So I got a '91 ranger a week ago for $600 and...
-got all new pads/rotors/drums/shoes/calipers and BRAKE LINES
-had some starter issues, but I'm waiting on it
-got a belt squeak, but I'll work on it this weekend
-had a dead headlight, but I replaced it
-had 12-20lbs of air in each of the tires, but filled it up

So the newest qualm are the turn signals. When I push the lever, the turn signal light just stays on constantly. It doesn't oscillate on and off.

Any idea where to start looking? Dead bulb? Flasher?

 

normally its a bad bulb

 

Pull each turn bulb out, one at a time. When it starts flashing, that's the bad bulb.
If that doesn't work, put you finger on the flasher housing, a truck that old should have a mechanical flasher, you should FEEL it click.

 

I checked all the turn signal bulbs, and all of them would stay on constantly...so I don't think any of them were dead.

So I took out the old flasher, and put in a new one: kazam! it worked.

I took out the new flasher and put in the old one: it stopped working.

So my guess is that it was exclusively the flasher. But I replaced it for $8 at autozone, and now it works.

To anyone else with this problem on the '91 ranger: it's as easy as pulling out an old plug, and putting in a new one. To get to the old flasher, drop down the fuse box underneath the steering wheel and look towards the bottom right hand corner of the box after you take off the cover. The flasher should be right there (you really can't miss it). Simply pulll it, and it'll come out. Push the new one in, and you're done.

Thanks guys

 

Yup you got a bad flasher, if a bulb is blown it will blink but at a accelerated rate.