can be wired in to the engine system to disable only the starter motor.
So engine could be started by "jumping", unlike PATS.

So that may be where you need to start


The starter motor activation is like this:

Key turned to START-----------Neutral switch-------Starter Relay--------starter motor

When key is turned to START 12volts is sent to Neutral switch(automatic), if trans shift linkage is in Park or Neutral position then that 12volts is passed on to Starter Relay in engine fuse box.
Starter relay is where PATS can disable starter motor, the computer needs to Ground this relay, so the 12volts from the Key can activate it.
If PATS key test is not passed then starter relay doesn't close and starter motor gets no 12volts to activate it.

So your "jumper" was by passing all that, but PATS also disables fuel pump and fuel injectors, so starter motor working still wouldn't start engine, no fuel.

Now 3rd party alarms would use the 12volt side of the above, they would intercept the 12volts coming from the ignition switch when in START position and run it though their own relay, in a box under the dash somewhere.
If alarm was deactivated then that relay would be Closed and the 12volts would continue on the the Neutral switch and starter relay, and if it was also closed(PATS test good) then on to the starter motor.

As said since "jumper" wire worked then at that time the most likely suspect was the 3rd party alarm.

But..........fast flashing Theft Light in the dash when key is turned on is PATS security, not 3rd party, so you could have an added issue now

 

Thank you for your response,

The key would turn on the fuel pump when I tried to turn the truck on, just no crank. is it possibly still a pats problem?

By the way, all of this only happens when it's been raining outside, does that make any sense?

 

Shouldn't be PATS if you hear the fuel pump come on.

No, the raining part doesn't make sense unless it only happens after driving on wet roads so bad connector on trans range sensor or start motors smaller wire, those are the only exposed outside connections.
And you are not leaving anything out like wet carpet in the cab so a water leak inside, right? lol

3rd party alarm could have a bad sensor that is reacting to rain or high humidity

Best bet is to look for and find the 3rd party alarm box and get the model numbers from it.
Then look up the install instruction for it, or take it to a shop that installs that model so they can either remove it or fix it.

Starter relay in engine fuse box is just a standard automotive relay so about $5, you could pull that out and make sure there is no corrosion on the pins, and just replace it on spec, I doubt it would be the problem, but stranger things can and do happen, lol.

 

Now it's having no issues and it's sunny out. My carpets did rot and I took out the ones on the front from a leak in my back window. Could that be affecting anything?

 

Maybe, there is a connector under the drivers seat that was a known issue for 2000 and 2001 Rangers

Google: 2001 ranger c340 TSB

Or just 2001 ranger c340

Connector C340 is for wiring going from the cab to the outside(underside) of the truck.
It was prone to corrosion but from water on the outside getting into the connector.

Not sure if starter circuit even uses that connector, so can't say if it would effect starting one way or the other

 

After market anti theft has no brand, serial, nothing.

 

My key is able to come out of the ignition when the truck is started, and the ignition also spins when no key is in it. Doesn't attempt to start the truck, but it does spin to start.

I looked up the sensors you were asking me to research but with no avail, i'm going to buy some new relays and see if that works.

If the ground is out on the aftermarket anti theft, and it's still showing the same symptoms as before, am I able to just take out the wires?

 

Can't say about the wiring for 3rd party alarms, no way to tell what results would be long term, just tape it up and put it out of the way for now.

 

RonD you are the man, thanks for being the only one to try and diagnose my issues! It was certaintly a weird oNE and I'm glad I didn't dump money into parts. Turns out whoever installed the aftermarket anti theft didn't do the wirING very well, I was able to just pull it out. This lead me to believe that the humidity in my truck from.the leak is getting into that lose connection when it rains aND is causin the short. Which now makes sense because this aftermarket anti theft isn't part of pats and that's why my fuel pump was engaginge with key in on. Fixed the wiring, sealed it nice and tight and I'm good to go! Thanks for the help Ron

TL;DR
After market anti theft was the problem

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Thanks for the update and compliment :)

But you did all the work and found the problem, so you get the "You da MAN!"