Pls Help - Clank, Clank, Clank noise on start-up

[mike91]

I was washing my truck the other night with a pressure spray hose. After I finished washing it, I jumped into my truck and when to start it up. The damn thing would not start - clank, clank, clank, clank was all she said. So I tried a couple more times and only received the same results. Finally I decided to wait around 10 minutes in case if anything got wet (even though when I would power wash the engine, I would always start it up wet with no problem). So after ten minutes of swearing, I tried again and this time it started up with no problem. This was on Friday.

So comes today, after driving around for a while, I parked my truck and after an hour or so I go to start her up. Clank, clank, clank, clank. Oh this must be a twilight zone episode and start swearing again. I take the easy way it - "it must be the starter, I have a lifetime warranty with Autozone... maybe the 20k mile starter went back." So I take the ride to a nearby Autozone and replace the starter. I give the ok to my girlfriend to start the truck - clank, clank, clank. Someone please help me - I need a doctor. I do not have any idea what the problem is. The noise appears to be coming from under the hood on the passenger side, maybe from the rear of the engine. If anyone has experienced the same or can provide a little insight, I would appreciate it. Otherwise I will invest in a gun and put her out of her misery (the truck, not my girlfriend).

Thanks.

 

[TPLYNCH]

Have you checked/replaced you positive and negative battery cables? They both have a tendency to corrode inside where you cant see it, especially true with your year. Also, make sure the negative is properly connected to the ground. Hope this helps. Don't want you putting her down before her time.

 

[Rhett]

Maybe it has to do with the flywheel?
not sure, get 2nd + 3rd opinions from a mechanic...

 

[mike91]

Rhett -
I had a feeling that it would be a possibility, but I didn't want to mention it b/c I wanted to hear what you guys had to say. Have you ever experienced flywheel problems - even if its a different vehicle and can shed some light as to symptoms of a bad flywheel.

TPLYNCH -
I am definitely going to try the wires b/c they are in bad shape and I was meaning to try them out.

 

[Rhett]

I have only seen the flywheel problem once, and that was on a hopped up 1980 Corvette. I wasn't sure if the flywheel problems there were not related to all of the performance/racing parts in that car or not...(you know, sometimes performance parts are like thoroughbreds, they are really fast but can be skittish). What I am saying is that the flywheel problem is a rare one and I can't say I've heard of it in an Explorer.

As far as specifics about the flywheel--I can tell you that the car made a metallic-sounding scraping noise when it was trying to turn over, sort of like what you might hear on some cars if you turn the ignition while the engine is already running. Only in this case, the engine wouldn't turn over...initially...but then after a few tries it would, after much of the clanking.

I am no expert at that sort of thing...maybe someone else here can give you some specifics about potential flywheel problems. If you have a Haynes or similar manual you might look in there, too.

 

[mike91]

I feel like such an ass.....

It turned out to be corrosion on the battery cable, where the cable meets the terminal. Oh, I am a happy man now! Feel dumb though for not checking that out first, but was blasting the radio earlier for five minutes so I didn't expect for it to be anything cable of battery related.

Thanks guys