Mr. Alligator
Explorer Addict
- Joined
- November 30, 2014
- Messages
- 1,297
- Reaction score
- 1,028
- City, State
- Tampa, Florida
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1997 XLT Explorer
FINALLY SOLVED!
Out of State repairs are tough, but this certainly could have been worse... Truck starter was 3 1/2 years old. Auto Zone tested the starter as “good”. A kind mobile mechanic (contacted through Auto Zone) tested the system and also concluded the starter was good, while the ignition switch was faulty. This threw my troubleshooting into hyperspace. Searching and reading and researching and reviewing and inspecting and testing. I kept coming back to bad starter.
Today, I took starter to NAPA to buy a new starter, hoping they had the better quality unit. Well, they also had a tester, and once again, my starter tested “good”. But the starter bearings were making a little noise, and I had to do something, so I bought a new NAPA starter....
Installed the new starter from NAPA, and truck fired right up!!! Started immediately. ISSUE RESOLVED.
Moral of the story: do not trust auto parts starter testing! it might be right most of the time. Maybe. But if you have a multimeter, you can test the starting system components. Without a multimeter, you can jump the starter and the starter fender relay from the positive battery terminal, and get the same result ... maybe in a slightly more redneck approach.
Thanks to everyone on this Forum for thoughtful assistance. This Forum has helped me keep my truck running for hundreds of thousands of miles. The members here have so much wisdom, and there are so many helpful and compassionate contributions.
Stay safe and stay kind. Thank you all.
Out of State repairs are tough, but this certainly could have been worse... Truck starter was 3 1/2 years old. Auto Zone tested the starter as “good”. A kind mobile mechanic (contacted through Auto Zone) tested the system and also concluded the starter was good, while the ignition switch was faulty. This threw my troubleshooting into hyperspace. Searching and reading and researching and reviewing and inspecting and testing. I kept coming back to bad starter.
Today, I took starter to NAPA to buy a new starter, hoping they had the better quality unit. Well, they also had a tester, and once again, my starter tested “good”. But the starter bearings were making a little noise, and I had to do something, so I bought a new NAPA starter....
Installed the new starter from NAPA, and truck fired right up!!! Started immediately. ISSUE RESOLVED.
Moral of the story: do not trust auto parts starter testing! it might be right most of the time. Maybe. But if you have a multimeter, you can test the starting system components. Without a multimeter, you can jump the starter and the starter fender relay from the positive battery terminal, and get the same result ... maybe in a slightly more redneck approach.
Thanks to everyone on this Forum for thoughtful assistance. This Forum has helped me keep my truck running for hundreds of thousands of miles. The members here have so much wisdom, and there are so many helpful and compassionate contributions.
Stay safe and stay kind. Thank you all.