Odd starter issue

[hiwatt357]

The most random thing occurred last night. Went to start my 2001 Sport in the parking lot of an IHOP, and when I turned the key, the dash lit up, but no start. Not even any turning over. I could hear some sort of hum, but I really couldn't tell what was happening. I had power (radio worked, HVAC fan worked, dash lit up, etc.), but nothing was turning over.

I popped the hood and started looking at battery cables, etc. when a man approached me in the parking lot and asked if I needed to be jumped. I told him that it didn't seem to be the battery, and he said that he's a mechanic. He looks under the hood and listens while I try to start it in park and in neutral. He then asked me to lay my floormat on the ground so he could get under the car and look.

He asked me to slowly move my gear selector from Park and then asked me to stop not far past the "P". Then he popped off some red cap, did something with the wires, and it began turning over. Then it started. He asked me to try starting it with the key, and it worked. So I'm sitting there thinking "WTF"?

So, he attempts to show me what he had done, but it's dark, he has just a small flashlight, and because of suspension, etc. in the way, it was difficult to see. It also didn't help that the guy had some sort of island accent, and he was difficult to understand anyway. But I am pretty sure he said something about a yellow wire and that there was supposed to be a space or a gap between something that is, I'm guessing, on the starter solenoid.

He stated that once I got home, in about an hour I would have the same problem again. I am about to go try to start it right now and look under the car to see what he was talking about, but I thought I would ask you folks about what might be going on here.

Any insight?

 

[swetrid]

He is talking about the starter, there is a red protective cap that goes over the wiring at the starter. Probably needs new starter or the wiring is suspect at the starter.

 

[hiwatt357]

He did mention that it was probably the wiring. I just went out and started it...twice. I went under the car, found the red cap and removed it. I felt and looked around for whatever gap or space he was talking about, and I think I sort of see what he was talking about. Maybe those connections were somehow touching? I guess I need to look at replacing the wiring?

 

[hiwatt357]

He is talking about the starter, there is a red protective cap that goes over the wiring at the starter. Probably needs new starter or the wiring is suspect at the starter.

When you say that the wiring is "suspect", is there something I should look for down there? Bare wires? Something touching something else? I have no idea what he did to start it from there without the key, but he was able to do it. Then I was able to start it with the key. And somehow moving the gear selector was part of whatever he did.

I have to give the guy credit, though, it couldn't have been easy to see under there in the dark with a flashlight that kept cutting out. I gave him the last of my cash I had on me for the help ($14.00), but obviously something is going on down there that I need to address.

 

[hiwatt357]

Well, it looks as though I may have been taken by a scam. A friend of mine just told me that there was a common scam involving Explorers that was pretty much just like mine. He did ask me for money after he "fixed" the problem. I told my wife that something seemed sort of odd about the whole situation, but I was just glad to have the car start again.

I probably still should have the wiring looked at to see if something is amiss.