i've always wanted a bronco and recently i went out and boutght one. a 1986 fullsize with the fuel injected 302. a good looking truck that i got at a **** of a deal. i just want to fix the truck up hopefully restoring it to its original condition one day. anyway, i do have some problems that i can't figure out and was hoping someone on here might could lend me a hand.
when i bought the truck the starter was staying engaged after i cranked it but i could wiggle the key in the ignition and it would quit. initially i replaced the solenoid, then i wound up replacing the starter and during the process of trying to figure out this problem i realized the alternator was no good either so i went ahead and replaced it alsoi also put a new battery in the truck just for good measure. after doing all this, nothing changed. then a couple of weeks later it got to where wiggling the key in the ignition wasn't working anymore and the starter would not kick out. so i went on by popping the hood and taking the wire going from the solenoid to the starter off and would just touch the wire to the solenoid with the key on to crank it and then remove the wire.
this is where it gets hairy, i told my dad about the problem and what all i had done to try and fix it but none of it worked. i told him i figure it must be the ignition switch since i have replaced pretty much everything else. of course he disagreed and said he thought i had the solenoid hooked wrong some kind of way and he then decided to pop the hood and take a look for himself. from this point on i have not been able to get the truck to crank. i have no idea what he did or if he did anything at all and some thing just happened out of the blue, but i am getting no fire to my plugs and for the life of me i can't figure out why. when i turn the key over i can smell the fuel beingdumped in by the fuel pump, but i am just not getting any fire. just to be sure i got my wife to get in the truck while i held a screwdriver in one of the spark plug cables, after not being able to see any spark i decided to just bite the bullet and grab the screwdriver and sure enough there was no fire there.
if anyone co0uld help me out at all i would appreciate it greatly as i don't even really know where to start looking. also, if you know of any reason the starter might be hanging other than the ignition switch please let me know so i can check that out too if i ever get the truck to crank again.
thanks for any replies.
when i bought the truck the starter was staying engaged after i cranked it but i could wiggle the key in the ignition and it would quit. initially i replaced the solenoid, then i wound up replacing the starter and during the process of trying to figure out this problem i realized the alternator was no good either so i went ahead and replaced it alsoi also put a new battery in the truck just for good measure. after doing all this, nothing changed. then a couple of weeks later it got to where wiggling the key in the ignition wasn't working anymore and the starter would not kick out. so i went on by popping the hood and taking the wire going from the solenoid to the starter off and would just touch the wire to the solenoid with the key on to crank it and then remove the wire.
this is where it gets hairy, i told my dad about the problem and what all i had done to try and fix it but none of it worked. i told him i figure it must be the ignition switch since i have replaced pretty much everything else. of course he disagreed and said he thought i had the solenoid hooked wrong some kind of way and he then decided to pop the hood and take a look for himself. from this point on i have not been able to get the truck to crank. i have no idea what he did or if he did anything at all and some thing just happened out of the blue, but i am getting no fire to my plugs and for the life of me i can't figure out why. when i turn the key over i can smell the fuel beingdumped in by the fuel pump, but i am just not getting any fire. just to be sure i got my wife to get in the truck while i held a screwdriver in one of the spark plug cables, after not being able to see any spark i decided to just bite the bullet and grab the screwdriver and sure enough there was no fire there.
if anyone co0uld help me out at all i would appreciate it greatly as i don't even really know where to start looking. also, if you know of any reason the starter might be hanging other than the ignition switch please let me know so i can check that out too if i ever get the truck to crank again.
thanks for any replies.