Starting issues - Pleeeeeeease hel

[Mr Gomez]

The truck was parked for about a year. I started it every once in a while to make sure everything is working. Now I'm trying to drive it again, but it won't start. It just makes a single clicking sound in the firewall every time I try to start it.

What I've tried so far...
-New battery (tested at 12 volts)
-New starter (bench tested and working)(also checked connection, and I'm also reading 12 volts between the positive connection and engine block)
-Fuse and relay also checked.


It is a 2002 Explorer with 100,119 miles on it. Pleeeeeeeease help me. I'm about to pull my hair out

 

[pet575]

If it sat for that long you could have corrosion in your battery cables/connections. Even if the connections don't look corroded you could still have a corroded cable that has deteriorated in a place you can't see under the insulation.

 

[Mr Gomez]

Thank you very much for the reply. Is it possible to get 12 volts at the starter with corroded wires?

 

[pet575]

Yes it is possible if your positive cables are fine but your negatives are bad. You wouldn't have a good ground if that were the case.

 

[Mr Gomez]

Ok I'll check the cables when I get off work tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks again for the assistance. really appreciated.

 

[Eddiebauer2003]

Sounds like it could be a starter solenoid you can always test it but sticking a metal screw driver between the connections and see if it turns over,or if you dont like doing that kinda thing you could just replace it for 10-20 bucks hope this helps.Also you could try putting it in neutral and see if it trys to start could be a bad saftey switch just an idea!

 

[pet575]

Good ideas.

 

[Mr Gomez]

Thank you for the suggestion. I finally got it started. The problem: after about the 1000th time of turning the key trying to start it, I noticed that the red security light on the middle of the dash by the windshield was flashing rapidly every time i turned the key to the ignition position, I figured out that it was a security issue. Then i remembered that I had a spare key cut at Lowe's, and that's what I was using to start the truck. I tried it with the original key and it fired right up.

Sorry for my lapse in judgement, and again, I do speedboat all of the good suggestions from you good people. I feel a lot closer to my ex now lol