85 ranger 2.3 no spark( new coil plugs and wires)

1993 ford ranger. no car told at all 2.5Liter sourced from wow, that is a hard nut to crack leaving all that out. my guess 1998 2.5L

the old PCM will not like what you just did.
for sure CMP or CKP sensors.
also if one sensor is hall and old car is not it will and
vice versa. came new with 3 engine and not 2.5 ever.
the 2.3L CKP is 4 wire, (one is 12vdc LT/GN wire) so is Hall sensor
to the ICm
so running the old ICm or new?
the 2.3L runs twin 2coil pack pairs in wasted spark mode
wild guess

• 2.5 L OHC I4 (gasoline) (1998-2001)

the 1998 engines, uses its own ECU with NO ICM at all.
and has 2 wire (weak signal, 1v , to PCM direct ,no icm uses
there is CMP sensor too that is for injector firing only
the correct swap is all harnesses under hood and PCM swapped
from new engine donor car, and more, even dash to engine harness.
the current new CMP is useless to any 1993 ECu, the 2.5 liter CKP will NEVER fire the OLD ICU< ever
worse yet the reluctor tone wheel can totally different .

step one is test spark at coil first not distributor.(last)
the coil has a HV lug use spark wires HV + plug to test that this is first. if fails the distrib is bad, VR pick up.
s15 jimmy or PU
which engine,
2.5L 151cid L4
2.8L 173cid V6
4.3L 262cid V6 <<<< I will guess this and answer.

try new distributor.
and must be timed,
set engine, to TDC 0-degrees, #1 piston on firing stroke
step1 is that. so new dizzy super easy to put back same. time.

the ICM runs the coil but the ICM has inputs, that must be working
1988 uses what to make ICM work, good pickup coil
The PCM (VCM) runs the 4 wires to the Distributor and ICM in it.
if PCM is bad, or inputs to it are bad, there will be no spark
there is no CKP sensor here ,just CMP and CMP is the pickup coil inside DIZZy and connect to ICM and ICM makes spark. (ign coil)
the PCM I think only does spark timing advance.(called EST)
but no sure me how the 4 wires on PCM to Dizzy work.
a new pickup coil might fix this , (it is CMP named now)
CMP is cam sensor and here it is via cam to main DIZZy shaft to pickup coil)

Trying to start the vehicle is there spark ? Your vehicle has plugs under center of valve cover .Pull the coil pack out , get plug wire cable set and use a spark tester . Check for spark . If plugs were no good you probably fried the ICM - ignition control module . Do you know what and where ICM is ? How to Test the Ignition Coils GM 2 4L Quad 4 The amount of dielectric grease has nothing to do with it .

Check the icm plug with a led testlight for pulse while the engine is cranking. Test the wire connector with the small wires going into the coil for pulse.The v8 has a opti-spark distributor behind the waterpump that is prone to failure. It has the pickup inside it that tells the icm when to spark. If no pulse at icm distributor is bad. If pulse at icm but not at coil, icm or wiring between icm and coil is bad.The coil also needs pos.+ power on 1 terminal to operate. Be SURE to check the security light on the dash. If VATS [vehicle anti theft system] fails its usually within the 2 wires going from the key chip in the ignition tumbler to the body control module. Mine were purple and tan.Trying to start it with the wrong key can put it in lockout mode also. There are bypass modules available online for vats problems or you can even install a resistor in the wire to bypass the keychip part and the door alarms still work.

New ICM. These can be intermediate problems. Once they warm up or get hot, they die out..

Hello and welcome to FixYa!

The problem can be on the ECU (engine control unit). If the ECU is faulty there can be no spark to the wires even the coil is new. You may try swapping the ECU first.
Hope this helps and thank you for using FixYa! Have a good one!

You may have got the spark plug wires out of sequence.
Reseat the coil wire going to the center of the distributor cap Check the spark plug wires at the distributor against the firing order as follows:
The spark plug firing order is 1 - 4 - 2 - 5 - 3 - 6 The distributor rotor turns CLOCKWISE The engine cylinders / spark plugs are numbered :
firewall 3 - 6 2 - 5 1 - 4 front
Best wishes,
TF

did u replace the wires? You might have power but a bad connection to the spark plugs or just bad spark plugs. just a thought

it might be the coil.the coil is what sends the spark.it plugs in to the center of distriutor cap.