Here it is, the eve of the coolest thing I've ever done & my Lil' Horse is WOUNDED!!! PLEEEASE HELLLP MEEEE!! I wanna drive my Lil' Horse to the Pinto Roundup!
This is the deal, My car refuses to crank. Good batt, & solenoid, I REALLY don't think it's the starter, as it sounds like a dead battery (solenoid squeals & clicks) The battery is good (I know cuz it came off my wife's Taurus ,& my batt starts her car) The solenoid is new (less than 3days) The starter doesn't even TRY to turn.
did you check your grounds?
DUH@ME!!!! I know this... Fords & corroded grounds sheesh! I haven't checked them, but I will tomorrow! Just in case, any other tips or tricks? Ya ever get to a point where you just can't think???
everyday ???
uhhhh what were we talking about?
Thanks a TON Dirt Track Demon
Isn't that from a Jim Croce song?
If it aint the ground, and it aint the solenoid, It has to be the starter. I dont know if it is a Jim Croce song or not.
It's ok DTD... I'm just too dang old.. I actually remember Jim Croce LOL
Did you try to start it in neutral? (safety switch) We used to hit the starters with a hammer when they were going out. Would get us through until we were ready to put in the good starter.
OK DADGUMIT! I need a starter! $$$ being what it is for this weekend, my "Lil' Horse" may not make it. I'll still be there, but my Pinto may not. It depends on some $$ owed to me by our Uncle Sam, so I'm not too confident. Ya know with so many nieces & nephews our Uncle Sam oughtta be more reliable!
Isn't there anybody nearby that could even loan you a starter for a short time?!?
I still think it is a bad battery!!!!
A battery with a dead cell can not or is resistant to a jump start.
I tried 5 starters today. 3 new and 2 old junkers that were taken off at least 10 years ago and 3 NEW out of the Ford box starters and none of them would turn through awhat I know is a good battery and a pair of jumper cables
I'm not sure what happened???
I wasn't finished with my post??????
ANYWAY...
I took 3 of the 5 starters to NAPA, the 2 junky caked with grease and sitting in a buckets for 10 years.........and 1 NEW in Ford Box. All worked when tested by Napa starter testing machine.
THANKS BRANDON For testing my theory.
There has to be something besided the startwer causing Pauls problem.
From Pintony
It could be the solenoid/ bendix mounted on the starter. If it is starting to go bad the starter pinion will not engage with the ring gear on the flywheel/ flexplate.. The thing is it can actually act like a discharged battery. I work at Advance Auto Parts & I see it qute frequently on starters I bench test.
General rule of thumb.. check the battery, wiring, ground points, & soleniod if on fender.. If all that is ok, then the starter is mre than likely bad.
Thanks Matt, I've done that in that order LOL I swapped in a known good battery, checked my cables (with a meter) cleaned them as I put them back on & tried running 12v straight to the starter w/ jumper cables (starter made a dull clunk) I'm convinced it's the starter. It's done this before & simply pushing on it with a stick made it start. Could it be my poor oily engine isn't allowing the starer to ground?
more than likely the oil has saturated the starter & shorted it out... Oil saturation is one of the biggest reasons for starter failures. Most customers that I see come in the store with a bad starter, it's covered in oil. The oil also could cause a ground problem, as the electriity won't flow... Just tested a oil saturated starter today, & it arced like crazy the first time, but nothing after that.. With all this in mind, I'd say your starter is bad.
OK I've got the starter out & in a bag... It's going to the nearest parts store to get tested. let me tell you...pulling a Pinto starter is an adventure! Not as bad as my V8 'Stang II (mount off motor, stand off frame), but still more of a pain than it ought to be!
RESULTS TO FOLLOW TONIGHT!! @ MIDNITE
yeah, it is a pain, but atleast it isn't a 1985 Turbo Dodge Omni, where the starter is wedged in between the turbo & throttle body... The only easy way to change that starter is to remove the whole cylinder head. Good 'ol Ford.. never that stupid.
How's this for bad: stuck bendix & drawing 50A! Yep it's toast, new one ordered, pick it up tomorrow AM... be on the road by 4pm in P.F. by 5pm. With or without mt Pinto, cross your fingers that it's WITH!
OK I adit it!
I was wrong!!!!!!!
BUT in my defense I did not know the details leading up to the DEATH of your starter.
From Pintony
Well the Starter got my engine going, just long enough to pump about 4 qts of transmission fluid onto the ground from a split fitting at the case! It weren't meant for us to bring our "Lil Horse" to P.F. So I guess We'll just go in the Wife's Taurus Wagon. :'(