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Ok well I went to - Garys you pull it which is a yard that you can pull off the items you need for your car, i pulled off three solenoids from other fords and as to what the chance of me getting 3 broken solenoids are I don't think so - - but same symptom - I am going to ark the starter next
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Plenty of spark there but nope touch the 2 poles causes a reaction almost like a short - maybe they sold me a bum starter
Last week i drove 3 hours to deliver a guy a 99 expedition and when i got there the darn thing would not start it would not say a word i had bought this vehicle off a guy a day earlier and had started it up many times with no problem so myself and the other guy did everything we could think of but no luck, then the guy says if you can get it started i will buy it from you so i said quick prayer in my head and i pushed up on the gear selector while turning the key and the thing fired right up so i looked at the guy and said well you said if it started up you will buy it, i could feel that he didn't mean what he said he only said it because he thought it wasn't gonna start but long story short he didn't buy the vehicle and i wasted my gas and time but i wont do that again as long as i live. My reason for telling this story was for you to try what i did and see if it works on your vehicle.
Try a set of booster cables on your starter.Attach to battery and ground the starter and positive to the pin on starter.
Hello Copper Head,
Don't know if you fixed your truck yet, but saw your problem and it prompted me to join up so I could offer my two cents. If I were in your position, before changing any parts I would do the following:
- If you have a multi meter, check for 12 volts at the battery posts.
- Even if it does, it doesn't hurt to have it load tested. Anyplace that sells batteries will usually do it for free.
If the battery checks out good:
- Inspect both battery terminals for corrosion; you can't always see it without pulling them off. (8mm socket or open end wrench if they're factory....if I remember right)
- Inspect both battery CABLES for corrosion.....even if they look good, doesn't mean they are.
- I'm not sure about the 4.2 V6, but Ford likes to run their cables along the bottom of the front of the engine, so the cables get nailed with road gunk from the bottom and leaky water pumps from the top. I've actually seen cables rot from the inside out on Fords.
- If you have a multi meter, you can simply ohm the cables out. If not, go along the cables with your fingers and check for "crunchy" spots. If there are any crunchy spots, I would bet that a cable change would have you back on the road.
- Check the cable where it connects to the starter....look for corrosion and security. Might not hurt to check the torque on the mount bolts for the starter at the same time.
- Finally, check all your grounds; especially the ones in the starting circuit.
I'd be surprised if it isn't something simple like I mentioned above. I can't count the times I had a bad cable that looked almost new from the outside, but after cutting them open found a lot of white fluffy stuff mixed in with a little bit of copper.
Anyway, that's my two cents. Hope it helps......especially since I've already learned quite a bit about scrappin' since I stumbled upon y'all the other day.
Take care,
Joe
P.S. There's a bonus if it is a bad cable.....you can add the old one to your copper stash!
Hello again Copper Head,
I failed to mention something......if you haven't yet disconnected your battery, there may be DTC's (codes) in your PCM. After you disconnect the battery, they'll be erased. So, if you have access to a code reader.....or better yet, a scantool.....it wouldn't hurt to check for codes before disconnecting the battery. Even if the MIL isn't on, there could still be "pending" codes. There might not be too....but if there is, they can sometimes be helpful. While I have yet to have a DTC tell me exactly what to change, when there are DTCs they can be helpful when troubleshooting.
Hope this helps.
Joe
Had a truck once that the starter got hot from too long cranking time and burned up a small fuse link. This was in the small starter wire and it was just like a normal piece of wire (about 6" long) in the line, and it's purpose was to melt when there was too much draw on the starter wire. I just bought another piece and crimp connected it back in line. Don't know if the newer trucks have that or not.
Hello Mechanic688,
Good call.....I forgot about fusible links. I'm not sure about '03's, but I just took a peek under the hood of my 99 F-150 and it has 'em. Mine has the 5.4, but electrically it shouldn't be too much different. There are probably a couple I didn't see, but there were two of 'em on the positive cable on the F-150.....about six inches from the battery. If the 03 has them, it is definitely worth a look.
Copper Head: You can usually tell if a fusible link is bad by the insulation. It'll usually look burnt or bubbled. As for finding them, they'll sometimes actually be labeled or be a different color insulation. They're actually a skinnier wire than the wire they're protecting, but they look like they've got twice the insulation. At any rate, good luck with your truck!
Take care,
Joe
Just in case you missed the link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGGTaOQkkAk
If you don't have a DVOM the Bubba method is only requires a screwdriver. Short the large terminal on the battery side to the small one with blue/red or red wire and push on connecter. Thais should activate the solenoid. If solenoid is dead or clicks short the two large terminals. You will get a large spark so be prepared and don't hold it for more than 1/2 second or you can blow up the battery. Also avoid any sparks if the battery has just been charged and is gassing. DAMHIK.
If you have a high current draw without starter spinning you have a short in the positive cable or the starter is hung up/bad or the engine is locked up. Check the cable and remove the starter and test by applying power and ground with jumper cables.
Ford uses different starters for automotive and standard transmission. At least this was th case with my Ranger.Quote:
Originally Posted by Copper Head
I was going to add that the fuse link idea would be a non-issue because he states he had sparks when he trying to short it across. Which means he's got voltage, sounding more like a bad/bound up starter. I had a starter I had just bought at Napa (rebuilt) and the first time I tried to start it the starter engaged and would not release. I had to hurry and loosen a battery terminal as the truck was cranking over with the key in my hand???
Turns out that the company that rebuilt the starters for Napa was not doing what they advertised; clean/test/new bearings/anything else needed. All they were doing was buying up old used cores and repainting them and sending them back out the door as rebuilds. Not really the info he needs but might be relevant to someone in the future.
I would check the air condition compressor if it has air.It could be locked up.Had a F 150 that did the same thing
I had a similar issue with my 99 explorer and thought it was the battery, turns out it wasn't. The guy at the store it may be the safety interlock that will not allow it to start in gear. It is an automatic, he told me put in neutral and see if will start. I thought that it will never work, hot dog. It fired right up. Just a thought, doesn't cost you any extra money to try it.
I wonder if he got his truck running or did we overload him with too much info???
No I have not been over loaded , It's going to be slow as i have a complete mess of inventory From my obsessive hunting / Like to day went to yard then found vac's Fans and a mess of motors electric outlet boxes with the wires - fills a 25 gal bucket not sure if i should sell as Copper Bering or clean - AL screens - I am over whelmed I keep looking and finding I am scared to stop looking as i don't want to miss out I think I am ready for a TV spot or a institution
The people who live near me must hate looking at this Inventory