Hello. Just joined so bare with me. I got a 87 ranger 5 speed manual really beautiful truck. Haven't done much to it because The starter stops working constantly I’ve had to replace starter like 5 times and the fly once. I want to make it a everyday summer go off-road kind of truck but I need it to be reliable first. Anyone know where i should start.

First stared fixing her


All clean and running good for about 2 months

 

Welcome to the forum

If the starter motor is just not working, powering up, then its an electrical issue, not a mechanical issue
This would usually be the "neutral switch", which on a manual would be the Clutch switch, or could be ignition switch or Starter Relay

There were some common mechanical starter motor issues in those years, on 2.8L and 2.9L Rangers, also B2s
Usually "grinding" noise because ring gear and starter gear didn't mesh

Do you remember if the Block Plate was there when you changed the flywheel?
Its the thin metal plate between engine and bellhousing, it serves two purposes, as a spacer and to align starter motor and ring gear
Block plate looks like this: https://www.therangerstation.com/Mag...anual/ts50.jpg
You should have an FM-145 transmission in a 1987 Ranger 4x4

It often got left off when clutch was done by previous owners, these are engine/transmission specific

I think the manual and automatics used the same nose and gear in 1987, but look it up to make sure
You can try shimming the starter, thin washers between starter and bellhousing

 

The plate is there the clutch was replaced once by me its got less then 50k miles on it and how would i figure out if the clutch switch is bad or the relay.

 

Well whats the symptoms?

Does the key not activate the starter, electrical issue
OR
Does the starter grind, mechanical issue

If electrical then on the starter relay, inner fender in engine bay, often called a starter solenoid, there will be a red/blue stripe wire on a small post of this relay, this comes from the key/ignition switch, it activates this relay when this wire has 12volts
Take the wire off the relay
Put a grounded test light or a volt meter on this wire so you can see it from the cab
Then repeatedly turn the key to START(engine won't crank)
Make sure you see the light or 12volt EVERY TIME
That would mean the ignition switch and neutral switch are both reliable and working
If it does NOT work every time then its a problem in ignition switch or neutral switch

With Key OFF and trans in NEUTRAL!!!!
Use a jumper wire from battery positive to "S" post on starter relay, the small post the red/blue wire was attached to
Each time that post gets 12v the starter should activate
If its not activating each time then replace relay

There can be 2 smaller posts on these relays, an "S" and an "I" post, they will be labeled, only the "S" post is used, "I" post was used on older Points distributor spark systems

 

For grinding issue

Google: 2.9 starter grinding ford bronco ranger solution video

2min video, and makes sense

The block plate and bolt holes are worn, and are letting the starter nose move sideways, away from the ring gear, so gears can't get enough "bite"

That, and I just like the idea of hitting things with a hammer to fix them, lol

You may be able to install 1/2 bushings in the starter bolt holes to force the nose inward towards ring gear