91 Explorer wont start

[mjzilinski]

I made another thread in roadside, but I know most of you guys know alot about Fords. My 91 explorer ran perfect one day and I went to start it and nothing happened, it doesnt even turn over. I replaced the starter solenoid, pos. bat cable, and tried to jump it, and it still does the exact same thing. I used my bro's truck to pull it and drop the clutch, it started and ran just as it had any other time. Do you guys think it is the starter itself? I can get one pretty cheap(around $30). Also my explorer is a manual trans, does this mean the starter is diff from an auto. I've found alot of ones from auto trans explorers on ebay, just seeing if it will work on mine.

 

[JB]

how about the ground cable?

check it for resistance, even if connections appear OK....corrosion will wick up between the strands and sometimes you don't even see it

or quick test by setting up a temp ground (with a second set of jumper cables) between battery and engine block and then jump-start it

 

[BlownShift]

and check the connections to the starter itself... had a tbird that wouldn't start.. pulled the starter and took it to murray's, but it tested ok....... cleaned the connections and put it back in, and no problems ever since... just a corroded wire

 

[T.Bone]

I agree with Tony, could be a bad connection at the starter or the starter is froze up from the winter months.

Do you hear anything when you turn the key? Does it try to at least engage the fly wheel?

 

[JB]

doublepost

 

[JB]

hammer time!

tapping on the starter motor will often 'unstick' it

 

[mjzilinski]

I agree with Tony, could be a bad connection at the starter or the starter is froze up from the winter months.

Do you hear anything when you turn the key? Does it try to at least engage the fly wheel?

Just the starter solenoid click(at least I think thats what it is), it doesnt turn over or anything

 

[mjzilinski]

hammer time!

tapping on the starter motor will often 'unstick' it

I was thinking that. I'm driving my bro's truck for the week and the explorer is at my parents in montrose so this weekend I'll probably go pound on it, if that doesnt work I may pull it and go get it checked. It was sitting at my g/fs house up for sale for about 3 months so it may have seized up.

 

[T.Bone]

Sounds like it is stuck.

Like JB said, Hammer Time!!!

 

[plan b]

Go get a voltmeter and start checking for power starting at the battery. Check the ground wire from the batt. to the block. Clean corroded batt. terminals. Check corrosion on the starter relay if you have one. It is probably screwed to the inner fender somewhere. Make sure it has a good ground, if not you will not hear it click. If the relay doesn't click, the solenoid located on the starter won't click either. If you go and start changing stuff without knowing exactly what it is you'll end up spending more $ than necessary. Some vehicles have a starter relay and a solenoid on the starter. Don't hit the starter too hard, permanent magnet starters break when hit too hard. In my experience this symptom always resulted from a bad ground.