JonEdanger Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 (edited) 93 V6. No issues starting for the 1.5 yrs we've had it. Battery less than a yr old. Started fine 4 times yesterday. After work I headed out to the cigar bar. 3 hrs later I try to go home. Doors open fine with fob. Key in ignition, turn. Dash lights come on as normal. No starter. Doesn't even try. I can hear relays clicking in the console area. Headlights are bright. Have a friend hook up jumper cables just to confirm but not a juice in battery issue. Reset key fob. Try all the positions for the security switch in the console. No joy. Any links to troubleshooting help? Searches return a ton of info but most look like rabbit holes. Thanks in advance, J. Edited August 20, 2014 by JonEdanger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebayfish Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Starter relay, its a blue relay over on your passenger fender I believe. I've heard of this before, so I snagged one from a junkyard & keep it in my glovebox for just such an occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpecialWarr Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Did you do an oil change recently? Maybe try a can of brake cleaner on the starter wires if you did? That worked for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonEdanger Posted August 20, 2014 Author Share Posted August 20, 2014 Did you do an oil change recently? Maybe try a can of brake cleaner on the starter wires if you did? That worked for me! Oil change about 6 weeks ago. Thanks for the reply. Auto transmission. Just realized I didn't specify in the OP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nefarious Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 If it's auto then it's most likely a stuck starter solenoid (or one with shady contacts) or a stuck starter relay. It could also be a bad park switch but that is a less common problem. Find the park switch and test it for continuity when vehicle is in park. If ok, Test the starter relay by removing it and manually testing it for continuity across the switching pins after being supplied a 12v source to the coil. If starter relay checks out then you have a starter solenoid issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djratlif Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 I have an issue sometimes with the neutral safety switch or transmission range switch/sensor. I will get in after just pumping gas or something and the truck won't crank. All the lights work and everything, so I just have to cycle the shifter through the gears. Not sure if you are running an automatic like me but something to look at if so Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nefarious Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Yeah that's what I mentioned as the park switch. On the auto there is an inhibitor switch in the shifter console that drives an inhibitor relay. If that switch or relay have bad contacts then it will do exactly as you described. If these went bad then the starter relay would not engage so you will have to narrow down which relay you do hear clicking and which relay you don't hear clicking. Sorry I'm not sure of the physical placement of the inhibitor relay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonEdanger Posted August 25, 2014 Author Share Posted August 25, 2014 Thanks for the input, guys. Here's a pic of two relays I found on the left front fender. The grey one is the starter relay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahardb0dy Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 starter relay should be blue, about twice the size as a normal relay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonEdanger Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 Update: I have confirmed there is a clicking noise emanating from the area of the shifter when it is in park. Said clicking is absent when I moved the selector to reverse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nefarious Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Well that should be the inhibitor relay energizing, if that's the case you can find the starter relay and test to see if it is energizing. Do you have a multimeter? I can give you some tests to perform on individual relays and wire runs to confirm where the issue is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nefarious Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 The other thing is it could be a sticky switch or relay contact even though you hear it now because the vehicle starts right now. Really you have to wait until the problem appears again to really narrow it down,intermittent electrical issues are always the fun ones to diagnose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonEdanger Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 Actually it started after I took a pitchfork handle and rapped on the solenoid a few times. I got frustrated with trying to figure out which of the 25 relays... Battery is due to be replaced (it's from 4/2009). Ordered a new Optima Yellow Top from Autozone that will be here tomorrow. Will toss the pitchfork in the back... Thanks, everyone, for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9sar Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 if smacking the starter made a difference, your commutator is probably full of carbon dust from the brushes and had found a dead-spot. I would definitely pull the starter, disassemble it, clean all the crap out of it and put it back (after testing it of course). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nefarious Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 if smacking the starter made a difference, your commutator is probably full of carbon dust from the brushes and had found a dead-spot. I would definitely pull the starter, disassemble it, clean all the crap out of it and put it back (after testing it of course). yup exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonEdanger Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share Posted August 26, 2014 yup exactly. I'm planning a nice weekend project around this. Mid-late October when it's not 95 degrees with 90% humidity. Thanks for the help guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k9sar Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 We'll be here. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastrdgod Posted September 18, 2014 Share Posted September 18, 2014 Having this problem. Was pretty sure it was solenoid. Have to work tomorrow... doubt I'm going to get this done tonight. Bummer. Pulling it out and cleaning the heck out of it. We'll see if this is same problem and if it fixes it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastrdgod Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 (edited) Tore apart starter, cleaned the holy heck out of it. It was real bad. Almost brand new clean. No start. It was none of 10 turns, now 2 of 10. Picking up solenoid. we'll see if it works. Any suggestions on brand of solenoid? Edited September 19, 2014 by Bastrdgod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nefarious Posted September 19, 2014 Share Posted September 19, 2014 Have you tested to see that you get 12v at the starter when the vehicle is put to START? if you aren't getting any voltage at the starter then you have a problem further up the line. Always best to run the free tests before throwing parts at something, me thinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastrdgod Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Yeah, getting 12, so probably not relay... going to order Bosch starter SR2275N. Relay is $90, and starter is $107.55 + s/h. I would rather pay 20 more, get whole assembly with lifetime warranty from company with decent reputation. We'll see how this goes. Also I got a whole bunch of pics of starter pull and disassemble and clean to post when I'm done for future reference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nefarious Posted September 23, 2014 Share Posted September 23, 2014 Yup, if you are getting 12v at the starter on crank then starter / solenoid is the issue. You got er! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastrdgod Posted September 25, 2014 Share Posted September 25, 2014 Yeah, getting 12, so probably not relay... going to order Bosch starter SR2275N. Solenoid is $90, and starter is $107.55 + s/h. I would rather pay 20 more, get whole assembly with lifetime warranty from company with decent reputation. We'll see how this goes. Also I got a whole bunch of pics of starter pull and disassemble and clean to post when I'm done for future reference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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