92 explorer trouble

[Pyromaniac91]

'Tis a bone stock 92 explorer with a 5 speed. The womans rig. over the past couple months it started having issues.
When you go to start it it will make a loud click and then go dead. By dead I mean the lights shut off, door wont ding, power locks don't work. Totally dead. Sometimes the power will come back the instant the key is released, sometimes it wont come back for an hour, and sometimes its any period in between. I never gave it much thought, mostly cause i was never there for it, and also because it usually came back pretty quick and she was on her way. I did the head gaskets a couple weeks ago, and the first time trying to start afterwards it did the same problem to me. Click, dead. hooked a jump box to it and no problems, fired right up. Started and ran fine for the next few days.

Last week the problem came back, only much more frequent and usually you could not get it started at all. I had the battery tested and it came back fine. I hook a volt meter to it and reads perfect. I figured it could be a starter solenoid so I replaced it. after doing that it started perfectly for me 3 times in a row, but the instant the woman tried, no dice. since then it has not started once, even when I try to jump start it from my diesel. Wiggling the connectors has never done any good.

When the power does come back on, it seems pretty weak. Lights are dim, door ding is slow, etc. There's been a few times that I'll get it to do the rapid click (like a weak battery or connection) but usually its just the click, dead.

I had an issue similar to this on my wheeler explorer a while ago. My fix for that was to re do the entire ground (different point on the frame, different point on the block) along with a new positive cable from battery to starter. After that I had no issues. I pirated the entire cable system from the wheeler and put it on this rig, and it still isn't doing anything for me. Everything is clean and tight. I am completely out of ideas. Anyone? Ideas, thoughts? Need to get it fixed asap cause I'm getting tired of driving her around.
Thanks in advance.

 

[reapereviltwin]

Pyro,
I have a 92 also, some of your symptons sound like mine, I do have a bad battery tho, It loses its charge after a couple of days. But prior to me finally figuring the battery into it, I had the click, sound, even with the batter charged up, I changed the key cylinder, and it hits every time now when the battery in charged, I changed the cylinder not thinking it was electrical, but the cylinder was locking up and I was having a tought time getting the key to move to the start position. But after I changed it the problem went away. FYI, the cylinder was only $14.00 at auto zone.
There a lot of experinced members on the forum. Should be able to find a thread in the "Under the Hood" forum here on EF.
Wishing ya luck!

 

[Pyromaniac91]

Well to be honest, the key cylinder has given us some trouble. Door dinger never goes off even with the key out of it, and you don't have to turn the key all the way back to get it out. But when I turn the key the lights dim and it clicks as if its trying, but just not getting the juice. would that really be a key cylinder?

 

[reapereviltwin]

I can't say with 100% certianity (sp) but your symptons are similiar to what I had, and this is an easy and cheap repair. Hopefullly another member will catch this thread who has more experienace (sp) and can give their say so. BTW, the cylinder comes with 2 keys, just have to remember they won't fit your door locks. I caught that in time before I threw the old keys away. Keep us posted.

 

[Pyromaniac91]

Alright well I think we can forget about the key cylinder right now.

Went out and checked over everything I had done. The ground to the block was loose where I couldnt see, so I tightened it up. Tried to start, no dice. Put a different battery in it, started right up. Ran it for a few minutes, shut it off and put the old battery back in. Started right up several times in a row, drove around my neighborhood just fine. Just a little bit ago I went to drive it about 3 miles to my fiance's moms house. Around 2 miles from home the power shut off, the motor shut off, lights went dead. Tried pop starting it with the clutch a couple times with no luck. Came to a stop, set the parking brake, popped the hood. The rig was smoking, and the ground strap from the drivers side head to the body was glowing red, and so was one of the fuel lines.

I know the guy who's house I was stopped next to, and he came out to try and pull me into his driveway with his rhino. Well the parking brake is stuck on now. The release handle is loose, the pedal is loose, but the cable is stuck tight. End result: hooked my diesel to it and tugged it about 150 feet with the back tires locked up to get it off the road before a big rig destroyed it (narrow dark country road). The parking brake doesn't seem locked in the wheels, it seems locked at the pedal mechanism. Cable is tight just below the driver door.

I figure the ground strap glowing is because of too much current that couldn't get where it needed to be. This puzzles me because I ran these exact ground cables on my wheeler with never a problem. Anyone got a fix for me? I'm thinkin ill end up buying stock replacement cables and going from there... but why would the fuel line get red hot?

 

[Pyromaniac91]

nobody has any thoughts about this?

 

[shaggymane]

Wow dude........That's one scary scene.......red hot fuel lines.

Since the fuel lines are bolted to the frame and engine block and there bye to the battery, somewhere you've got a (shouldn't be) bare wire making contact with them borrowing them to complete a circuit. I have no idea where but I think I'd start following the fuel lines till I found the point of contact.......

If you replaced the heads, did a wire land some place it shouldn't have and get smashed/crimped?pinched?

Where do the fuel lines get red hot? The fuel rail? Running across the front of the motor to the drivers side? From the frame to the motor? Seems reasonable that the point of contact would be very close to where they are getting hot.

On a different tact: I've seen universal clamps do, bright lights, turn key, everything go dead, slowly come back.
I've had a pos bat cable find it's way to the exhaust manifold and kill everything. Not that I think either of those are your problem but are the type of thing to be looking for.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.

Does it need to be said don't turn the key back on till you find the short? least I wouldn't want to.

 

[Tony H]

You have a ground missing from somewhere. It's using the small head strap and the fuel line to do the work of a 'real' ground wire.
You missed something when you did the Head gasket.

 

[huntman58]

Tony I was about to say the same thing.


Before the gas line was brought up my thoughts were a bad started the key cylinder or a short some place. I also had a Battery check out okay but it had a bad cell still and would not let the battery deliver it full load.

 

[Pyromaniac91]

Hmmmm. This has given me some things to think about. Thanks for the input, and keep it coming! this aint over yet.

Got it on the flatbed and into the garage. today I pulled all the old battery cables and replaced 'em with brand new factory replacements. Havent replaced the fuel lines yet, that's tomorrows job. They were red from the motor to the fittings that are near the inner wheel well. After replacing the cables I turn the key to see if I could get any lights out of it. Nothing. Headlights wont work, cab lights, nothing. Before doing this I had searched over the engine and found no loose or shorted wires, and nothing near the fuel lines that would have caused the short. I did find that the positive cable had melted against the exhaust manifold, and ran the new one in a way that it couldn't repeat that.

Soo..... what did I fry? Did I cook the computer somehow? Need some ideas here. Checked all the under hood fuses and they are fine. Thanks much.

 

[huntman58]

Check to see if you have power to any fuses in the fuse panel inside the truck.
If not Check to see if you have any power any of the fuses in the power distribution box under the hood if not then.
Check you EEC relay also may want to check the fusible link between the starter relay and the alt.
If you have power at both the inside fuse box and the power distribution box I would think more along the lines of an ignition switch. That just MHO as a starting point for now.

 

[Tony H]

Hmmmm. This has given me some things to think about. Thanks for the input, and keep it coming! this aint over yet.

Got it on the flatbed and into the garage. today I pulled all the old battery cables and replaced 'em with brand new factory replacements. Havent replaced the fuel lines yet, that's tomorrows job. They were red from the motor to the fittings that are near the inner wheel well. After replacing the cables I turn the key to see if I could get any lights out of it. Nothing. Headlights wont work, cab lights, nothing. Before doing this I had searched over the engine and found no loose or shorted wires, and nothing near the fuel lines that would have caused the short. I did find that the positive cable had melted against the exhaust manifold, and ran the new one in a way that it couldn't repeat that.

Soo..... what did I fry? Did I cook the computer somehow? Need some ideas here. Checked all the under hood fuses and they are fine. Thanks much.

How hard was it to replace the GROUND Cable? It looks like it disapears into another harness. Did you have to separate that to replace it? I can't even see where both the ring lugs on the heavy wire goes to. I see one by the motor mount, the second one, ???

When I did the Positive side I made up my own cables ( I work in Electronics) but just cut the old cable in it's harness and made my own harness.

 

[Pyromaniac91]

Ground goes to the frame right next to the passenger inner wheel well. it was not real hard to replace, no. the other end is tucked up behind the oil filter.

 

[Pyromaniac91]

Hit another obstacle. The fuel lines from the rail to the underhood fittings need to be replaced. got them apart, but I need to find the new springs and o-rings. Ford does not sell them. anyone know of anywhere to go for them?

If I cant get new springs and o-rings then I can pull the entire lines from my wheeler, but I'd rather not go that route if I don't have to. supply would be easy, but return goes all the way back to the tank and it looks like I'd have to drop it to get it done.

 

[trollkepr]

Your parking break line may have welded itself somewhere because it too was trying to be a ground. Go to a salvage yard and ask for some good ground straps of differing sizes. The larger the better. Then make sure the negative battery cable is well grounded to the block or where ever it grounds to. Tighten every ground you can find and make sure the straps are not broken like from a worn engine mount yanking on them. Then add extra ground straps. Block to frame, block to cab body, frame to body, and any other place you think power may need to flow. You can not over-do grounds. You may need some good drill bits and screws. I would also see if there is a ground strap of some sort on the gas tank.

Russ

 

[cogs]

you'd think a fuse would take care of that much power surge. did you bypass them? or maybe add a fuse, and find the fuse ratings for your circuit, as it may be the wrong size. also, check stuff in darkness for glowing.

 

[Pyromaniac91]

the short was found in the melted positive cable against the exhaust manifold. new cables were installed, as i stated. i have collected several ground straps i had laying around and those will be installed before firing the rig.

fuel lines have been a pain, had to rig up something to work. should be done tomorrow. thanks again for all the input!

 

[countrygirl1313]

well this is my truck talked about above

i am the women... or was...
anyways i am having troubles with my little truck again. and i melted the positive battery cable again!!!!! replaced it.... i posted a forum with more details about my current problems. if ya can help that would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[countrygirl1313]

little truck needs to wake up from its nap!!!

ok so i have a manual 92 ford explorer that has been a stubborn ass for the last two weeks and won't wake up. About two weeks ago i was trying to teach a friend how to drive stick... he killed it coming out of the driveway because he sucks at driving stick then got it started again and drove three blocks and killed it at the light.... it wouldn't start again.

I thought that it may have been the little red wire on the starter... it has fallen off a few times before and everytime i put it back on it started right back up. However i checked it and it was fine.... still wouldnt start. It still had power and would just do the one click and thats it....

So then i pushed it back to the house and found i melted part of the wiring harness on the exaughst manifold so i took that off saudered it back together (yes i checked my connections and it is fine) then put that back on and still nothing.... then i discovered i had also melted my positive battery cable so i replaced that one two days ago.... and had a friend help me push start it and jump the clutch and it ran fine.... however its not starting with the key

so.... i replaced the starter solenoid/ starter relay (whatever you want to call it its mounted on the side wall next to the battery my stock one had 3 post the new one has 4 and the extra one isnt being used) thinking that i may have shorted it out when i melted the wires. but its still doing the same thing everything turns on, one click and it wont start....

what do i do now? please help... i got RSP and Military appointments i gotta make before i ship out in November

 

[Darth5oh]

...When you go to start it it will make a loud click and then go dead. By dead I mean the lights shut off, door wont ding, power locks don't work. Totally dead. Sometimes the power will come back the instant the key is released, sometimes it wont come back for an hour, and sometimes its any period in between.

Thread from the dead… just adding as my stock ’94 had pretty-much exactly the symptoms described by pyro in the first post – wife drops-off the kids at school, engine running fine, turn off, try to restart and everything was completely dead – no interior lights, door buzzer/bell, nothing. Got my volt meter and some tools together (along with a spare battery) and got the “scene” about 40 minutes later. Volt-meter showing 12.7 volts. ??? Wife cycles the key several times, nothing – then things/lights came-on weak and the starter would click. A few more cycles – all the sudden everything comes back full power and it then starts right up as if nothing were wrong.

After reading this thread, I determined the most likely cause was a bad battery cable(s.) I got under it last night to see what I could see, and how tough it was going to be to replace the cables. As I was following the cables and sorta pulling/checking them, I was at the power cable at the starter solenoid (on the starter) and noticed I could MOVE the cable back and forth on the solenoid post. I popped-off the red cap/cover, and found the 13mm nut holding the cable on was loose-enough to move the cable/nut on the solenoid post easily by hand! Not sure how this no-start wasn't happening all the time?? Tightened the nut and put the cap back on. (Another odd symptom were having almost daily – would be the radio would turn-off by itself. Sometimes it would clear the memory/station/clock setting. )

Time will tell, but and I’m betting this will in-fact solve my radio and start/dead issue!