I replaced my 1987 Ford ranger spark plugs, coil, rotor, distributor cap, and spark plug wires. After I started it up it ran beautifully and then shut off after it shut off I cranked it again all it did was crank. I then waited a few seconds fired it up it started. It ran for maybe a minute or so and it shut off again. It keeps doing this and I have no idea what is causing it all the wires and everything I have looked at look good and everything is plugged in correctly what do you think can cause this even after replacing these parts.
Did it do this before you replaced those parts?
I’m thinking your new coil may be bad
It didn’t do this before I just installed the old coil I got the same result so that’s eliminated
Go back to the basics, when it is not starting, you will have to see if it is getting fuel and spark while cranking and not starting, and start diagnosing from there…
I am assuming this is a 2.9L V6???
When you say cranking it, you do mean he engine is turning over trying to start right??
Spray brake clean in the throttle body to see if it ill start while cranking the engine…
On an old vehicle like that, the wires going to the coil could be loose in the plug connector or something, check your wires and even do a wiggle test on the wires and push pull on the plug while someone else is cranking to see if that does anything, when you took stuff apart on this 37+yo truck, you could have disturbed some wiring and now you have a loose connection somewhere…
Again, you will have to find out if you are loosing ignition or fuel when cranking and not starting 1st…
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does this era truck have one of those ignition control modules which melts?
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It definitely looks like it has this ignition control module and it could easily been disturbed messing around with the cap, rotor and wires…
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That could be possible I will look into that and see if that’s the issue
You still need to narrow it down to either no fuel or no spark… just saying… But you do you and waste all the time you want… lol
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These Ford ignition control modules can fail in this manner.
These operate in two modes. The start mode and the run mode.
When starting the engine, the module allows full battery voltage to the ignition coil to make it easier to start a cold engine.
When the engine starts, and the ignition switch goes into the run position, the module goes into the run mode. The module then drops the voltage to the coil so that when the charging system comes on line the higher voltage doesn’t burn up secondary ignition components.
It sounds like the run mode in the module is failing.
Tester
There was a class action lawsuit against Ford for these distributor-mounted ignition modules and your Ranger has one if you have the 2.3L 4-cyl or 2.9L V6. They are notorious for failing exactly as you described. Spend $30-$40 on a new one and install it.
https://www.autosafety.org/1983-1995-fordlincolnmercury-ignition-module-stalling/