So I had issues about a month ago, I would turn the key and I would get a click. Turned out my battery cables and terminals were corroded. I cleaned the cables (got em as close to copper colored as I could) and replaced the terminals and the truck ran for another two weeks. Then it wouldn't start anymore. I did the hammer to the starter thing and I was able to get it home. I then replaced the starter and it was okay again. Fast forward a month and now it does the click again and went start. I took the battery to the Advanced and the guy said the battery was low but still good. I left it there to charge. When I came back the guy (a different dude) said it was overcharged. I try starting it again, no go. So I buy a new battery, still nothing. At this point I put a multimeter on the old battery while its connected and it reads 12.36 (which I read means its on its last leg) I checked it again at home while it was on its own and it reads 12.48 now. Don't know what it means.
So im thinking its the alternator, I buy one, replace it and STILL nothing. I take the old alternator to Autozone and they tell me its no good. So, I guess I was gonna need one anyway?
I am including a picture of the dashboard when I insert the key and turn slightly, and once I try to start it up it makes a click.
Please help guys, I have no idea where to go from here.

 

Welcome to the forum

What YEAR Ranger?
Always include that in and questions and engine size as well

I think its a 1997

You have a Volt meter so you can test the charging system wiring
Key OFF
Test battery volts, say its 12.3v, this is the REFERENCE voltage number you need

Put volt meters black probe on alternators metal case as the ground
Put red probe on B+ terminal, on back of alternator, a stud nut connection(do not disconnect for test), should see Battery voltage exactly
If 0 volts you have a Blown Fusible link
If low volts then its a corroded connection on the Fusible link or starter relay, or bad ground
Move Black probe to Battery negative and retest
If volts are higher then you have a bad Ground cable to engine
If volts are still low then corroded B+ wire

Now unplug the 3 wire connector on alternator, this is for the internal voltage regulator
Same ground point, alternators metal case

Test Yellow/white stripe wire, should see Battery volts exactly
If not then blown Fuse #6(15 amp) in engine fuse box, this is the monitor voltage

Test Light Green/red stripe wire
Should see 0 volts

Turn key ON, engine off
Retest Light Green/red stripe wire
Should now see Battery volts can be a few points less, i.e. if it was 12.3v then 12.1v is expected
This is the Battery Light wire/circuit, also the ON/OFF switch for alternator

If all wires test with correct voltages plug 3 wire connector back in
Start engine, if possible
test battery voltage
Should see 14.2 to 14.8 volts, alternator is working, if not alternator is BAD, period, regardless of tests at parts store
Let engine idle for 5-8 minutes
Retest battery voltage
Should now be under 14volts, 13.5 to 13.9volts is expected, voltage regulator is working
If alternator stays above 14volts it will COOK the battery, literally, it boils away fluid inside, so bad voltage regulator


Test startup
Put volt meter on battery, get voltage, say 12.3v
Turn key to START, if starter engages volts should drop to 10.3v, 2 volt drop, battery is OK, if voltage drops under 10v then battery is not OK
If no starter then starter is bad or the battery cable to it is bad
But test the Starter Relay on inner fender first
You will see a red/light blue stripe wire on a smaller terminal of the starter relay, unplug this wire
Put volt meters red probe on this wire and black probe on battery negative
Turn key to START, you should see 12v on this wire
If not then clutch switch or automatics neutral switch is not working

If you have the 12volts on red/blue wire then it back in
You should see a Red wire on one of the larger posts of the relay, it will have other wires on this post, Red wire is from battery positive, test if this post shows 12v, if not then this battery positive cable is bad

You should see a smaller black wire on one of the larger posts of the relay, it will be by itself, no other wires on that post
Test if this post has 12volt with key turn to START
If so, and no starter motor activation then this wire is bad or starter motor is bad

"New" means never tested, not "it works", so grain of salt on ALL "new" parts
I have read posts of people going thru 2 or 3 "NEW" starter motors or alternators to get one that stays working

So best you can do is to test YOUR vehicles wiring, if it all checks out the the "part" is bad, new or old, its bad

 

1997 2wd 2.3l

 

Thank you

I added to above post

Also 1997 Ranger "can have" a factory alarm system, usually that would come ONLY if you have Keyless entry, i.e. Fobs
Factory alarm has a second starter relay that would disable starting if alarm was activated
But there should be other signs if there is an alarm and it was activated

 

Thank you for all your help! and no, no keyless entry.

Im about to go ride my bike to where my truck is, one question though, on the multimeter do I keep it at the same setting as when I tested battery? DC at 20v?

 

Yes, DC Volts, 20volt max is fine for automotive testing

 

So, I tested battery like you said: 12.44
stud nut connection w/ black probe on alternator 12.44
w/ black probe on negative battery 12.44
3 wire connector:
Yellow: 12.44
Green: 0
White: 0.45 (SO COULD THIS BE A BLOWN FUSE?)
with key ON
Green: 12.25

Then I did the test startup thing
before trying to start: 12.21
when I turn the key: 12.03

Then I got lost on the starter relay stuff since I didn't see blue wire or anything. just a red in a black plastic casing.

this is a pic of a what I think the relays is but it has multiple wires connected to it. FYI I took this pic after I had removed the piece with the two holes in it pictured below the relay.





EDIT

and if the white wire being low voltage means I need a new 15 amp fuse would it be the one in the diagram that says alternator system?thanks for all the help

 

White wire on 3 wire connector can't be tested(well there is no static test for it), only the yellow/white stripe wire and green/red wires can be tested
So ignore the white wire, its just a jumper wire but does need to be connected from 3 wire connector to single tab on back of alternator

In your picture the wire with the 90deg RED rubber connector is the red/blue wire, should show 12volt ONLY when key is turned to START, this activates this Relay

Put the dual rubber connector back in place on the 2 larger posts
Lower large post in picture should show 12volts all the time, with that connector and any other wires back in place, there should be a battery positive cable on that lower post as well

Upper post should show 12v in START only, this wire is connected to the smaller post on the starter motor's solenoid(the smaller cylinder on top of the starter motor)

 

Okay, so the upper post is showing 11.6v, that’s no bueno right?

thanks again for all your help man!

 

Upper larger post showing 11.6v when key is turned to START is OK, it means starter relay is working, starter motor should activate or at least make a "click" noise

But your battery voltage must be very low, under 12volts
Expect battery voltage with key off is 12.3v to 12.8volts
12.8v is a new battery
12.5v is a 3 year old battery
12.3v is a 5/6 year old battery<<< time to shop for battery sales

12.2v or lower is a drained or failing battery

 

See that's the thing, this is a brand new battery. I have yet to get the truck started on this new battery. What would you suggest? taking it back?
I still have my old battery as well, I was kinda holding off on getting my core charges back until I could get the truck going again.
Also, do you think my issue could be my battery cables? I mean I doubt the trucks not starting because the battery isn't at peak charge right?

 

12.38v is still OK especially since, I assume, you have been at this for awhile and battery hasn't been charged since engine hasn't started

Is the starter making the "click" noise?

Starter motor should have 2 wires hooked up
Larger cable to larger post on starter
Then a smaller wire, from that upper post(11.6v), to smaller "S:"post on starter motor, thats what activates the starter motor, and makes it "click"

Picture of starter motor here: https://www.vintage-mustang.com/atta...00-jpg.640002/
Battery post is where the larger cable connects, it should have 12volts all the time
The smaller post with black wire on it is the "S" post and would connect to that upper(11.6v) post on starter relay

 

ill have to get under there and take a look. When I switched the starter out I put everything back to the way it was but I did have to splice the new wire to the old one (the smaller one I think). maybe its a faulty connection there? What kind of connector would you suggest for that?

 

The butt connector it comes with is fine to use, I just did my starter and it is a pain to strip the existing wire and then hold it while you crimp it, lol, but does need a good connection or starter won't activate

IF you are CAREFUL, vehicle in PARK or NEUTRAL!!!!
You can use a jumper wire on the back of starter motor, and touch the jumper to larger cable post, it has 12v all the time, and then to the smaller wire post, starter should activate

If not then no 12volts at larger cable post, test that
Or starter motor is bad, new or not

 

so, I accidentally broke the part that has the solenoid cable by over tightening it. I took the starter back to the store and they gave me a new one and now the truck started.... lol. I bought that starter in mid April.


Ive started the truck a few times now and now its making some weird grinding noise every time it starts. Have you ever experienced something like that?

EDIT: just googled it and it says the starter could be damaged. :(

 

Good stuff

Make sure starter motor is tight, it may have shifted after first few starts, it will grind if its not tight

You have a 1997 2.3l, not sure if there were 2 models of starters
On some years manual trans starter was different than automatic trans
And the boxes can often be mislabelled
I would look up your year and engine to see if there were 2 different models

 

man, I went back under there loosened them and made sure to tighten them properly and it still makes a weird noise when I crank it. You think it will damage anything else if I keep starting it like this? or would you just go get another starter?

 

I would get another starter, and I would also try to get a refund and get another brand if they have one
Confidence in whatever brand you are getting now it fading FAST, lol

 

Man, it was a Carquest remanufactured from Advance just like the one before it. I think im going to give a brand new Carquest one a shot. If its another dud I think ill just switch auto parts stores. Thanks again for the help buddy.