Shannon Needs Help

[shannondelan]

my dad just gave me a 1991 ford explorer xlt because my mercury sable is going to the junkyard. the explorer cranked and ran just fine when we went and picked it up, but now i've had it 3 days, and haven't drove it since the drive home. it won't crank. my dad thought it might be the fuel pump keeping it from cranking, but my husband said it is getting plenty of gas. the fuel pump is working so what else could be keeping it from cranking? please help, i feel stranded! if it's not one car with problems, it's another one....

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

no possible way a fuel pump could induce a no crank

first spot to look is the battery if thats ok next would be tap the starter with a hammer while trying to start it, if it starts then its your starter

oh, and welcome to the forum

 

[studd469]

by no crank you mean won't turn over at all? or do you mean it turns over but does not start? If the battery is good and it won't turn over at all try putting it in nutral and see if it starts.

Good luck

 

[Gator Jeff]

Welcome to the forum.

Definitely sounds like an electrical issue. A few ????'s

Was the explorer a daily driver when your dad gave it to you or was it sitting around mostly unused?

Do you know if your dad did anything to charge the battery before you picked it up?

How old is the battery? Can you see a warranty or manufacture date on the battery? If so, what is it?

When was the alternator last replaced?

I'm betting old battery or maybe old alternator. Good luck and we're glad to help.

 

[James909]

Welcome! As others have mentioned I would start by making sure that the battery is charged and in good condition. If you pull the battery out and take it to Autozone they can test it for you and also charge it. If the battery passes the test then it is probably either a corroded battery cable, bad starter, or bad starter solenoid. But start with the battery because it is easiest and most likely to be the problem.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

welcome

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Sometimes it could be something as simple as corrosion on the battery contacts. Take them off, clean them with steel wool, a wire brush or sand paper, then apply an antioxidant to prevent further corrosion. Some batteries require distilled water such as Exide for example.

 

[ParkerRocker]

check out the connections on your starter. They can corrode and the stock starters had a design flaw that made them particularly liable to do this.

If the battery works fine i would listen when you try, if you hear a clicking then it's not your solenoid. but if there is no click it might be. grab a screwdriver, put your key in the run position, and wedge the screwdriver between the two bolts on the solenoid. CAREFUL it could spark, make sure you're using an insulated screw driver. if it starts that's your problem. Get a new one.

my starter blew at 136,000 miles so it might b time to get a new one, but then again i have heard that this is REALLY early for them to go.

 

[yellowcat]

do not hit the starter with a hammer. That is a good trick to hit the starter, but be sure you know exactly what you are doing. Also do not pound on the top of the battery terminals. Do the headlights come on?

 

[troy11556]

ok first of all i had the same problem and i traced it back to the negative cable on the battery not getting a good ground. when i replaced it to the frame i resanded it and attached it to the frame again. after that i bought an undercoating spray and applied that. second check the selinoid(SP). try jumping it and if it cranks thats the problem. if not move to the next thing. check voltage on the battery. if it to low recharge battery and try to crank it. after that then check the connections on the starter. if they are tight and look good hit the starter on the side and see if it starts. it still may not so then remove it and have it tested. tell us a little more about the problem cause i may be leading you the wrong direction. does it turn over. does it sound weak. or do you just get a clink type noise. ??

 

[ParkerRocker]

also to test the starter directly itself while still on the vehicle, you can run jumper cables directly to it to see if its shot or if there is an electrical problem somewhere between the battery and the starter. Just disconnect the battery, ground 1 cable to the chassis and run the other directly to the terminal on the starter that the positive battery terminal is going to, then hook up the other ends to the battery, if it spins its good, if not i would pull it and get it tested professionally (but its probably dead).

Just saves the PITA of pulling it off