Hi, I'm new to the forum. I have a 1988 ford ranger supercab 2.3 l 5spd standard. It was good for 18 yrs. Now it has no spark, I have replaced distributor, and ecm, any suggestions. It was idling fine and it died. I tested the ignition coil and is good. Ignition control module came new with distributor. I replaced ignition module connector. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

NICE looking Ranger

Welcome to the forum

With key on does the coil have 12volts(battery volts)?

And because its a 2.3l with a Timing belt I have to ask
Does the distributor turn when cranking the engine?

Timing belts just break one day, there is no warning, and when they do no distributor, or cam, movement
Spec is to change the belt at 80k miles but they can last 100k


There are two #1 TDC's
Compression TDC and exhaust TDC, its a 4-stroke engine
You would still have spark just at the wrong time


And just FYI, the spark system is self contained, ECM is not used for spark, just fuel injection
Ignition module and coil just need 12volts and a ground to make spark, assuming distributor is turning

1988 would still have the 2 wire 12volt system from ignition swich
So if possible test for 12v at coil key on, and then 12v while starter motor is active, it may lose the 12v when key is in START, so no spark

ECM is used to replace the older style Vacuum Advance system but that's all, so ECM issue wouldn't cause no spark but could cause hesitation when engine is under a load, its the SPOUT wire

 

Timing belt is good. Distributor turns when cranking. I will check ignition coil voltage. There is also low compression in one piston. 90psi. The other 3 are above 130psi, but it was still running good. Sometimes it will idle rough when cold, but then will idle fine. Thanks for your support.

 

I've checked voltage at the ignition coil, 12 volt before cranking and +10 when cranking.

 

Then it should have spark, even if not timed correctly

How are you testing for spark?

 

Ignition spark tester. I checked voltage on the Ignition module connector 2nd, 4th and 5th wires have 12v turning key on, not cranking

 

To test spark "tester" hook it to the Coils wire that goes to center of distributor
Turn on the key
Then unplug the coil and it should spark, or shut off the key

Any and all ignition coils are powered up with key on
Gets 12v but TFI Module(any ignition module) also Grounds it, this charges up the secondary coil
To get a coil to spark you just need to cut the power and it will release a spark being held in the secondary coil

In most setups the Ground wire is what it used to cut power to the coil, its a carry over from the bad ol' days when Points were used in a distributor, just safer to use the ground as the cut off in a spinning METAL device, lol

The TFI module uses a 12v hall effect sensor inside the distributor that can "read" a window/vane wheel that spins with the rotor
This causes the TFI to cut the ground to the coil then reconnect it to the ground to charge up coil again
With Key on the TFI should ground the coil with no RPMs detected(nothing from hall effect sensor)
So key on and then key off should spark the COIL itself one time