Hey you guys probably know me by now as the one that constantly has problems with my bronco.. but heres another. Just in case you dont remember me, its a 89 xlt 4x4 2.9L manual. So my computer and starter were both replaced about two weeks ago. Been running great, actually its better than when i got it two years ago, until yesterday. Yesterday the starter didnt want to start with quite the zippiness (forgive me, im very tired) it used to have. Well today it didnt even start to crank. Starter relay clicks every time i tell it to either with the key or just using a wrench to bridge the gap. Still no crankage. Well then i kicked the fender and slammed the hood down cuz i was mad.. thought it give it a try, cranked but reluctantly. So i shut it off. Started right up again. So i went out, came back and just the relay clicks. I ended up putting the dang thing in 4L without the hubs locked and i push started it by myself. You guys have no idea how hard it is unless you done it yourself, especially when there wasnt enuf room to turn around so i had to do it backwards. My only thought was that the starter might be burned out, but half the time it cranks (just not as fast as it did when it was new two weeks ago.) ANY ideas????????

 

what about corroded wiring or connection? I would have said alternator but that would not come and go like that. Check and clean all connections (battery, alternator, relay, etc...) with sandpaper to make everything shiny again and see if that works.

 

already did.
any other suggestions???

 

replace starter solenoid? and you checked the ground going from the batt to the engine block as well? any of these would lead to intermittent battery death.. also make sure grounding strap terminals are clean (thats what was wrong with mine after many days of going nuts). And of course the battery itself.. have that tested at your local yocal parts store. Good deep check and charge is usually free and will determine if there is a prob with the battery. Chasing down Electrical problems can be tricky but usually its something simple. One last thing, the alternator is good? The thing that keeps me from thinking it is bad is the fact that you say it wont start.. then will start if it sits or you move stuff around. the alternator dies it usually just wont start since the charging system is dead altogether.

 

With it idling are you getting approx 14 volts with your voltmeter connected across the battery?

 

Ok heres whats going on now...
battery is absolutely fine, alternator is not the strongest but still not bad. starter solenoid does have problems... When it does decide to crank, the solenoid will engage and then disengage for just a split second and then re engage, makes a horrible grinding noise. But if i just cringe and keep it cranking it will start. So i know thats part of my problem. The other part is that half the time nothing happens except the starter relay clicks. So i have no idea why the starter will spin sometimes and sometimes not. Now the last part of my whole problem is that when im driving the engine will just cut out for a split second, sometimes its a few in a row like wham,wham,wham. I also noticed my oil pressure gauge is back to going nuts like it was before i got the new computer. So im gonna take it down to the shop that replaced the computer and starter a little over two weeks ago and see what happens. Let me know if you fellas have any other ideas and i'll keep you all posted.

 

last ideas are yeah, you need a new solenoid.. other thoughts maybe the computer is bad (yes again..) or the starter switch itself. Try wiggling the key about a bit if it does it again and see if it helps. Solenoid can cause all kinds of grief as well but shouldnt make the car hesitate like that. My bet is either a combo solenoid/computer or solenoid/ignition switch.

thats my 2 cents.. cheers

 

Just a question about the switch... the only time the switch itself hasnt worked, i bypassed the switch using a wrench to bridge the gap on the starter relay and still nothing happened except the relay clicked. Wouldnt that mean that the switch itself is fine? Anyway the bronx is sitting in the shop right now and im waiting for them to call with the (probably bad) news.

 

Sounds like you have a serious electrical problem in the wire harness somewhere. These are the worst types of problems finding. The intermittent symptoms lead me to believe it is a wire grounding, shorting, or opening.
Good luck and keep us posted to what happened with the shop.

 

yeah.. sooo back to the solenoid... let me know what happens.

Bdd

 

K so the shop i took it to is full of idiots. They told me it was a bad connection from the factory on the starter, and the bad running was a bad ground for the computer. They also told me it was from four wheelin' and i shook them loose. The whole problem started a few days before i took it out on the trail, so i know they are just trying to pawn it off on me. I got it back this morning and it does start up fine, but the starter doesnt sound anything like it did before. (probably another new starter) Also they told me i had worn belts so i replaced them both. (no ac for now) Anyway now that the belts are replaced my voltmeter gauge is showing low voltage. I drove it around for about half an hour and i even held the gears longer than normal for more RPM but the dang thing wont charge. The needle used to sit on the middle mark between the 8 and 18... now it sits on the mark closer to the 8. Like i said, it does start up fine, but the starter doesnt have the pep it did before. What should i do??? Is this something i should live with or is it yet another problem i gotta deal with?

 

Have you replaced the cables for your starting problems? Sorry if I missed this in one of your other posts.

 

I did replace the two battery cables just a few weeks ago. They replaced the cable going down to the starter and the other grounds. But the dang thing still isnt charging. My volt warning light that just looks like a battery wont go off now either. I just got back from driving some more and the lights are all much dimmer than before. the gauge still wont go past the first mark. As you guys probably know, im not stupid when it comes to working on cars, im just not that smart yet either cuz im kinda new. So heres what i needa know. Well im gonna take it down to autozone to get the alternator tested. Anyway assuming its still fine like it was before, would it be the voltage regulator or is there something im just completely missing?

 

small update....got out the hydrometer and checked all the cells. Just like my gauge was showing, my battery is pretty much dead. Fluid was a little low but not bad at all so i topped it off. Goin to autozone in a few minutes to get it all checked out.

 

could be as simple as a battery I suppose, but the whole thing of it working then not working, etc... convinced me that wasnt it. If the lights are dim it is usually a sign of the alternator since your car would be running on just the battery until it was dead (due to lack of charging system).

Huh.. Good luck and keep us posted!