Hello all I need help:
I was driving with bright lights on and had to dim the lights. When I turned bright lights off everything died. Coasting in the dark then out of nowhere ignition started again and with a loud back fire sounds like the muffler blew off but it didn't and continued to drive home. Truck now will only intermittently start. Checked all fuses (Good) Put a new battery in truck started but when I turned the lights on die again would not restart. Like it has a dead battery No cab light s etc. Took battery back to have it test New battery tested weak so replaced it. Installed another new battery cab light returned started engine. Turned on lights everything died again and do not any power at all and will not restart. Disconnected battery this time. Read on this forum found something similar talking about Duraspark module so ordered a new ignition control module. Couldn't find a voltage regulator except on the alternator.
Any other ideals out there?
All help appreciated!
1988 ranger 2.0-2.3l not positive which( oil vent/ fill cap towards firewall) carb 4x2 short bed.
Thanks Gigawatt

 

Welcome to the forum

Reads like a Battery Cable issue
Positive battery cable and poor connections on its post on the starter relay on inner fender, some call it starter solenoid, its a relay, lol

In any case follow the larger Battery Positive cable to the starter relay, one of the large posts, it will have several other wires with it on that one post

It cab look like this: https://www.fullsizebronco.com/attac...ay-jpg.172963/
You can see the RED battery positive cable on one larger post and on the same post 4 other wires, these 4 wires power ALL the systems in the vehicle
Well one is from the alternator which powers ALL the systems with engine on
So if these wires get corroded then NO VOLTAGE any where

Disconnect BOTH battery cables from the battery FIRST, then remove and clean all wires on that one post, COUNT THEM so you don't forget one
Then clean battery terminals and cables and reinstall




Voltage needs to flow in a Circuit(circle)
From Positive to Negative(actually goes the other way, lol)

If you hook up a 12v bulb to 12volt what happens?
Not a thing, if its not also connected to Negative(ground)
The 12v must be able to flow THRU the bulb to the Ground(negative) side
Thats the voltage part, the circle(circuit)

Now there is AMPs(wattage)
If a device needs 10amps but the 12v or ground wire can only carry 2 amps then device can not work, doesn't matter which wire can only carry 2 amps, its a "circle" so both sides must be able to flow 10 amps for device to work

If your vehicle only needs 25amps for engine systems, no head lights, and all the wiring and connections can support 25amps then all is OK
If you turn on the head lights and that adds another 10amps then you are at 35amps, if there is a poor connection that can only handle 30amps then it HEATS UP
When it heats up it causes all wires at that connection to fail at that moment, they can start to work again once they cool off..............maybe
But the problem is still there

So clean the connections

 

Thanks RonD,
I have checked and see no corrosion but I will clean anyways. Also all my ground wires to frame, starter, solenoid, and engine block look good too.