Starter Going Out?

[huskyfan23]

Hey, I noticed the starter on my X is near the bottom on the driver side. Can the heat from the headers cause this to go out? When I do a cold start it turns over for a few seconds before it starts. I believe it can either be the starter or the fuel pump. Is the only way to see if it's the fuel pump by turning to Acc for 5 secs, turning off, then turning on, and seeing if it starts right away? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[410Fortune]

What?

Details dude, we need details.

What is the problem you are having?

If the starter is cranking the engine then the starter is not bad.

If it takes a while before the engine will start when it's hot, then we can start there.

If you read your post it is diffucult at best to understand:

what year truck
5 speed or auto
what is the problem?
what have you tried?

 

[huskyfan23]

Year: '94, and it's an Explorer.... if you looked just a lil bit to the left you could tell.

Automatic. Problem: Cranks for a few seconds before it actually starts when it's a cold start. On a hot start it starts right up. Haven't tried anything because I have no ideas what can be done. I'm trying to find out what the cause is, so I guess if it starts it isn't the starter. Fuel pump, any other choices or just the pump?

 

[410Fortune]

How long has it been since it had a tune up?

I dont always go by what it says in your signature because LOTS of people have one or more carws, or one or more Explorer's, or they are often asking for a friend, etc.

I have found over the years that the more info you give up front the better the help you will receive.

How long is a few seconds? I mean a well tuned 4.0L will start with just the bump of a key. But there are hundreds of things that can cause it to take longer when its cold, including:

faulty fuel pressure regulator
winter gasoline, cheapo gas, old gas, bad gas
dirty fuel filter
dirty fuel injectors
old spark plugs
weak fuel pump (usually parked on a hill is a good indication)
vacuum leaks

it goes on and on...

so the first thing to do is a full tune up, new plugs, wires, filters, clean the intake, clean the MAS, run some cleaner through the fuel system, etc......

 

[huskyfan23]

All that was done about 3 weeks ago. A few seconds as in 5 seconds. Gas is 92 from 76 and if the injectors were dirty wouldn't there be black smoke when I start?

 

[410Fortune]

black smoke? nope.

A dirty injector just cant spray like it is supposed to and it cant deliver enough fuel.

Was your idle air control vavle cleaned? (IAC)

what about the MAS (mass air flow sensor?)

So you had:
plugs/wires
fuel filter
air filter
throttle body and intake cleaned
fuel pressure regulator checked?

I would start by testing the fuel pressure at the rail.

Also if it just started doing this and you just had a tune up done, start there. Make sure the CORRECt plugs were installed and that they were gapped properly....

 

[biggs92EB]

Mine did something similar to that a while back hasnt done it in a while when i go to cold start it only it would just make a loud click under the hood id turn the key again and it would turn over and over and over and never start, but if i turn the key off and then back on it would fire right up? dont know what the prob is but id like to so i dont get stuck nowhere.

 

[410Fortune]

That sounds like abad connection at the battery.

A loud click and no cranking usually means the starter is not getting enough power from the battery.

Now it is crank and crank and cranks with no starting, then you are talking either a fuel or spark problem....

 

[biggs92EB]

hmm yeah thats what i thought maybe i need new battery cables they are not the best the part that clicks is right behind my battery I dont know what its called but there is a hot right to it. its corroded too so maybe it needs replacing as far as it not starting it only does that when it clicks like that and all i have to do is turn the key to the off position and then back on and then it will fire its weird

 

[Mike_H]

husky,

My 92 was doing something like that since last augest. when I would turn the key to start it would just crank and crank no matter how many times I would let the fuel pump cycle before turning it to start. I would let it crank over a few times, then turn the key to off then try it again and it would start right up. It would do that mainly when it was warm outside. Last week it died on me and it turned out to be the fuel pump, I replaced it (not fun in a 1st gen) and now she starts right up. Good luck finding your problem and let us know what it was.

 

[biggs92EB]

oh man i hope its not my fuel pump that would really suck