I recently done a motor and transmission swap on a 97 Ranger 2.3. After all was put in and bled...no crank no start no nothing....not even a click. My lights and radio come on but when turning the key...dead silence. I had replaced the starter solenoid where it had tested bad but still nothing. I had noticed that the ground cable from manifold to firewall was loose so when I went to undo the nut...the whole bolt came out (and I can't get the 2 separated so decided to put new ground cable in a new location). But when I did I still got nothing. Where am I going wrong and what should I look for/do differently? This for has me banging my head.

 

Welcome to the forum

Check Fuse #24 in cab fuse box, 10amp, it will have 12v and activate starter relay when key is turned to START

Manual or automatic?

A Manual transmission has a Clutch pedal switch that prevents starting unless clutch pedal is all the way down
A 1997 automatic has has a DTR switch on the shift arm(driver's side of transmission) that only allows starting in Park or Neutral

12volts--Ignition switch(in START)---------fuse 24---------------------------------safety switch-----------------------------------starter relay

A 1997 Ranger could have an anti-theft system/alarm
It added a second "safety switch", a theft relay

12volts--Ignition switch(in START)---------fuse 24----------(theft relay)-----------------------safety switch-----------------------------------starter relay

If you have an automatic then try starting in Neutral instead or Park, sometimes the DTR switch is out of alignment so doesn't get pulled fully into Park so no crank

You can only use a 1995-1997 2.3l or 1998-2001 2.5l engine and transmission in a 1997, 1994 and earlier or 2002 and up can't be used, just FYI

 

It's a 5 speed manual.

 

And is fuse 24 OK?

Do you think you have an alarm system?

By starter relay you mean the inner fender mounted relay with the 2 larger posts on it?
If so it should have a red/blue stripe wire that is connected to a smaller post on this relay, this red/blue wire comes from the clutch switch and activates this relay when it has 12volts

Some of these relays can have TWO smaller posts, if so they will be labelled "S" and "I", red/blue wire must be on the "S" post

If you don't see the red/blue wire then thats your problem, find it and hook it up