I am going to try to explain this as best as I can. Not very mechanically inclined, but will do my best.

I was driving the truck around 55 mph and dropped down a gear to gain speed. It did not respond and started to lose more power. I noticed that the temp gauge read hot so I pulled over on side of road and truck went dead... Let it sit for a while and tried to start engine. It would not start. My brother-in-law came to tow me home and he listened to the truck engine turning over. (He is supposed to be a mechanic) He told me he was sure it had jumped time and that he would replace the timing belt, put in time...etc etc.... Well... he didn't do it. So a friend and I started the task. When we got down to the timing cover coming off the timing marks might have been a tooth off from lining up on both gears. But we replaced the belt anyway. Tried to start truck. Would not start.
Later... we checked the fuel pressure... it was reading low So I replaced the fuel pump. Still won't start. Checked the coil packs to see if they read what Autozone has posted in a bulletin. They read within spec.
Does anyone here have any idea what it could be? Can't really afford to put it in shop right now. House burnt two weeks ago... If not for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all...lol

Any help will be greatly appreciated. If you have any questions about truck I will try to answer as best I can.

Thanks!

 

Welcome to the forum

Do a 50/50 test first, always do this test first when you have a no start.
Remove air tube from intake
Open throttle and spray gasoline or Quick Start(ether) into the intake/engine
Try to start engine

If it starts then dies you have a fuel delivery problem
If it doesn't start, then you have a spark or compression problem
50/50

Easy test that saves loads of time.........and money

So engine was running HOT, did you look for why it was running HOT?
Did fan belt break?
Was it low on Coolant?
Low on oil?

What was fuel pressure that "read low"?
Engine will run fine down to 20psi, spec is 30-40psi

"Dropped down a gear", manual trans or automatic?

 

Thanks for the reply...

Did the ether thing.. Still no start..

As for running hot... Yes. it was low on coolant.

Fuel pressure read 10 PSI... Also forgot to mention I changed fuel filter a couple of weeks ago.

Yes... Manual tranny...

 

So you have no spark or no compression

1995 Ranger spark control is in the engine computer, not a separate module, which is good because this rarely failed.

What "starts the ball rolling" on any distributorless engine is the Crank(CKP) Sensor
Computer doesn't "see" starter motor turning on, what it "sees" is the Crank sensor sending it pulses as the starter turns the crank/engine, these pulses have a "gap" that tells computer when #1 is ready for spark and fuel, that's what "starts the ball rolling"
Crank sensors rarely fail, pretty much never, but not off the table yet.

So what I would do now is crank engine a few times, then pull out 1 spark plug, easiest one to get to.
See if it's tip is wet with fuel, if so Crank sensor is working, fuel injectors are opening to start engine.
With spark plug out, crank engine, you should hear compression stoke pushing air out spark plug hole, can't miss it, it is loud
If spark plug is dry then you may have a failed CKP sensor, or computer

Center wire on each coil pack should get 12volts when key is turned on
Only exhaust side coil pack and spark plugs get spark when starter motor is on, just FYI
Intake side starts working after engine starts(RPMS above 400)

Fuse 19, 25amp, in cab fuse box powers coils, and computer, check it
When you turn on the key the CEL(check engine light) should come on, does it, that means computer is powering up so fuse is most likely OK

 

Thank you for the information... Will check that tomorrow and get back with you.