1988 ford ranger 2.9 L no spark still have power steering electronics just quit running changed coil module - could it be the pick up distributor or timing chain?

Answer 1

Follow these instructions at your own risk. If you do not feel comfortable performing a check or lack the knowledge to take necessary precautions please have repair performed by a professional. I am not sure what you mean by "still have power steering", if you have Power Steering I would think the engine is running. I will go on the assumption that the engine is not running. There are basically three parts involved to create the spark - the module, the pickup, and the coil. Since you have already changed the most failure prone part, let me give you some quick checks. 1. Remove the distributor cap and have someone crank the engine while watching to see if the rotor/shaft of the distributor is turning. If it is not turning the rollpin which holds the drive gear to the shaft may have broken, timing chain snapped, or a broken camshaft. If it is not turning, it is a small job to lift the driver's valve cover so you can see if the valve train is moving when the engine is cranked. 2. If the distributor is turning, using a testlight between ground and the negative side of the coil crank the engine while observing the testlight. Blinking light indicates the electronics are pulsing the primary side of the coil and if there is no spark it is likely the coil. You can force the coil to spark by grounding the negative side for a brief second while the key is on. The negative side is typically the one that only has one wire on the terminal. Each time you ground the coil it should spark. Only ground the coil for a second!! 3. If the testlight stays lit (it will dim slightly when cranking), the pickup is lilkely At Fault. The pickup is difficult to test so it is best to eliminate the other components first. 4. Additional information can be found at http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/TFI_Diagnostic.html

Answer 2

I have an 89 Ranger with the 2.9L, was driving on the highway and it just quit. I thought it was probably the timing chain, had it towed to a shop and he checked fuel pressure which was normal, found no spark condition. He tested the ignition coil, pickup coil, module and wiring for faults. Failure traced to the ignition control module. He also replaced the distributor cap, rotor, and coil wire. If you have a no spark condition I would recheck all these because I think if it is a broken timing chain you would still have spark. The ignition control module is at the base of the distributor cap. Assuming your ignition coil and ignition control module are good, try the pickup coil. Stay with the ignition system until you get spark.

i have the same problem with my 88 ranger changed distributor, rotor button, ignition coil, and tfi module, still no spark. If it is the timing chain it will not spark.