Hi all! Haven't been on FTE since I sold my F150 two winters back, but I just acquired a dead 89 Aerostar for $1.25 (I threw in the quarter as a tip) and am looking for some suggestions for things to look for to get it running.

Here's the history of it that I know of (because I know the person I bought it from). He's replaced the alternator at least once because it was discharging (or showing discharging anyway), and the battery would run down and die. IIRC, it was changed a second time because the first replacement was a dud. It continued to have intermittent starting problems ... some days it would, some days it wouldn't, some days the battery would be dead like the alternator wasn't working, but it was.

Sounds to me like a bad ground or a shorted wire somewhere. Outside of this electrical problem, it's mechanically decent, having been safetied just last year. I figured, for $1.25, I can go bug hunting!! Besides, I need a project vehicle, and family means it won't be some fun little two-seater convertible. :P

Once I take possession of the van, I'll know more about it. I believe it's the 3.0L 2wd van.

 

Sounds like a wire has been pinched and is discharging too ground. I would start at the battery and work my way to the starter, Then the Alt.

 

I can't readily find the post, but awhile back someone else had strange electrical problem that turned out to be a section of the alternator wiring harness that was trapped and pinched around the alternator mounting. Might be worth a look in that area.

 

Okay, finding out a little more as we go here. The battery apparently isn't discharging, and there appears to be accessory power, but there is nothing when the key is turned. Not even a click. Could it be something so stupid simple as a bad cable to the starter or a dead starter/starter solenoid? If it is, and I can find a cheap rear window somewhere, I just got a heck of a deal on a van.

 

Or a bad Ignition Switch....I believe that there was a recall on them. Could short out and start the van on fire.

 

Taking off the starter terminations and cleaning 'em would be a start. A bitch too. At that age there could easily be some corrosion down there. That is the cause of the `radio and lights work, but won't start' problem.

 

It could be that water got in the engine and is froze. I would spray some Marvel down the plug holes and pour some in the engine. Also try and turn the flywheel or crank and see if it turns at all.

 

Bad starter silonoids can cause some problems too. You can jump the silonoid by putting the key in the run position and touching the screw, wear the battery connects, to the other large one on the other side, wear there is a group of wires connected. The van should start and run. If it does not, have someone check for voltage at the starter when you do this.

 

Sorry posted befor finishing.. If the van starts when you jump the silonoid you need to replace it because it is not working internally. By the way the small wire connecting to the small stud should have power when the key is in the start position.

 

Okay, I got the key today and went to take a look at it. The battery was weak, but it did have power. The gauges/lights on the dash work. The headlights work. The tail lights and brake lights all work. Signal lights, work. Hazard lights, work. But when turning the key to start, I head a 'click' that sounded like it came from the rear passenger door ... but only with it closed ... and only a few times. Wife heard it back there too.

It's a little rougher than I thought, rear door doesn't lock, hood doesn't fully latch, but for $1.25, who'm I to complain!!

 

Charge the battery and check it with a battery tester, the kind were you terst the acid, and check it out again. What does the volt gage do when you turn the key? Does it drop down to 8 volts? It just sounds as if ther is not enough current getting to the starter.

 

The battery is about 10 months old, and wasn't at full charge. It showed about 9 volts on the voltmeter, and dropped below 8 when trying to crank.

Past experience with battery/starting issues on an 84 F150 tell me that it's not just a weak battery. A weak battery will still at least make the starter 'click' when you try to crank it. I'm going to try jumping the solenoid tomorrow. My brothers' old Falcon (and mine too) used to blow starter solenoids at least once a year, and this reminds me more of that. I'd try it tonight, but I'm working 'til 11pm and it's raining. LOL If it's just the solenoid, I'll be a very happy guy. They're like 12 bucks to replace.

My first rule of Ford ownership was always carry a new starter solenoid in the glove box ... they WILL fail. It's only a matter of time. I'm hoping it's something cheap and easy to fix. I forgot just how nearly impossible it is to work on the engines in an Aerostar!!

 

I have found that the soleniod on top of the starter has a cooper disk inside that gets burned and no longer makes good contact. If you replace the starter take a look inside the cap and see. On some older models you could remove the cap and turn the contact disk.

 

Update: The freshly re-charged battery seemed to do the trick! I reinstalled it tonight and she cranked right over. Took it a minute to fire, but it's been sitting since May or so. So I drove it home, and it's now parked in my back yard, where I can start the REAL work on it. There's a bit of power steering whine, but I didn't check the fluid before I drove off, and the gear selection in the transmission doesn't seem well defined, and there's a spare donut on the front from a flat tire, and the rear window is a gaping hole covered in plastic, and the hood doesn't fully latch properly, and the rear door doesn't have a working lock, and I'm not entirely sure the gauges in the dash are accurate, but the speedo works, the lights all work, and she drives! What more could you ask for $1.25?

 

Can you find me one of those?