First I bought this truck with the conversion already done and drove it home where I have been working on it for close to 2 years. It always started when I needed to move it, 2 weeks ago it would not start. At first it looked like the PATS anti theft, no crank or click from the starter and could not here the fuel pump come on. I went through a reset procedure, no luck. changed fuse # 24, it had a 7.5 amp fuse in it that checked good but the Chilton manual for the Merc. called for a 10 amp so I installed a new 10 in it, hit the key and got a click from the starter but no crank. Battery showed 11.5 volts so I charged it for about an hour. now I can not even get a click. I have looked for a starter solenoid but it is not on the driver side fender apron as shown in the Chilton book. Don't know where to go from here. Need to try some thing else but not sure where to go from here, don't want to get a new starter and change that if there is something else I can check.

 

Welcome to the forum

The starter solenoid is on the starter motor

The starter relay that is activated by the key turned to START is in the engine fuse box
This is the relay PATS disables by not grounding it
Fuse 24 gets 12volts with key turned to START, the 12volt goes thru that fuse and to starter relay in engine fuse box, it PATS has grounded the relay it will "click" closed and send 12volts to the starter solenoid/relay(on starter motor) and start motor will activate

Your battery voltage could be the issue
On any vehicle when you activate the starter motor you will have a 2 to 2.5volt DROP in battery voltage, starter motors draw 60-75amps
Also battery cables, the big ones for positive and negative, if they get corroded then the AMPs need to start DOUBLE, so there are not enough AMP left and voltage drops in the toilet

If voltage drops too much the Computer AND PATS resets as soon as you turn the key to START, a brown out in voltage, a common issue with Anti-theft systems like this
And just a heads up, if you try to start engine 3 or 4 times like this the Computer will go into lock down mode, and won't work for 90min or so even if you fix the problem

A good battery is 12.3v to 12.8volts after sitting for a few hours AFTER charging, charging gives a false higher voltage
A battery that's 12.2v or lower has either been drained for awhile or is too old, batteries last 5 or 6 years12.8v is new battery
12.5v is 3 year old battery
12.3v is 5/6 year old battery and time to shop for battery sales, in cold weather it won't start engine

 

Thanks for the reply! the battery is a couple months old, something is drawing it down, not sure what. there is a relay panel under the dash just above my right foot and a little inboard a bit, the top forward relay is always worm so that could be the cause of the battery voltage, swapped it with one from the eng compt. panel and still the same thing. I have new cable ends at the battery, AutoZone bolt together clamps that could be the issue? I will let the charger stay on longer and let it sit overnight and try again tomorrow. thank you again, will let you know how that works.

 

Its called Relay Box 1, just above gas pedal: https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ran...f26c9b27c1.jpg

There are a few different layouts for it, even in the same year, its an options thing

If top relay was Blue it was for 4-way and turn flasher
But can be battery saver relay
Pull relay out and see what doesn't work

 

This is what my relay panel looks like. It's the relay with the green tape on it.

 

Diagram below

This diagram shows slots under the relays, so 5 slots/pins per relay

So that would be battery saver relay, pull it out and no interior lights
And it should stay on for 20-30min after key off and doors closed, and then it will cut power to interior lights if one was left on so battery won't drain
The GEM(body computer) control this relay and timer to shut it off
It comes back on when a door is opened

Its powered by fuse 26 in cab fuse box

 

ok still trouble shooting this same problem. Thought it might be the start safety switch so I got a new trans range selector and with the shifter in neutral I pugged the new TRS into the harness with the alignment marks lined up on the new switch and left it hanging on the wires, still no crank. found there was no power going to the start relay, rechecked fuse 24 in the cab fuse box, it is good and gets power when the switch is turned to start. Bad fuse panel or eng pwr distribution box or wiring between the 2 panels???

 

The starter relay in engine fuse box should have a 12v slot 24/7(all the time), direct from a maxi fuse in engine bay fuse box, usually 40 or 50amp fuse

Then there is a second slot that will have 12v only with key turned to START, this is from fuse 24 and runs thru the DTR switch on transmission

The fuse 24 12v runs to DTR switch on a Pink wire(or pink/white)
Then if in Park or Neutral that 12v is sent out of DTR on a tan/red wire to the starter relay's base in engine bay fuse box

Fuse 24----------------(pink)----------------DTR-------------------(tan/red)-----------------------------starter relay--------PATS---------ground

Starter relay won't work unless PATS grounds the starter relay FIRST

 

Like I had said before thought it might be the safety switch now I have jumped the start safety switch pink/white wire that showed 12 volts to the tan/red wire to the starter relay base, no crank. I have the always hot terminal 12 volts, ant two other terminals showing ground, and one terminal always open. pats light working as it should, jumped the solenoid at the starter and it fires up. also activated the relay using a 9 volt radio battery and it works fine, just don't have the 12 volts to actuate the start relay. Open wire from the safety switch splice to the relay base ? Is there anything else in this circuit I should be looking for?

 

The starter relay in the engine fuse box needs to be grounded, that was done by PATS on most years, but maybe not on your year
Pull out the relay and look at its pins

It will probably look like this one: https://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/...iring-840x.jpg
May or may not have 87A pin

Pins 85 and 86 are what activate the relay, any relay, one needs to be a ground and the other one 12volts to activate
Use a test light or volt meter
Key OFF
Hook light/meter to battery positive
Use other probe to test 85 and then 86 slot for a Ground, i.e. would read 12volt on meter or light would come on bright
If not found then thats the problem

You will first need to find out which slot has 12v with key turned to START, 85 or 86, so hook meter/light to battery negative, and turn key to START one slot will be 12v
The other slot needs to be grounded full time

If there is a grounded slot, 85 or 86, not the others, then test for the 12v with key turned to START, if no 12v then the pathway from ignition switch to relay is bad

Ford also used this type of relay: https://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/...iring-840x.jpg

Same numbering just the pins/slots are different layout, 85 and 86 are still what activates the relay, when there is 12v and a ground

Pins 30 and 87 are the "wires" that are connected when relay is activated, the LOAD wires
In this relay set up one will have 12volts all the time, you can test for that
The Other slot goes to starter motor, you can jump 30 and 87 with relay out and starter should come on

All relays use these odd numbers, just FYI

 

ok looks like the ign switch or open wire to 86 from the switch.. 85 is ground all the time. is the wire from 86 the same color at the switch as it is on the relay terminal? I will look at this in the morning again.
thanks for the help!

 

Yes, should be tan/red wire coming from DTR switch on drivers side of transmission to slot 86

Fuse 24----------------(pink)----------------DTR-------------------(tan/red)-----------------------------86(starter relay)85----------------ground


Up to about 2002 all Rangers were wired for manual transmissions, so all will have a Clutch switch plug in above brake pedal area(where clutch pedal would be)
In an automatic that clutch switch would have a Jumper set plugged into it, with Starter activation wires sent out of cab to the DTR
At the clutch switch there would be a white/pink IN from fuse 24 OR a white/purple IN
And then a Pink OUT to DTR switch