I'm an idiot at jumped 2004 ploder backwards.. Need help

[slayer_of_fords]

As my name would imply, I like to slay fords and their electrical systems.. I jumped a 2004 explorer 4.0 backwards. Key was not in the ignition, all accessories work. it was only hooked up with reverse polarity for a second at most until i realized what I did. Everything comes on fine, but when I put the key into the run position there is a fast clicking coming from the starter area. The truck will not crank. This clicking is not like a dead battery solenoid click. it sounds like a relay clicking over and over pretty quickly. All the fuses in the under hood fuse bank are fine. Is there a fusable link or mega fuse or something down by the starter i cant find that would cause this clicking?

I greatly appreciate any and all help that you guys could provide.

I'm gonna go cry in the corner while waiting for your replies.

 

[96firephoenix]

My guess: you fried your starter and/or solenoid. The clicking you're hearing is the ignition relay, but you're not hearing the starter motor moving, or the solenoid engaging because A) the starter motor is pretty quiet when it has 0 load and B) the the solenoid is toast.

Aside from any explorer-specific electrical issue you may have caused, that is my best guess.

 

[slayer_of_fords]

I don't know how it they would have fried. There would not have been any electricity running through either to fry them.

 

[FordFool2]

The PCM controls the starter relay. The starter relay then provides 12 V to the starter motor coil (solenoid). Once the motor coil (solenoid) energizes it pulls in a contact and connects a separate 12 V to the motor windings and spins the starter.

50 Amp fuse in Battery Junction Box.
Starter relay is closing terminals 30 to 87 to apply power to the starter solenoid. This is 12 gauge wire Yellow/Light Blue.
The starter motor should have the following wires:
12 Gauge YE/LB.
4 Gauge Red

There are no fuses or fusible links on the 4 gauge feed to the starter.

I suspect the starter relay (maybe swap with an identical relay for test purposes).
Or, the connections on the starter. Be careful not to short out while checking. Maybe disconnect the battery to be safe. Good luck.

 

[slayer_of_fords]

Let it sit overnight and it took a jump just fine. There has to be some sort of circuit breaker that protects from reverse polarity. Thanks for the reply phoenix and fool.