No Crank When Cold

[RandomNerd2000]

Yeah true, I expect to probably have to undertake a fuel pump sooner or later in this truck too. I always wished I got some kind of paperwork with it, win some lose some though, if I had to make a guess, they probably snapped off one of the wire studs doing the transmission in 2015, since it had a transmission done before I had to do the one I did. Four years out of what's probably a reman starter, and likely less than 50K miles if I had to make a guess seems short lived. It happens though.

The main concern in the Mountaineer is snapping important stuff off, such as the solenoid studs for example, if I just take the one off it, it's pretty clean engine and transmission wise so maybe I'll get really lucky.

 

[masospaghetti]

Did you make sure your positive battery cable is in good condition? All three of my Explorers had bad positive battery terminals that caused mysterious starting problems. The only time any of them stranded me was because of a bad battery cable terminal.

If the cable is bad, you can fix it without pulling the whole thing which can be a pain. This seems to be the most robust one I've seen, working great so far.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001DUCMAM/ref=psdc_15720011_t2_B07FMJ2B6V

 

[CDW6212R]

My newest 98 truck someone had already cut both terminals off of, and it didn't start about two months after I bought it. I hate those cheap parts store bolt on repair things, they are garbage for reliability. I searched online and ended up with this one through Amazon, it's much much better and has large terminal lugs to crimp and weld the OEM cable into:
Military Spec Battery Terminal Top Post Kit - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X36RILW/ref=psdc_15720011_t3_B001DUCMAM

 

[RandomNerd2000]

It's got the factory ends, and albeit well worn, they are intact and not broken, nor are they corroded, I cleaned them before this began. I also doubt it's a cable issue since once it finally turns over for the day, it's good to go until the next day.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yeah, take care of those precious cables. Will it crank at all now? If it doesn't do anything, have you tapped the starter from below with a hammer, lightly? I confirmed mine that way two weeks ago.

 

[Mbrooks420]

When it doesn’t crank I’d still do an ohm check from terminal to motor.

 

[donalds]

It has to be checked under a load to get a accurate reading check the resistance of the wire when it's hot or humid out

Sorry Mr Brooks I did not see your comments
Sounds like corrosion in the wire causing voltage drop

 

[RandomNerd2000]

Tapping the starter seemed to work great, few good wacks with the hammer and we were on our way again.. If it was wire corrosion, wouldn't that show when it's hotter outside instead of when it's colder? This is a COLD weather symptom, only does it in colder weather. In warm weather it doesn't do it.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Things contract in the cold and can make connections worse. If whacking the starter made it turn over it’s almost surely the starter. Probably a cheap quality reman.

 

[donalds]

Or rebuild Rebuilder in a box

 

[CDW6212R]

Tapping the starter seemed to work great, few good wacks with the hammer and we were on our way again.. If it was wire corrosion, wouldn't that show when it's hotter outside instead of when it's colder? This is a COLD weather symptom, only does it in colder weather. In warm weather it doesn't do it.

Ditto, that's the starter. Getting it to work by hitting it is a 99% indication the starter is bad. Hunt a decent rebuilder nearby or buy another. The rebuild pricing has gone up though, expect at least $50 for a full rebuild(everything but the case and winding assembly).

 

[Mbrooks420]

I wouldn’t rebuild a non factory starter, most likely.

 

[CDW6212R]

I wouldn’t rebuild a non factory starter, most likely.

Oh for sure, I wouldn't really consider rebuilding another brand of starter. I had three rebuilt about two years ago, my original, one from my Mark VII(almost identical), and another OEM Explorer part I paid $10 for from the JY(it was laying on the ground where someone had pulled the trans).

I just remembered that the one I installed was a used Explorer starter I bought about ten years ago from eBay. That's the one that just went out last month. Was that one worth the $45 it cost, for about 2 1/2 years of life?

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’ve been lucky, in the 300k I’ve been driving Explorers I’ve never replaced a starter.

 

[CDW6212R]

This black 98 has been the most abused car I've owned, after a rough 85 Mark VII I had for a short while. I've had to do more to this truck, and the prior owners have the most to do with it. I bought it for the rust free body, but it has all kinds of wear of the interior, the AWD parts of course, and the body too. I'll use many parts from my 98 Mercury for this(interior mostly), and what new parts I collected over the past ten years.

Happily items like the starter are easy and reasonable, plus available anywhere. Stay warm up there, the 5-25 degrees is just hitting us now. Snow will not be far along.

@RandomNerd2000, get that starter fixed soon, you want to stay ahead of any problems during Winter.