No Start, No click after starter replacement

[jimmyfloyd]

Ok, I just got done changing the starter in my 95 explorer 3 times.

First symptoms were a no start with a squeeling/grinding sound. After getting the starter out, it looks like it seized. Took it to Autozone and had it tested. Failed. they also said seized. I checked the flywheel and there were no grinding marks on it and it was solid, so I figured that was good.

The second starter I got was from a 98. When I installed it, it bolted up, but there were two differences. The first being a smaller housing and the 2nd being a stud instead of spade connector. Fixed the spade connector with a jumper and the housing I figured I would work out later. With this one, The truck seemed to turn over, but made a horrible grinding, which was different than the previous. This time it sounded like it was against the flywheel. So I removed it, sure enough, there were light marks on the flywheel.

Before I removed it, I checked with a ford dealer and they said the starters were different between 95 and 98, so I figured that was my issue since the starter had tested good at Autozone.

So I had a good looking starter body minus solenoid laying around from a 95, so I swapped that and the solenoid from the original starter and had it tested. Again it tested good. So I just installed that.

Now, i am currently getting No click or anything. My battery is charged (had the charger on it) and everything is connected like before. I also swapped the starter solenoid on the passenger fender, but that didn't seem to help (replacement not bolted down though) When I jump the positive and start terminals on the starter, I can hear it try to extend and click, but it doesn't turn it over either.

Any ideas? Should I just go get a new starter and give that a try instead of used ones? Is there any other parts that can cause this not to work? I have interior lights and radio, Fuse 24 inside is not blown. I am at a loss right now.

Thanks for any help.

 

[jremington59]

It sounds like you're having bad luck with the used starters. Sounds like you need to pick up a new one before you chew up your flywheel.

 

[jimmyfloyd]

Well, I talked with the guy at the autoparts store, and he seems to think the issue is not the starter since I had it tested and it was fine, and since I can jump the terminals and get some movement out of it. He suggested that it might be a wiring issue, or another piece along the chain.

Does anyone have the starter wiring diagram and fuse/relay locations so I can start trouble-shooting this?

 

[jremington59]

Did you make sure all your connections are clean and tight. Also make sure none of the wires are "green". Did you check the solonoid?

 

[jimmyfloyd]

I believe all the connections are tight. I cleaned up any "green" that I found, and also cleaned off the contact areas. The solenoid on the starter was tested with the starter. I did not test the one on the fender, but I did change it with another junkyard one, although it wasn't bolted down, and still got the same issue. I believe that I have all the wires going to the correct posts. For the starter, which of the posts do each wire go to?

Thanks again

 

[budwich]

although I am not sure, you may want to bolt down the one on the wheel well as it may "use" that as a ground return to pull the relay.

 

[jimmyfloyd]

Good point. I figured that might be the case, but I had time constraints so I wasn't able to try it.

And wouldn't you know that Mother Nature decided we needed 4 inches of snow last night. Should make working on this much better. Atleast I can use a sled instead of a creeper... :-D

 

[jremington59]

If you found a green wire, you may have found your problem. Did you cut it back to good wire and replace it. Green wires can halt all current flow through them. It gets inside the wire and goes right through it.

 

[kristopher]

not sure if this will help on your 95 however i had a similar problem on my 98 sport 4.0-ov. it drove me nuts. the rebuilt starters i bought (several) all came with a modification changing the spade connection on the solenoid to a post. this in turn shorted on the oil pan blowing a fuse under the hood. after filing it back for clearence it worked fine.
also confused on the two solenoid system?