2011 explorer please help won't start.

[matte5299]

So, I have been working on my explorer the past week. Repairing things in the rear end.

I finished went to go take it on a test run. Tried to start it and it just barely turns over.

I disconnected the battery fully charged it it's a new battery. Went to go start it again and same very sluggish turns over very slow and will not start. I have no clue what to do.

I'm really good with all the mechanical but not so good with the electrical so if someone could help me that would be great!

Thanks

 

[J_C]

Do you have a multimeter? If so, measure battery voltage while cranking, directly on the battery terminals. If it dips very low, the battery is bad. If you don't have a multimeter, turning on the headlights and seeing how dim they get while cranking is another sign of low system voltage but could be a bad battery clamp, wire, or ground.

Even if the battery is new, if it sat at a drained state for long enough, it may never regain a usable capacity and seem charged to the right voltage but can't sustain current. If it is keeping good voltage during cranking then I'd suspect a bad cable to the starter or bad starter. You can also measure voltage at the starter while cranking.

Another option is take the battery back for a refund or exchange, and they'll probably want to test it.

 

[matte5299]

Do you have a multimeter? If so, measure battery voltage while cranking, directly on the battery terminals. If it dips very low, the battery is bad. If you don't have a multimeter, turning on the headlights and seeing how dim they get while cranking is another sign of low system voltage but could be a bad battery clamp, wire, or ground.

Even if the battery is new, if it sat at a drained state for long enough, it may never regain a usable capacity and seem charged to the right voltage but can't sustain current. If it is keeping good voltage during cranking then I'd suspect a bad cable to the starter or bad starter. You can also measure voltage at the starter while cranking.

Another option is take the battery back for a refund or exchange, and they'll probably want to test it.

I have a multimeter, I tested the battery and it's good. I also bought a new one just in case and both are good.

Got a new starter. Put it in.

It was turning over faster with the new battery for the first few times then as it lost voltage it slowly turned again.

Checked all the fuses with multimeter all have continuity.

My next option is to check all the relays and grounds? I don't know, it's really grinding me that I can't figure this out.

It just sat for 5 days. What the heck.

 

[J_C]

You are not telling the whole story. When it "was turning over faster with the new battery", was the vehicle then starting and running? If it was running did it continue to run as long as you wanted it to, or soon cause error codes and stop running due to low battery like the alternator is bad?

Without further info, I suspect you have a parasitic draw that is draining the battery while it sits.

 

[matte5299]

You are not telling the whole story. When it "was turning over faster with the new battery", was the vehicle then starting and running? If it was running did it continue to run as long as you wanted it to, or soon cause error codes and stop running due to low battery like the alternator is bad?

Without further info, I suspect you have a parasitic draw that is draining the battery while it sits.

Didn't run or start at all. No codes unfortunately .

Could be a parasitic load on there. But when the battery is fully charged and it's turning over, it's turning over rapidly until the battery starts to lose charge.

I've been through 2 fully charged good batteries trying to start it. Solenoid started smoking due to excessive use.

This is all very weird it just sat for 5 days. I don't know how it could develop this issue by just sitting in my garage for 5 days.

I could check all the grounds next.?

 

[Turdle]

Check the oil, is the level good or does it seem overfilled?

 

[matte5299]

Found the problem. A grimy nasty little mouse chewed through some wires.

 

[matte5299]

You are not telling the whole story. When it "was turning over faster with the new battery", was the vehicle then starting and running? If it was running did it continue to run as long as you wanted it to, or soon cause error codes and stop running due to low battery like the alternator is bad?

Without further info, I suspect you have a parasitic draw that is draining the battery while it sits.

Found the problem.... Hopefully. A mouse chewed through some wires.

 

[J_C]

^ Definitely a possibility, now hopefully you have enough slack to reconnect them, or else might have to peel back the wiring loom and add some wire to make up the difference.

 

[matte5299]

You are not telling the whole story. When it "was turning over faster with the new battery", was the vehicle then starting and running? If it was running did it continue to run as long as you wanted it to, or soon cause error codes and stop running due to low battery like the alternator is bad?

Without further info, I suspect you have a parasitic draw that is draining the battery while it sits.

So I soldered and heat shrink the wires.

I tried starting at so many times that I flooded the cylinders. it wants to start but it won't. Any easy way to clear the cylinders other than taking the spark plugs out?

 

[matte5299]

Check the oil, is the level good or does it seem overfilled?

Oil isn't overfilled. I fixed the wires and still the same thing. I suspect that it's flooded now, because I tried to start it a lot of times.

Anyway to clear gas from cylinders other than taking the plugs out?

 

[Turdle]

Not sure if it works for your model try holding gas pedal to floor while cranking. This turns injectors off until startup.

 

[J_C]

So I soldered and heat shrink the wires.

I tried starting at so many times that I flooded the cylinders. it wants to start but it won't. Any easy way to clear the cylinders other than taking the spark plugs out?

Yes holding the pedal down should clear a flood condition, BUT, you should not need to keep trying this.

I mean if it does not start within the first 8 seconds or so, there is still something wrong that needs fixed, no sense in burning out the starter or wearing down the battery till the problem is found and fixed... just getting it started ONE time, won't cause it to repair itself the rest of the way and start fine the next time.

 

[matte5299]

Not sure if it works for your model try holding gas pedal to floor while cranking. This turns injectors off until startup.

Tried holding pedal down.
The plugs got gummed up from the gas.
Had to get new plugs now it's all good.

 

[J_C]

^ then you just needed new plugs, unburnt fuel would only clean the plugs if anything, not foul aka gum them up.

Now, depending on the mileage on the plugs, if way south of 100K mi, you might want to investigate what fouled the plugs. A visual comparison against internet pics might tell if burning oil, for example.

 

[peterk9]

Tried holding pedal down.
The plugs got gummed up from the gas.
Had to get new plugs now it's all good.

The manual actually mentions holding the pedal down in certain instances. I agree with J_C that the plugs were likely the problem.

"Note: If the engine does not start on the first try, turn the vehicle to the
off position, wait 10 seconds and try Step 2 again. If the engine still fails
to start, press the accelerator to the floor and try Step 2 again, keeping
the accelerator on the floor until the engine begins to accelerate above
cranking speeds; this will allow the engine to crank with the fuel shut off
in case the engine is flooded with fuel."

Peter