My Explorer will not start!!!

[robinnow21]

Yes. My 91 wont start. I drove it one day. The next day it would not start. I thought it was the battery because nothing was happening. So i changed the battery. Then the windows would roll down (they are powered) and the doors would unlock (they are powered). But the truck would not start. no turning over or anything. the starter seems to be fine. i think.



How do you check a starter?

what can be wrong with my car?

If you need more info that i didnt include please ask!! i will answer quickly! thanks...


robinnow21@yahoo.com

 

[Phager]

The first thing I'd check is if you have power to the relay. This is located on the passenger side fender, behind the battery. First check to make sure you have ~12v at the forward terminal (it should be hot at all times) then, with someone cranking the engine check the second large termimal, this should have ~12v when cranking. If you don't have 12v at that terminal when cranking it could be either the relay itself, or the neutral saftey switch (if auto) or the clutch switch (if stick) or possibly the ignition switch itself.

Hope this helps,

Pat

 

[JDraper]

First, check your cable connections. Then, if you have access to a multimeter, check the resistance of the battery cables. If it's above a few ohms, the cables are most likely bad. The battery cables get internal corrosion that will cause your symptoms. Lights, accessories, etc, will work, but it won't start. I know of quite a few Explorers (including my old '92) that had this issue. One other cause, as mentioned above is the starter solenoid.

 

[The_Commodore]

Does it make a sound or nothing at all? You can cross the relay on the passenger fender with a metal screwdriver, just dont touch the metal or the battery will give you a hell of a jolt.

 

[robinnow21]

Does it make a sound or nothing at all? You can cross the relay on the passenger fender with a metal screwdriver, just dont touch the metal or the battery will give you a hell of a jolt.

No it does not make a sound at all.

 

[410Fortune]

put the truck in park, turn the key to run (not start)
open the hood and find your stater solenoid (near battery, has two posts on it) you want to use a screwdriver to touch the two posts together, this will crank the starter, dont be scared it can make you jump if you are not expecting the engine to crank and the screwdriver to spark

If it starts then your problem is in the ignition wire to the solenoid from the key, or the relay itself
If not then its likely the wires to the starter, the starter itself, or your battery cables.

 

[marragtop]

If the solenoid on the fender checks out ok, check to see if you have power at the starter terminal. If you do, then your starter is probably bad. Have you tried hitting the starter to see if it will go?

 

[ma96782]

No start:

Three things to consider:

1) Spark.......are you getting any? Delivered to the cyls in correct order/time?
2) Fuel Delivery.........are you getting delivery? Pressure, correctly metered?
3) Elec........do you have enough power being delivered? Check: Battery/Alt/Cables/wires from ignition switch/ground/shorts?

Aloha, Mark

PS....just cause you got power enough to run your elec windows.....DON'T ALWAYS mean that you have enough AMPS to crank your starter.

 

[BP_93explorer]

I had a similar problem, everything worked but truck wouldn't start. I had just replaced the battery so I knew that wasn't the problem. Turns out it was just bad cables. I replaced those and the truck fired right up.

 

[Bwana Bob]

I had a similar problem, everything worked but truck wouldn't start. I had just replaced the battery so I knew that wasn't the problem. Turns out it was just bad cables. I replaced those and the truck fired right up.

I had the same problem that you and JDraper had: Everything works but the starter. The fault was the (+) battery cable. nothing visually wrong, but there was a high resistance where the cable goes into the lug at the battery.

Try this: Connect a heavy jump start cable from the (+) battery terminal to the large red wire on the starter, then try starting the engine. If it cranks and starts, your battery cable is bad.

For a quick fix: Drill and tap a hole in the battery cable lug, just over the spot where the big red cable goes into it. (Drill the lug on the cable, not the post on the battery). Stop drilling when you hit the copper wire. Insert a screw and tighen it down. This will make a better contact between the lug and the wire.


Bob

 

[BP_93explorer]

Yeah, I could jiggle the hell out of that cable right at the terminal connection and go back and it would start. Thats what ultimately led me to replace the cables.

 

[robinnow21]

battery cables

how do you customize the battery cables so you dont habve to buy the expensive ones?

 

[mikeinri]

If I were you, I wouldn't buy anything until I do all of the things listed above to pinpoint the problem. To me, blind part swapping is expensive, time consuming, and really frustrating.

But, if you really want to spend money, buy the best cables available, regardless of cost, this will save your a$$ down the line. Also, the solenoid is a $15 part, and takes just a few minutes to replace.

My solenoid went recently, and it is only the second time my truck ever failed me and required a tow truck (263,000 miles and counting). Still didn't make me feel better about it. So since you're in there, I would replace the solenoid when you do the cables.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[awood]

Same experience with my 92. Cables fixed it. They looked good on the outside, corroded on the inside.