1995 Ranger 4.0 XLT 4WD.
Need help diagnosing possible starter issue. On my fourth starter in about 5 years, the longest has lasted less than two years and the latest one lasted two days. Symptoms are always the same. Turn key and can hear the solenoid hit but nothing happens. No crank at all. What confuses me is that taping the starter with a hammer will always get it started. What else could be causing this random issue.
thank you.

 

If its been the same brand then change brands

The solenoid(smaller round tube) on the starter motor is both solenoid and relay
When activated the solenoid part pushes the stater motors gear out to engage ring gear(flywheel)
When solenoid has moved it all the way out it then connects main positive battery cable to starter motor, the relay part, which should get starter motor to spin and crank the engine over

Tapping it with a hammer and having start to work could be two things
The solenoid is sticking, moving all the way, not pushing gear out so no relay connection and no starter motor spinning
Or
Brushes on the motor are not staying in contact with the rotor in the motor
Electric motors have 2 spring loaded brushes that pass electricity to the rotor part, the part that spins, they do wear out but not in 2 years, but they can stick in their guides so one is not in good contact with rotor

In either case tapping on case can "free up" the stuck part

 

Would you say your Ranger is normally hard to start and it needs increased starting to get her going?

Make sure you got a good ground from the battery to the starter housing and also ground strap from engine to firewall. I just recently replaced both my battery cables with those molded ones from Oreillys (i hated those cheap connections that exposed the copper wiring) and my starter efficiency is so much better! Better life no doubt..

Pressure washing the engine bay or wheel well area on driver side can get water in the starter...

 

Hi I have a 96 ranger. I was driving the other day and my truck suddenly started to shift funny then started losing power then just died. I tried starting it again and it just clicked once. Got it towed home. Notice my negative battery was damaged and had wires showing so I replaced it. Still just a click. Figured the starter was no good so I replaced it. Now just multiple clicks. Tested the battery cause I knew it was old it was at 11.5 v. Replaced anyways. Engine slowly turn over then went back to multiple clicks. From there I have replace the starter relay, the ignition switch and the neutral safety switch. And just one click. I have run out of ideas not sure what is going on.

 

Welcome to the forum

You should start your own thread

What engine do you have?
1996 had 3 options
2.3l 4cyl
3.0l OHV V6
4.0l OHV V6

It reads like your oil pump failed and you spun a main bearing
remove spark plugs, 4 on the 4cyl, 6 on either V6
Try to turn engine by hand using socket wrench on crank pulley bolt, should spin easily, if not then spun main bearing, need another engine or a rebuild

 

It is a 3.0 v6. If it was a spun bearing would it still crank but just making a knocking noise. It's just one click coming from the starter.

 

Spun bearing could be so bad that it melts and has bonded to the journal surface which causes so much friction. Ron advises to turn the engine over by hand with a socket wrench, if you can turn it over easily, you know that its not friction from the engine that is causing the starter to not work correctly. Simple test but very important.

 

Other things to check afterwards that come to mind (after you rmade sure engine isnt seized):

That new negative cable that you just replaced, the other end is connected to the starter bolt at the bellhousing?
Positive cable in good condition? Clean connection at battery terminal? Clean connection to starter solenoid on firewall?
Check positive cable that runs from solenoid on fender to starter. Make sure that cable is not grounding out or broken. Connections good?
That new battery healthy? Even new batteries can be bad.
Same with starter, it could be bad.
Not sure if you replaced the starter solenoid relay on the starter or the one that is mounted on the fender by the battery?

Best thing to do is go back and troubleshoot

 

The 3.0l Vulcan engine had a known issue with Cam sensor synchronizer bushing, it would start to squeak and needed to be replaced sooner than later

Drawing here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...grams/cmp2.JPG

This sits at the top rear of engine, behind intake manifold, in 1995 it will have a 3 wire connector
The gear in the drawing at lower end is turned by the Cam shaft
The very lower part drives the oil pump.........................
If this synchronizer should fail then oil pump stops
When oil pump stops there is no oil circulation to cool the bearings in the engine
Bearings get hot and "spin" in their journals, this slows down the engine, so it starts to lose power and eventually stalls/stops
Because it is now hard to spin starter motor can't turn it, so you get just a click with key in START, or barely turns a few times with fully charged battery



Electrically there is no connection between engine running and starter motor
When engine is running the alternator provides ALL the electricity for the vehicle

The battery is only there to start the engine

So if engine stalled because of an electrical issue you would still be able to crank it using the battery and start motor, separate system, it might not start but would still crank fast, if there was an electrical issue with engine system