I took the ranger out yesterday, it ran fine like it should. Just hopped in to leave today and it started to crank then no power at all.
Tried the lights and for ways, and got nothing.
Turned the key off, and had a bizarre rapid clicking noise from the dash I can longer replicate.
Battery tests good, charger seems to be having no effect.
Tried to roll start in reverse with the key in the on position, it chugged like it wanted to start them b nothing. No lights, no anything.
Hard to troubleshoot "nothing" for me.
The theft light blinks occasionally very weakly, but no signs of electricity anywhere else.
Got another half crank after wiggling the cable.
Looks like there is some corrosion at the positive terminal. Guess I know what I'm doing in the morning then. Hopefully just crimping on a new terminal will do it, I can only follow one of the legs on the positive
Battery cable. This drove me crazy on my Ranger for a while until I figured out that the positive cable had internal corrosion.
You probably don't even need to replace. Just take it off the battery, dip it in some hot water with baking soda mixed in. Wire brush the battery post and go.
In reply to Streetwiseguy :
From what I can see, I should only need to trim an inch or so of cable to make a good connection. Looks like there's enough there to do it no problem, just don't have the time before dark now
But is the clamp actually broken? Is it a clamp on replacement already? Most likely the problem is the post itself, or where the cable is clamped in the aftermarket lead thing. If its the original, and not physically broken, you are better off with the factory crimp than a clamp on unit.
In reply to Streetwiseguy :
I don't know if is factory factory terminal or aftermarket, I do know my wires shouldn't look like they do.
I just put the battery in about a month ago. Terminals felt great but the wire looked suspect. Since jiggling is giving me something, even cutting an inch of corrosion off should help.
Factory is bonded to the wire, that is a cheap aftermarket piece.
Clean it all up with water and baking soda, mild sandpaper.
Put a ring terminal on the second wire.
Put it together as tight as possible, protect with electric grease or Vaseline.
Plan on replacing with at least a mil-spec terminal down the road.
This should get you up and running again though.
Undo the two small bolts and clean up in there. That is the source of your trouble, almost for sure. You don't really have to shorten the cables, just wash well.
Believe it or not, cleaning these wires and replacing the terminal didn't do anything. But when I did the negative side, which didn't look nearly this bad, everything stayed working again.
I think i'm too late, but I was going to say remember to wear goggles. I got some junk in my eye wire brushing off the crud from a battery post a couple months ago and it was NOT PLEASANT.
