It's like the battery isn't connected.... | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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It's like the battery isn't connected....

esp32569

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Year, Model & Trim Level
1997 Ford Explorer xlt
I have a 1997 Explorer with the 4.0 SOHC. I have recently had the timing chains replaced and has been running fine now for a couple of weeks. A couple of days ago, about 10 degrees out. Upon attempting to start the vehicle, I would here nothing but a loud click. I attempted to start it too many times and will now have to reprogrom my keyless entry......that's for another day.
I diagnosed it quickly with a screwdriver and determined that my issue was the starter relay located on the firewall. I replaced the relay this morning, and when I went to hook up the ground terminal back onto the battery, I got nothin'. No power to lights, radio or chimes, like I had left the ground off. I cleaned all terminals. Charging system and battery is less than six months old. Ground wire and the smaller one were taken off and cleaned. All relays and fuses look good. I have continuity from the battery ground to the engine, and I have 13 volts at the hot side of the positive cable at the relay. If I use a 12 volt cordless drill battery and attach it to where the small positive wire comes in from the harness, the starter will even spin.
Whisky Tango Foxtrot?
 



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Check for corrosion between the battery cables and the battery terminals
 






I had taken the battery completely out and cleaned both terminals, even though this was done a couple of weeks before
 






Do you have the original OEM battery terminals, or aftermarket?
 






Battery terminals are not Motorcraft, but not the cheap ones, either. Had replaced original ground last year and have no issues. Even when I had replaced the ground terminal last year with it hanging on by a thread, my lights would light up and it would chime. I'm thinking about two possibilities, although I obviously don't know:
1. Could I have done something with the anti theft?
2. Is there some sort of fuseable link?

I find it very odd that I have voltage at the relay on the firewall. It would have been impossible to not rewire the relay correctly. There isn't enough extra wire to do that.

Note: The theft light is also not flashing
 






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You might have a battery cable that’s corroded somewhere down the length of the cable. Explorers are very susceptible to this. Wiggle both cables pretty good and try and restart.

It’s not the anti theft (PATS). When the PATS has a fault the light will blink rapidly but it will still turn the motor over.
 






I'll have a new ground terminal later today, and I am going to completely change over everything. (terminal and the two ends that go to the cables.) I am currently using a heavier duty cable end compared to what was OEM. I haven't had a problem with this setup, but I am moving back to the OEM style of connector. I'll keep you posted.
 






New connector is in on the ground side, as well as an entirely new smaller cable that mounts a few inches from the battery. Same result. I did try jiggling the wires also. The connection at the engine is solid, and I have contiuity through everything I can test, both on the positive and negative side. I still have 13 volts at the relay and I can still spin the motor by exiting the relay with a small battery. At no point in time do any of my lights come on. How do I have power to the larger soleniod wire that is mounted at the top, but not to the rest of the vehicle?
 






All the MAXI fuses in the under hood distribution box are good?
 






RESOLVED! OPERATOR ERROR! I finally found a wiring diagram and realized that both wires not going to the starter went to the hot side. Starts right up with the new relay. Thanks for trying to help me on this guys, but sometimes you can't fix stupid.
 






Easy fix :thumbsup: Nice...
 












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