92 Ranger won't start

[MATT4]

Working, starting fine, now it won't. I've had the starter checked (fine), replaced the selonoid on the right fender, still nothing! Just get a clicking sound. All lights work, and car will start if pushed. Can't figure out the problem. Looks like only positive wire running to starter from selonoid on fender? Supposed to be this way or not? Need help quickly, stuck out of town.

[damudapuknbob]

sounds like you got a bad connection on your battery or a bad battery or alternator problems.

[Mark E M]

Matt, is this a stick?? if so then you have a safety switch on the clutch pedal that won't let engine start unless this switch is closed. located at top of pedal , close to dash wires. can't miss it. IF it is a n automatic then your netural safety switch is loose or bad. put in netural and jiggle the auto shifter around and see if it will start, on that switch two points need to make contact to complete the circuit. so the car will start. hope this helps. Later Mark.

[EVH5150]

Had a same problem you describe. My starter would start fine one day and then nothing another day, so I had to carry a hammer with me to tap the starter if it happened. Had the starter checked and they said it was fine. However it still happened. what it turned out to be is that the starter had a "dead spot" where if was sitting in a certain position would not start. So I replaced the starter. Just another possibility...

[MATT4]

Yep, so finally broke down and took the truck to a mechanic. It was about the simplest fix there could be: the damn ground from the battery wasn't touching anything...yeah, it had worked itself loose from where ever it was connected. If I had been parked down hill, the truck would have started fine. Hell! All I had to do was touch the wire to ANY piece of metal on the truck! AH! Thanks for the replies, though.

[roadbum]

Originally Posted by MATT4

Working, starting fine, now it won't. I've had the starter checked (fine), replaced the selonoid on the right fender, still nothing! Just get a clicking sound. All lights work, and car will start if pushed. Can't figure out the problem. Looks like only positive wire running to starter from selonoid on fender? Supposed to be this way or not? Need help quickly, stuck out of town.

I had this problem with my 96 Ranger. I thought of the solnoid on the fender like you (these are a common problem with Fords) Anyway, it was the solinoid plunger in the starter itself. You don't need to buy a whole new starter, just the solinoid part.

[oddsock]

Originally Posted by MATT4

Yep, so finally broke down and took the truck to a mechanic. It was about the simplest fix there could be: the damn ground from the battery wasn't touching anything...yeah, it had worked itself loose from where ever it was connected. If I had been parked down hill, the truck would have started fine. Hell! All I had to do was touch the wire to ANY piece of metal on the truck! AH! Thanks for the replies, though.

Thank you so much! This was exactly my problem today, I had no idea what to look for.

I came back from vacation to find a dead battery in my truck. No lights on, worked fine when I left... Wouldn't crank when jumped, no dome lights even. I replaced the battery, and got the same clicking noise you described. Thanks to you I found the loose ground wire attached to the frame. Maybe I pulled it loose when I changed the battery, or maybe it caused the problem with the first battery?