Starts 100% in cool weather only

[mike walsh]

Hi,

I posted a problem here a few months ago that could not be solved even by Ford. I have an auto starter that was professionally installed and never had a problem. Suddenly, I would need to turn the ignition or the electrobnic start 10 times or more before starting. All I would get would be a "click." A friend got under the car, hit the starter while I turned the key and it started. So the starter was replaced in July and all was well. Then I moved from NJ to NC and it started again.
Another aspect occurred where if I held the key in start position and moved the shifter back and forth I's eventually get it to start.
Now that the humidity has dropped and the temps are pretty much under 75 degrees, the car starts 99.9% of the time.
I had someone tell me about an oxygen sensor on the starter of their import car that caused the same problem. But the Chilton's book shows no such animal.
When I brought it to Ford it of course started and the neutral safety switch was not defective.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike in NC

 

[boominXplorer]

Mine does this too. It either does nothing at all (no soloniod click) or starts right up. Mine is also a 95. I think its a bad grounding. Im hoping its not the ignition going out!

 

[mike walsh]

starts 100% in cooler weather????

>>I think its a bad grounding.<<

But why would the grounding have anything to do with a change in temp and humidity?

I hope someone with some knowledge of 95 Explorers sees this. Muy daughter is supposed to start driving this car when she gets her license soon and I can't let her drive it now.

Mike W

 

[Opera House]

Sounds like shift interlock switch

for the transmission when you say that you have to wiggle the shifter. This switch is electrically between the keyswitch and the starter solenoid. Some have bypassed this switch rather than buy a new one. That seems pretty risky. If the fender solenoid doesn't click, that is the most likely problem. Sounds like a real great dealer if they have never heard of that.

 

[mike walsh]

>>Sounds like shift interlock switch
for the transmission when you say that you have to wiggle the shifter.<<

But the thing is that I don't have to do that anymore since the average temp dropped about 15 degrees.

Any thoughts on why that would be?

One guy told me his Totota had an identical problem and it was an oxygen started that cuts out the starter.

Thanks,
Mike W

 

[Opera House]

Two guys, two problems

If it clicks, the interlock switch is working.

I did have a strange intermitant problem with my 97. Turn the key and the fender solenoid would click but there was no engine cranking. The problem was the starter solenoid on the fender. I drilled it open and found this beautiful powder blue coating on the internal copper contacts. I mention this because I have been in engineering for 30 years and have never seen corrosion like this. I rebuilt mine rather than spend $10. (coil has to be soldered back in place)

If this happens again, you can just jumper the two big terminals on the solenoid. This would prove the theory. This only draws about 12 amps so you won't be welding anything. In fact I drove around for a couple weeks when I had this problem and would just turn the ignition on and jumper these with a paper clip when I was stuck.

Your location isn't that magical. It probably has more to do with temperature and the expansion and shrinking of the plastic housing allowing a different contact location. Most corrosion forms an insulation barrier on a microscopic level. Things like the electric light switches in your house constantly form these oxide layers and these are broken down when a voltage forms across them. Relative humidity can have an effect on how easily these layers break down. Still I don't think this is statistically significant from the two locations. Far too much to think about. Just call it luck.

 

[Blaine122300]

I was thinking starter solenoid too.

 

[mike walsh]

I just wanted to add to this thread incase anyone searches. In my case, a $14 fender solenoid eventually did the trick. And the Ford dealer missed that. Unbelievable!

Mike