Help

[rickchurch]

My 1994 Explorer engages the starter when the key is turned on. Have replaced the starter, starter relay & ignition switch yet it continues to do this. Any help or ideas are greatly appreciated

 

[wood1]

Hi Rick, welcome.

What problem are you having? As soon as you turn the key to the run position the starter turns the engine until you turn the key off?

 

[rickchurch]

You can go to the start position & the starter engages there is a tiny spot between start & run position where the starter will drop out like it should. Tried 2 switches thinking I may have got a bad switch, still engages with the key in run position

 

[wood1]

Do you have a multimeter or a logic probe or test light?

If you were to unplug the blue/red small gauge wire (just pushes on) from the fender mounted solenoid what happens when you turn on the key? If your starter doesn't engage, your problem is between the end of that wire and your ignition switch.

If this is the case, I would check to see if there is power in the starter wire coming from the ignition switch when the key is in the run position. Probe the heavier gauge red/light blue wire in the bundle of wires coming from the ignition switch (couple yellows, black/green, grey/yellow, red/light green). You have to remove the plastic from the bottom of the steering column. If you are getting +12 volts when you turn the key to run, it is the ignition switch. Not the key cylinder, that only turns the switch.

Have a look and let me know how you made out.

 

[rickchurch]

Ok, the red lt blue wire at the solenoid has power with the key in the run position. At the switch there are 2 red lt blue wires together in the same terminal, can't really test there because if the key is turned to run the starter is engaged. put 2 switches in thinking I may have bought a bad one, don't really think I could get 2 bad ones

 

[rickchurch]

Any way to rerun the wire from the solenoid to the switch, without having to go through the whole harness?

 

[rickchurch]

Wood1 thanks for the information, I found a section of the harness on the drivers side inner fender where the insulation was pretty much gone on all the wires allowing them to get together causing the issue.

 

[wood1]

Cool. Glad to help out.

Wood.