2003 Explorer XLT 4.0V6 4WD Automatic - No Start problem

[Doc49]

so you couldnt turn the motor over with a breaker bar even with the plugs out and the trans in neutral?

I'm such an idiot!!!
I never put the trans into neutral! Ugh!

BRB...

 

[Mbrooks420]

A stuck fuel injector can hydro lock a cylinder. Most likely it’d clear with the plug removed. I think you are barking up the wrong trees with anything other than internal engine damage. The starter is dropping to such a low voltage because it’s got a locked rotor.

Most likely it’s time for a new engine, or at least a heads-off tear down.

 

[Doc49]

A stuck fuel injector can hydro lock a cylinder. Most likely it’d clear with the plug removed. I think you are barking up the wrong trees with anything other than internal engine damage. The starter is dropping to such a low voltage because it’s got a locked rotor.

Most likely it’s time for a new engine, or at least a heads-off tear down.

Unfortunately, I think you are right. Unless I can find a cheap donor or a decent engine at pick-n-pull I might as well be looking for a new used vehicle. Hell, even if I did find an engine my HOA would have a fit if I were to pull mine and replace it with something else here.
Ah, the joys and freedom of home ownership!

 

[Mbrooks420]

so you couldnt turn the motor over with a breaker bar even with the plugs out and the trans in neutral?

It should spin over just fine in park.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’d probably drop the starter and see if it spins free of the flex plate. I wouldn’t bet on it, though.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Unfortunately, I think you are right. Unless I can find a cheap donor or a decent engine at pick-n-pull I might as well be looking for a new used vehicle. Hell, even if I did find an engine my HOA would have a fit if I were to pull mine and replace it with something else here.
Ah, the joys and freedom of home ownership!

put it on those go jack things so it can be wheeled around in the garage if its a 2 car garage... maybe the HOA wont notice if it isn tout on the driveway

 

[Mbrooks420]

put it on those go jack things so it can be wheeled around in the garage if its a 2 car garage... maybe the HOA wont notice if it isn tout on the driveway

Sounds like he doesn’t have a garage. I doubt an HOA can stop you from working IN a garage.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Sounds like he doesn’t have a garage. I doubt an HOA can stop you from working IN a garage.

ah true you should see soome HOA stuff someday, i heard about one a while back where residents had to keep garage door open or something.. or... if you work at night, maybe no one will notice

 

[Mbrooks420]

I would think they’d want you to keep it closed. I’d never live anywhere with one. I get told enough what I can do on my own property, I don’t need some stuffy jerks adding to it.

ah true you should see soome HOA stuff someday, i heard about one a while back where residents had to keep garage door open or something.. or... if you work at night, maybe no one will notice

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I would think they’d want you to keep it closed. I’d never live anywhere with one. I get told enough what I can do on my own property, I don’t need some stuffy jerks adding to it.

wish i could double thumbs up. do you know anyone with a garage large enough that you could borrow?

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I would think they’d want you to keep it closed. I’d never live anywhere with one. I get told enough what I can do on my own property, I don’t need some stuffy jerks adding to it.

heres the link

watch the youtube video

 

[Stynx]

I'll probably just buy one on Amazon come pay day. Like I said, I don't have one which means I have an excuse to buy one now,

You can get one for like fifty bucks. I just bought one even though I have no actual use for it at this moment. Better to have and not need, etc.

 

[Doc49]

I’d probably drop the starter and see if it spins free of the flex plate. I wouldn’t bet on it, though.

Yeah, I did that. Matter of fact, I took the new starter to O'Reilly's for a bench test and of course it passed with flying colors. So both the old and the new starters work fine. With the starter out of the vehicle I still couldn't turn the engine over manually.

Basically, I'm screwed. The engine is seized. I just don't know How it happened!

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Yeah, I did that. Matter of fact, I took the new starter to O'Reilly's for a bench test and of course it passed with flying colors. So both the old and the new starters work fine. With the starter out of the vehicle I still couldn't turn the engine over manually.

Basically, I'm screwed. The engine is seized. I just don't know How it happened!

possibly, just spitballing, but when you shut it off there was timing chain slack, and that was enough to jump,, or could be a coolant leak thru head gasket and the vacuum once you shut it off and nothing to burn it off, could have hydrokocked and bent rod etc... maybe time for remanned motor? or... v8 swap

 

[Doc49]

put it on those go jack things so it can be wheeled around in the garage if its a 2 car garage... maybe the HOA wont notice if it isn tout on the driveway

Hahahahaha! You haven't seen my garage.

I would love to have a garage with enough room to work on a car in it. HOAs can't do anything what you do inside your garage if the door is closed.

I apologize for laughing.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Hahahahaha! You haven't seen my garage.

I would love to have a garage with enough room to work on a car in it. HOAs can't do anything what you do inside your garage if the door is closed.

I apologize for laughing.

no need to apologize! i feel bad for you!! i wouldnt want to live in an hoa... i like to be able to wrench (dont get me wrong im not running air compressors at midnight, not that kind of person, i wrench during the day, no later than 8pm) not too knowledgable on hoas otherwise, but what happens if you do wrench, what are the consequences?

 

[Doc49]

no need to apologize! i feel bad for you!! i wouldnt want to live in an hoa... i like to be able to wrench (dont get me wrong im not running air compressors at midnight, not that kind of person, i wrench during the day, no later than 8pm) not too knowledgable on hoas otherwise, but what happens if you do wrench, what are the consequences?

All HOAs are different. I already break the rules by working on my cars in the driveway and I actually like my neighbors. If someone were to file a complaint, I would have 7 days to cease the activity or face a $50 fine. I would then have 3 more days to cease or face an additional $250 fine. A third notice would result in a $500 per day fine until the activity stopped.
Obviously, if I were a jerk, I could just say to hell with it and swap an engine in the driveway. It shouldn't take me more than 7 days, right?
The consequences are I would most likely piss off more of my neighbors besides the guy that reported me. Flaunting rules like that leads to petty people doing petty things like reporting every minor infraction from that point on.
Additionally, the HOA could take me to court and put a lien on my property that would need to be paid before I could sell the house.
All in all, I like being a good neighbor. I'm ready for a move to a place with more garage and less house anyway. My kids are all grown up and it's just me and my 12 y/o 20lb dog.
I need to find a place where I can operate an air compressor at midnight because no neighbor would be able to hear it from such a distance, lol!

 

[DaaQ]

I have just recently had this same issue, wife was driving to work dash cluster went off then on like when battery dies with a dead alternator, I will have to try and see if i can turn it by the crankshaft tho.

I could have a dead battery, I was jumping it with my work truck to get it to 13.5v but could hear if it tried cranking. But it would drop down to 7v. It is original starter.

My thing was if I held the start key in position for a modest period, I did get smoke from the starter.

 

[DaaQ]

All HOAs are different. I already break the rules by working on my cars in the driveway and I actually like my neighbors. If someone were to file a complaint, I would have 7 days to cease the activity or face a $50 fine. I would then have 3 more days to cease or face an additional $250 fine. A third notice would result in a $500 per day fine until the activity stopped.
Obviously, if I were a jerk, I could just say to hell with it and swap an engine in the driveway. It shouldn't take me more than 7 days, right?
The consequences are I would most likely piss off more of my neighbors besides the guy that reported me. Flaunting rules like that leads to petty people doing petty things like reporting every minor infraction from that point on.
Additionally, the HOA could take me to court and put a lien on my property that would need to be paid before I could sell the house.
All in all, I like being a good neighbor. I'm ready for a move to a place with more garage and less house anyway. My kids are all grown up and it's just me and my 12 y/o 20lb dog.
I need to find a place where I can operate an air compressor at midnight because no neighbor would be able to hear it from such a distance, lol!

Replaying for posterity, since I replied above without quoting.

What happened with yours? new motor or new vehicle?

 

[Dean peulen]

Hello everyone! I need your help.
My '03 Explorer XLT won't start. When I turn the keyed ignition to start I get nothing but I do hear a solid sounding mechanical click followed by an intermittent faint high-pitched whine. It has remained this way for the past week every time I try to start it.
Here's what I've done to address the issue:
1. I opened the hood and disconnected my battery terminals. I wire cleaned the posts and the connectors, put battery felts down, the reconnected the terminals.
2. I got out my cheap multimeter and checked the voltage on my battery. It was 13.3-13.70 volts at static. When I turn the key to start my my battery dropped down to 7.0 volts. It goes back up to 13.7 volts once I go back to accessory, power on, and key locked.
3. I also tried to stay my Explorer in Neutral instead of park. Same results as 2 above.
4. Under the hood I opened the fuse box and located fuse #12 and relay #52. I test both and they work/function fine. While I had the box opened I went ahead and checked all the fuses. All good except fuse #17, a blown 20amp blade fuse which I replaced.
5. I even made a jumper wire and with relay #52 removed, I touched connecter 30 to 87. Same solid sounding mechanical click as if I were in the Explorer trying to key start it. I replaced the relay and closed the box.
6. I bought a new starter and installed it after removing the old one. Unfortunately I have the same results! Nothing but a mechanical click and an intermittent faint high-pitched whine..
7. Just to play it safe I finally got out a big ol' ratchet and 19mm socket for the front of the crank. I could not budge that thing to turn! Damn it!
8. Checked oil level real quick and I was within 1/2 a quart of being full.
9. What the heck! How does my Explorer drive perfectly fine like clockwork then all of a sudden it seizes up? I don't get it!

Are there any other things I can do to diagnose what it going on? I don't want to rebuild an engine with 205k miles on it. I'm hoping I'm just overlooking something.
Oh, BTW, I took the old starter down to my box auto parts store to have it tested on their machine. It passed with flying colors.

Anyway, I'm at my wits end for now. I could really use some help
Thanks, Rich.

Hello everyone! I need your help.
My '03 Explorer XLT won't start. When I turn the keyed ignition to start I get nothing but I do hear a solid sounding mechanical click followed by an intermittent faint high-pitched whine. It has remained this way for the past week every time I try to start it.
Here's what I've done to address the issue:
1. I opened the hood and disconnected my battery terminals. I wire cleaned the posts and the connectors, put battery felts down, the reconnected the terminals.
2. I got out my cheap multimeter and checked the voltage on my battery. It was 13.3-13.70 volts at static. When I turn the key to start my my battery dropped down to 7.0 volts. It goes back up to 13.7 volts once I go back to accessory, power on, and key locked.
3. I also tried to stay my Explorer in Neutral instead of park. Same results as 2 above.
4. Under the hood I opened the fuse box and located fuse #12 and relay #52. I test both and they work/function fine. While I had the box opened I went ahead and checked all the fuses. All good except fuse #17, a blown 20amp blade fuse which I replaced.
5. I even made a jumper wire and with relay #52 removed, I touched connecter 30 to 87. Same solid sounding mechanical click as if I were in the Explorer trying to key start it. I replaced the relay and closed the box.
6. I bought a new starter and installed it after removing the old one. Unfortunately I have the same results! Nothing but a mechanical click and an intermittent faint high-pitched whine..
7. Just to play it safe I finally got out a big ol' ratchet and 19mm socket for the front of the crank. I could not budge that thing to turn! Damn it!
8. Checked oil level real quick and I was within 1/2 a quart of being full.
9. What the heck! How does my Explorer drive perfectly fine like clockwork then all of a sudden it seizes up? I don't get it!

Are there any other things I can do to diagnose what it going on? I don't want to rebuild an engine with 205k miles on it. I'm hoping I'm just overlooking something.
Oh, BTW, I took the old starter down to my box auto parts store to have it tested on their machine. It passed with flying colors.

Anyway, I'm at my wits end for now. I could really use some help
Thanks, Rich.

There are two safety switches one on the top of your brake pedal that tells the ecu you have your brake depressed ,this is so little ones can't start the car as you need your foot on the brake when you turn the key. it won't start if this has been damaged or it is sticking as the car ecu thinks your foot is not on the break. Normally your lights and radio works no start. The other safety switch linked to start up is in the shift column and tells the ecu you are in park so you don't Start in gear and jump the car forward on start up this one can be sticking and should have a white button that has to be pressed to allow the car to be started until an it is replaced.