kishy's 1985 Ranger

[kishy]

make sure the crank sensor connections are good. The 4.6 cars get randomly shitty like this when the CPS plug gets crusty.

The connectors are spotless, look brand new. I'm leaning towards the crank sensor being good though.

As a further update with the no-start not resolved:

Fuel pressure is a very stable just-north-of 40PSI. If fuel is turned off (inertia switch) with fuel pressurized, and the engine is cranked with ignition on, the pressure drops in very crisp, precise drops, as the injectors open and close. This tells me the computer is seeing the signal from the crank position sensor, otherwise it would not be opening injectors.

My timing light is not flashing on any plug, consistently, when cranking. It may occasionally blink but not with any regularity.

With the exhaust side plugs out of the head and fuel and ignition turned on, the engine spits fire out of the plug wells. Thus, the intake side plugs are firing sufficiently to ignite the a/f mix.

However, the spark at the plugs is a weak sickly yellow colour. This suggests there may just not be enough voltage hitting the plugs which might point to the coilpacks (but really, two coilpacks? and on both pairs of outputs?) or power supply to the coilpacks (ign module suspect or ignition switch voltage drop). This suspected low spark voltage is probably why my timing light is not flashing.

Replaced the ignition switch since I had one, and since the old one was known to be junk from past experience, and saw no change. But at least the issue should be gone where I can wiggle the key to turn the accessory circuit off.

We've got fuel, we've got air, and we've got spark but not very good spark.

Some additional testing focusing on the ICM and coilpacks will follow.

[BigMerc96]

I'd offer up my spare coil packs, but I forgot they are currently running my Lincoln. That is, assuming that motor takes the same 2 coils as a Aero 4.6 like I know the later twin-spark 2.3s did.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Weak coils could definitely cause the sickly colored spark.

[kishy]

Got junkyard ICM (newer aftermarket, which is a good sign). Did not fix issue. Spark might be better than I remembered it being, but...I dunno.

Fiddled around with a bunch of random stuff and finally did a compression test. A very even approx 60-65PSI on all cylinders.

It's way too level across all 4 to be the head gasket, rings, or valves, because those issues would make it vary from cylinder to cylinder. Suspect cam timing is off.

Not sure how or why it ran before, but the compression speaks to why it isn't starting the engine but how it shot flames out of the plug wells. It is putting fuel in, and it is putting spark in, and fire is happening, but the fire is not happening at the right time on the cam for anything helpful to come of it.

[DerekTheGreat]

Aren't these supposed to only fire one bank of plugs during ignition?

Check power to the ECM. When the Mark VII died at homeless depot I tested for spark and it was sickly yellow too. Turned out the ECM relay was spotty. Shop also replaced TFI harness as they said it was corroded. IDK, it ran after that but the timing was way advanced and I never figured that shit out before I sold it.

Also, did you verify timing now that the thing won't run? I suspect that is also off like you do.

[GM_Guy]

My favorite, rule out the obvious check; connect a jumper cable between the engine and battery negative to make sure ground is good.

[kishy]

So, those timing marks are little bastards. And they lie. At least they do on this engine.

I had to use the (nonexistent) timing marks that exist on my 2.0 to set the timing on this 2.3 correctly. It was about 4 teeth out from correct because:

1 - when I set it, I missed the triangle mark by 2 teeth (oops), and
2 - I had to time it off the old school timing pointer instead of the triangle (cam key pointing straight down)

The markings to correctly time my engine do not exist. This is probably the result of the mish-mash of years of parts that went into it.

The easy way to do it (and what I did) is with the cam timing mark centerline aligned with a straight line between the center lines of both the cam and oil pump pulleys. That got me to a 140PSI (dry) compression result.

Progress for today is very good. It runs and drives!

Ignition module thermal paste re-applied.

Rad flush and distilled water in engine with heater core not in the circuit. Hoping to clean the inside of the block.

Made a new ground connection to the frame rail where the new fuel sender harness wants to be grounded.

Oilsprayed (Rust Check) inside frame rail beside fuel tank.

Fuel tank reinstalled; driveshaft reinstalled. Fuel float has decided to act up again but I'll survive.

Also received a new ignition switch the other day.

Ziptied the throttle cable in place (and many other things) and took it for a drive. Drives awesome. Tons more power than before.

Still need to put some finishing touches on, such as mounting the air cleaner and reinstalling the hood, and tighten up the exhaust, but this is almost road-ready.





2.0 timing pointer:


2.3 after timing correctly (notice it doesn't point at anything, but that's where the 2.0 pointer would be):

[DerekTheGreat]

Cool. I knew 90psi was too damn low.

I love the 2.3 in twin plug config. My brother's '97 was fabulous with it's regular cab config paired with a 4.11.

Where did you end up making the ECM live?

[kishy]

Cool. I knew 90psi was too damn low.

I love the 2.3 in twin plug config. My brother's '97 was fabulous with it's regular cab config paired with a 4.11.

Where did you end up making the ECM live?

60!

The 3.45 rear end could be better, but first gear already goes by pretty fast, so...it's fine.

ECM is currently sitting on the driver side fender apron, secured only by the wiring attached to it. That's one of the finishing touches. A friend suggested a surplus ammo box might be a good weathertight container for it and the eventual remote starter that's going to live beside it. A big Ziplock bag and zipties will suffice otherwise.

[87gtVIC]

Nice work. Mixing parts can always be troublesome. Glad you figured it out.

[gadget73]

Did you punch some new marks to indicate where the gears actually need to be for next time?

Damn handy these aren't interference motors, otherwise that would have ended badly. Those type make me nervous. I always spin the engine over slowly with a breaker bar before attempting a startup. Not so likely to bash things up that way.

[kishy]

No marks. It's aligned the old-school 2.0/2.3 way with the mark on the centerline of the bolts for the cam and aux shaft. Easy peasy.

Amazingly, it ran in that 60PSI state.

[DerekTheGreat]

How long do you think before you're out and about in that thing now?

[kishy]

How long do you think before you're out and about in that thing now?

Hood went on last night, got my new junkyard tires mounted, and drove it to work today.

Planning to change the oil and drain the rad flush before I put too many km on it but I'll likely be doing my next junkyard run in it (and picking up that axle).

[DerekTheGreat]

Oh yeah. I forgot that was back there. I see your exhaust every other day just about. You taking that too? No rush on any of that, just curious is all. I'll probably be headed to the yard Saturday to see about that Town Car. In desperate need of a Mark VII with JBL stuff so I can get replacement speakers for Ashley's truck. Also need a early 90's Conti for the same reasons. Turns out their rear speakers are same size as her F150's.