'93 Explorer won't start. Will click.
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From: Terre Haute
'93 Explorer won't start. Will click.
Hey folks! I usually hang out in the 73-79 forum but had a question for you experts. My sister-in-law just bought a Explorer that she thinks (I can't understand some people) is a 1993. She says it won't start now. I looked at it briefly at a family function last week. Then it would "click" at the solenoid on the inner fender AND the starter 5 or 6 times then start. Now she says it just clicks and won't start at all. I just wanted to know if anybody wanted to throw their 2 cents in before I look at it this weekend.
I am thinking since it makes a clicking noise at the starter, then at least some electricity is getting to the starter and that the solenoid and starter relay are probably fine. It is just a matter of the amount of current or something wrong with the starter itself. Does that sound reasonable?
I am going to clean up the battery cable ends and check the connection at the starter and the starter bolts for good grounding first off. Any ideas or advice is welcomed.
jb
I am thinking since it makes a clicking noise at the starter, then at least some electricity is getting to the starter and that the solenoid and starter relay are probably fine. It is just a matter of the amount of current or something wrong with the starter itself. Does that sound reasonable?
I am going to clean up the battery cable ends and check the connection at the starter and the starter bolts for good grounding first off. Any ideas or advice is welcomed.
jb
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Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Cedar Rapids, IA
If it was clicking 5 or 6 times, that typically indicates a low voltage condition. The key provides power to the starter relay, the relay closes the contacts (first click) and attempts to send power to the starter motor. The load of the starter causes the battery voltage to drop and the starter relay drops out (second click). After the load is removed, the surface charge on the battery floats high enough that the starter solenoid again engages (third click), and the cycle repeats.
Not that there are no clicks, the voltage is probably low enough from all the attempts to start to even engage the starter relay. A dirty connection at the cables could cause the multiple clicking as well, but would generally allow for several clicks before running the battery dead, but worth checking. I suspect you'll end up needing to replace the battery.
Since she isn't sure what year her Explorer is, she probably doesn't know how old the battery is either, right?
-Rod
Not that there are no clicks, the voltage is probably low enough from all the attempts to start to even engage the starter relay. A dirty connection at the cables could cause the multiple clicking as well, but would generally allow for several clicks before running the battery dead, but worth checking. I suspect you'll end up needing to replace the battery.
Since she isn't sure what year her Explorer is, she probably doesn't know how old the battery is either, right?
-Rod
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 4,817
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From: Cedar Rapids, IA
If the starter were bad I'd expect a single click from the relay on the fender, not multiple clicks, but now that I've re-read the original post, I can see that my assumption that the clicks were from the relay may not have been a good one.
-Rod
-Rod
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From: Terre Haute
I replaced the junk cable ends and removed the corroded last few inches of both cables first...just because. No effect. I tried jumping the terminals of the solenoid on the fender and was greeted with still just a single click at the starter. This was all after having the battery on a 10amp charger for several hours. I have pretty much figured it must be the actual starter. It was starting to rain at that point and she didn't have enough money for a new starter until later this week anyway so the project is on a slight hold for a few days. Thanks for your help.
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