Hi all, new to this forum but I'm a Ranger fan after owning this for 2 years now. Never had any major issues but now when I turn the key it won't engage the starter... So to start, tested no power going to the starter fuse on key start. I did replace the starter before this thinking it was the starter ahaha. The relay below the glove box certainly does click on key start. Accessory does work. I can roll start it but no key start. On the new starter I did jump the relay and the new starter stuck on until the solder connections melted. What are the chances of a new reman starter being bad? I don't think it is but never know. That might help diagnose it, but I'm not an expert on electrical issues like this. When the starter stuck on it didn't catch the flywheel gear, it was just spinning freely... Any and all help is appreciated. I'll be happy to post the conclusion and results on further tests. I need this fixed, it sucks having to roll start all the time with a new starter Lol. Thanks! Glad to be on the forum. Ranger Danger!

 

Welcome to the forum

There are 2 starter relays
One in the engine fuse box, its activated by the Key turn to START, with clutch pedal DOWN
And one on the starter motor itself, this one is a relay/solenoid, the smaller tube on the bigger starter motor

The starter motor's relay/solenoid will have the larger battery positive cable hooked to the larger post on the relay/solenoid
Then the will be a smaller wire hooked to the "S" post, smaller post, on the relay/solenoid, this wire comes from the starter relay in the engine fuse box, this wire activates the relay/solenoid

What happens when its activated is that the solenoid part pulls back on a pivot arm that pushes OUT the starter motor's gear to engage the ring gear on the flywheel
When the solenoid is all the way back(gear all the way out) it connects the larger battery positive cable to the starter motor and it starts to spin the engine

If the starter motor was spinning but the engine was not then yes the new starters relay/solenoid is bad
But also very odd it didn't disconnect when starter relay power was cut off

Battery(12v)-------------ignition switch(in START)--------fuse 24(in cab)--------------Clutch switch---------------------------------------Starter relay(engine fuse box)---------ground

So fuse 24, 7.5amp, should have 12v with key in START, or ignition switch is bad, or fuse 1 or 5 in engine bay fuse box is bad, 50 amp, but nothing would work with key on

There is no relay in the cab associated with key in START.....................unless you have an alarm system, they do have a "disable start" relay, and that was an option in 1998 Rangers

The Starter Relay in engine fuse box should have 4 slots, can have 5 but just needs 4
Can look like this: https://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/...iring-840x.jpg
Or this: https://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/...lay-wiring.jpg

87A is not used/needed in this type of system

85 and 86 are used to activate a relay, one is a ground and the other 12volts to activate it, doesn't matter which is which, as long as there is a ground and 12v
One will be a full time ground in 1998, making the other one the 12v from key turned to START

30 and 87 pass the 12volts to the device being activated, so those are the 2 slots you would "jump" to test if device was working, starter motor in this case, it should activate and spin the engine if these 2 slots are jumps and then STOP spinning with jumper removed
If you have a test light or volt meter 30 or 87 will have 12volts all the time(key on or off doesn't matter), the "other" one goes to the "S" post on the starter relay/solenoid

 

Thanks abunch RonD, lightning fast response. Cab fuse 24 has power with key/on & 1 and 5 are good. Ignition switch is good (I also tried replacing with new already too). The 50 amp fuse blows on key/start on the first time trying to start now (more recently) but never used to do this before (the fuse is replaced with a 14ga wire now). Sounds like the clutch switch is still in question, might you know the correct way to jump this plug to test the switch? There is a relay under the glove box that clicks with key/start, I tried removing it and then starting (incase this is the alarm feature) but no start. I've swapped out all relays with known good relays & no changes. I tried jumping the starter relay from 30 - 87 and no start.

The first time I tried jumping the starter was from jumping the bolt studs from the starter solenoid itself quickly with a screwdriver. That's when the starter motor kicked on and stayed on until the solder connections melted and lost contact, and the starter gear never sprung out locked up to the flywheel, so it never turned over the engine. The 50-amp fuse did not start blowing because of this though, that happened quite a while after that.

I think the next step for now will be replacing the starter again and try jumping the relay from the engine bay starter relay going from 30 - 87 instead of jumping the solenoid on the starter and having the unexpected incident ahahah I'm used to using the solenoid on the passenger fender to jump with a screwdriver and this ranger doesn't have any other starter solenoids. I learned some very critical information about relays, very much appreciated!

Thanks, I really found great use of this critical information. I'll try to get this starter swapped asap.

 

Fuse 24 should ONLY have 12v with key in START, so that's a problem, if someone has swapped in a new 3rd party radio it maybe mis-wired, that can cause fuse 24 have 12v with key on

50amp fuse in engine bay, Fuse 5, feeds 12v to ignition switch, and also is used to activate starter relay/solenoid, "S" post, thru starter relay in engine fuse box

Clutch switch has 3 switches inside this one switch, each has 2 wires, when clutch pedal is pushed down all 3 switch are closed
At one end of the switch will be a white/pink wire and a pink wire, these are the START pass thru wires, white/pink wire comes from fuse 24, pink wire goes to starter relay in engine fuse box, when clutch pedal is down these 2 wires are connected

Other 4 wires can be for cruise control cut off(clutch pedal down) and Neutral detection for computer and/or 4WD

 

I think it's safe to say that there's a short or contact between wires somewhere between the ignition wire and the engine bay fuse block or between some other wires. Lots of unusual things happening. ABS and Park brake lights coming on, both 4x4 low and 4x4 high lights coming on (from key/start position). Also the 50 amp fuse blowing and mixed readings at the fuse block relay. The old starter is also bench tested and was not working right either, the gear doesn't kick out and it just spins.

Happy to say that it works now after I replaced the starter under warranty and wired the red/blue key ignition wire to a new relay under the dash. Fires right up like a champ now and the oversize 750cca AGM battery with brand new starter really makes quick work of it in cold weather. I did trim the battery box to fit this battery and I'm glad I did it fires up like a dream. This was done long ago but with the old starter it still never fires up like it does now.

THANKS FOR THE HELP, sincerely, this pointed me in the right direction. I am amazed by the help @RonD you are a ranger wizard.