Won’t start, slow turn over after reaching operating temp | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Won’t start, slow turn over after reaching operating temp

Rev Stan

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December 25, 2011
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City, State
Washington, Indiana via Orlando, Florida
Year, Model & Trim Level
1992 Ford Explore 4 X 4
1992 Ford Explorer 4 X 4 4.0 L EFI Automatic Trans
WON’T START, SLOW TURN OVER AFTER REACHING OPERATING TEMP

After engine gets warm (operating temp) will not restart, acts as if timing way way advanced or very hot approaching seizing or battery is really low voltage wise. Problem became apparent after the drivers side head was removed and repaired. Repairs also included installing a new battery, alternator and starter.

After vehicle sits for about 30 minutes or so it restarts totally normal and runs fine. Absolutely no indication of the engine running HOT during operation.

Number 6 plug broke at threads and then easy-out broke so head had to be removed.
Drilled out plug hole and repaired with a Heli-Coil which was easy and works extremely well.

I ordered a Fel Pro head gasket set, part number HS9724 PT-1, knowing they are dependable gaskets. Now comes the confusing part I discovered after I developed the No Start Heat problem. Both head gaskets in the set were identical (no indication on the gasket as to Left or Right side gasket). When the head gaskets are purchased individually there is a Right and Left gasket listed and the gaskets are not the same (referring to water port positions). Checked this out at my local Advanced Auto Parts store.

Reassembled engine, topped off fluids, pressurized fuel system and started the engine. Idled just fine, no leaks and all seemed well. After test driving the vehicle about 10 miles all seemed well.
Good oil pressure, temperature in a normal operating range, electrical system charging ----- great no problems and job is done.

Turned vehicle off, checked again for any leaks and all looked good. Decided to restart the vehicle and when I turned the key the engine acted like either the timing was way advanced or engine is extremely hot or a bad battery . Very slow and draggy to not turning over any. Temp gage still shows engine in normal range (NOT HOT). The engine does not smell hot and shows no indication of being overheated.

Not sure how or why the recent repair would create this problem.

Thank you in advance for any ideas or information and your assistance shall be deeply appreciated.
 



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My apologies in advance to the length of this post.

What kind of voltage drop are you getting when trying to restart the engine? Resistence goes up with heat, so if your starter, high current cable or other electrical parts are getting hot, they may not be letting the current flow where it needs to go. Also is the alternator charging properly? You should read about 14.2 volts across the battery at Idle.

Check all your connections, make sure they are clean and tight. The obvious and the not so, like the negetive cable at the block, any ground straps from the engine to the frame, the starter stud bolt, is the mount face of the starter to the trans clean? Where is the cable roughted, close to the exhaust manifold?

Do you still have the old parts? Try swapping the old starter in if you still have it. If not you will have to get a friend and volt drop the components to see where you are losing the voltage. What brand is the new starter? Some cheap replacments could have low quality parts that may break down with heat.

Now, for the explaination of volt dropping. I assume you are not familiar with this testing. This is very much a different test than just checking resistence. All components will have a small loss but should be less then 0.5V, the starter may have a little more because of the many connections inside the case but if there is a large drop here then the starter is to blame.

Get a good volt meter and measure the voltage across a component in the circut while operating the circut. In other words, while the starter is rotating the engine, measure any component in the system. The reading on your meter will be the voltage lost in the circut across that point, and not being put to work in the starter.

To check the solenoid - put meter leads on both posts of the solenoid, have friend crank the engine and read the meter, it should be 0.01-0.5 volts, no more.

To check cables - one meter lead on one end of the cable and the other on the oposite end. If you use the stud, you are checking the connection through it as well, should be less than 0.2 volts.

At the starter - you should read between the stud and the case. Then you can test between starter case and the trans case. Then the ground cable and the bolt on the block, then to the neg batt terminal to test the ground.

You can check individual conections this way as well. For exaple put a lead on the batt post and the other on the cable end for that post. Crank the engine and get the reading. This is the voltage lost from the post to the cable end. Once you understand this method you can pin point the cause of the starter drag.

If everything checks out, then you have some mechanical issue in the engine but i doubt thats the case.

Good luck, if you can't quite get the idea from this; search "volt dropping a starter motor" on you-tube there are some videos that explain it pretty well.
 






Thanks for the input. I am very familiar with voltage drop testing. One of the items I checked prior to posting as experienced that issue on a Toyota I use to own.

I didn't mention that the problem did not exist until I pulled the head. I have a feeling that the problem lies in the head gasket as that is the only change with the engine.

Have a good day and a better tomorrow.
 






cracked head. gasket wasn't the culprit. just a thought. discuss.
 






:rolleyes: Sort of ruled that out as engine performs fine running and driving. No anti-freeze in the oil, no compression gases bubbling in the radiator.

This all started when I decided to due a tune-up on the vehicle. Change plugs, filters etc......

The problem only arose after the head was removed to install a Heli Coil to repair a broken plug. Threads broke off from rest of plug. Easy out broke so required head removal. I spent close to twenty years working as a line mechanic for Mopar and Chevy, never seen this type problem before.

Only difference I can come up with is the gasket water ports are not the same on the replacement gasket as they are on the stock gasket. Also the intake manifold gasket was not open in the valley area like the stock one but this should not create this condition.

I am really stumped on this one. Been a few years since I did engine work and I am definitely not totally up on EFI systems. Thought might be a semi-vapor lock issue. ????????????????????????
 






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