Truck won't start, 2 weeks after Hurricane Sandy - 2006 Explorer 4.6

[jaydee427]

I was visiting family in The Rockaways when Sandy hit. After the storm, I was able to start the vehicle AFTER I changed the battery. I even drove for about 1/2 mile. But after about two weeks of not driving and starting it up, I go to start it up and NOTHING. It does not crank, although all the dash lights illuminate, radio comes on and the power window / doors operate fine. I tried moving the shifter from P to N, but it does not even shift out of gear. I consider myself a triage mechanic and feel I should change the starter, check the related fuses and the neutral safety switch. BTW, I checked the oil and coolant and they are salt-water free.

My question to my fellow board members, is there anything I may have missed or should take note of? I only had liability on it and all FEMA can do is offer me a low-interest, long term loan. No thanks FEMA.

 

[Ornery]

In the Power Distribution Box, Relay 55 is to the starter. They're universal $10.00 parts, and can be swapped with adjacent relays for testing. #47 is the wiper relay, so swap with that. Worth a try...

 

[71455vert]

How deep was the water you were in?

Salt water will F up anything electrical it touches.

I had a boat that took on water got about 3 inches from thr base of my carburator.

Well I drained the water & she fired right up. took it out of the water & the next weekend it would not start. Changed the stater & she started but would not charge so replaced the alternator & all was well,

But this was a simple 1990 sey ray with no computers or anything but your stater is low & it it got wet I will put money on that it is bad.

 

[jaydee427]

@ Ornery, thanks for the input. I'll try that method sometime later on tomorrow. Also, by looking at the diagram you provided, I will take a look at fuse # 11 - the 30A starter fuse.

 

[jaydee427]

How deep was the water you were in?

Salt water will F up anything electrical it touches.

I had a boat that took on water got about 3 inches from the base of my carburetor.

Well I drained the water & she fired right up. took it out of the water & the next weekend it would not start. Changed the stater & she started but would not charge so replaced the alternator & all was well,

But this was a simple 1990 sey ray with no computers or anything but your stater is low & it it got wet I will put money on that it is bad.

The water got as high as the seats. There were small amounts of sand on my drivers seat when the flood subsided. Under the hood, there was a heavy sand presence on the radiator grill and behind the headlight housing. The power distribution box was bone dry. Do you know exactly where the starter and neutral safety switch is located on the 4.6?

 

[Ornery]

Holy crap! I had no idea you were so swamped!

I don't see a "safety switch" in the circuit:

I think you were right the first time. It's probably the solenoid on the starter motor. You could jump past it, but by the time you pull the starter off to replace it, you might as well replace the motor as well. Hell, it's probably borked anyway after all that.

 

[Town]

The Park/neutral safety switch is effectively in the PCM on the V8. The mechatronic valve body (Trans Control Module) in the 6R60 contains an internal P, R, N, D selector shaft position sensor to tell the PCM the trans range. The PCM will activate the starter relay if the PATS and trans info is correct.

The V6 uses the conventional Transmission Range sensor mounted external to the trans as the Park/Neutral safety switch.

Good luck.

 

[snoranger]

The water got as high as the seats. There were small amounts of sand on my drivers seat when the flood subsided. Under the hood, there was a heavy sand presence on the radiator grill and behind the headlight housing. The power distribution box was bone dry. Do you know exactly where the starter and neutral safety switch is located on the 4.6?

If thw water level got that high, youre probably going to have more problems down the road.

Jump power into the Bn/Gn wire from the relay to the starter solenoid.

If it doesnt crank, it needs a starter or the engine is seized.

If it cranks, you've got an electrical problem to hunt down.







If the engine is seized, sell it to me cheap, so I can put a 5.4l in it.

 

[aaronajb1981]

When you crank it does the theft light on the top of the dash flash or go solid?

If flashing you could have a problem with your PATS system also

 

[Town]

When you crank it does the theft light on the top of the dash flash or go solid?

If flashing you could have a problem with your PATS system also

The PATS light must go out to show that the key code has been accepted. If the PATS light is flashing or on solidly (different errors) then the PATS has a problem with the key and updates the PCM to not allow the starter relay to operate.