starter/solenoid
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: stevens point
starter/solenoid
i have a 94 ford ranger 4.0 automatic w/ ac and all the power options. well sometimes i go to my truck and it doesnt start, so i just the solenoid and it starts, but im pretty sure it's not the solenoid cuz this solenoid is the 3rd one i've had since i bought this truck last winter. also i just replaced the starter very recently, my dad thinks has to be one of the wires that go from the solenoid to the starter. what do you guys think??
quack
quack
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,237
Likes: 3
From: Belleville, Ontario
When it fails to start, does it just go click once? Are you buying Ford parts or aftermarket? Even a simple solenoid is better from Ford.
There's no rust problem with the wire connectors at the solenoid, right? They've been cleaned up real good? The ends of the wires at the connectors aren't green with corrosion? Peel back a bit of the wire insulator to make sure.
Let us know what you find.
AL.
P.S. Lubricate connections liberally with blinker fluid.
There's no rust problem with the wire connectors at the solenoid, right? They've been cleaned up real good? The ends of the wires at the connectors aren't green with corrosion? Peel back a bit of the wire insulator to make sure.
Let us know what you find.
AL.
P.S. Lubricate connections liberally with blinker fluid.
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 57,014
Likes: 2,751
From: Virginia
The next time it won't start, make sure the truck is park, and take a small jumper wire and jump #3 to #5. If it starts, then you have a problem with your neutral safety switch or the ignition switch.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: stevens point
wow when i get truck back ( its at a body shop cuz a guy hit me) i hope i get it home and it doesnt start just so i can try those! that is a great help thank you guys! that was just what i was looking for
thanks, btw it's gonna be a week or two b4 i get my truck back but i will make it a note to tell you guys how it goes! thanks again
quack
thanks, btw it's gonna be a week or two b4 i get my truck back but i will make it a note to tell you guys how it goes! thanks again
quack
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: stevens point
OKAY guys i did that, and when i put the wire on one bolt and then to 5 it doesnt start but if i put it on the ohter bolt to #5 it does start, so that means i have a bad neutral safety switch or ignition switch? how do i know which one is bad?
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,237
Likes: 3
From: Belleville, Ontario
These Haynes manuals aren't very good!
Have a look at the neutral saftey switch (transmission range sensor) to see if there are 2 red with light blue stripe wires in it's connector, or just 1 and a pink wire.
My guess is that if you have someone turn the key to "start" while you use a test light on the red/lt.bl. stripe, you should get power. Then probe the pink.
No blinker fluid is needed for this test.
AL.
Have a look at the neutral saftey switch (transmission range sensor) to see if there are 2 red with light blue stripe wires in it's connector, or just 1 and a pink wire.
My guess is that if you have someone turn the key to "start" while you use a test light on the red/lt.bl. stripe, you should get power. Then probe the pink.
No blinker fluid is needed for this test.
AL.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 431
Likes: 0
From: stevens point
found the reason
okay a couple days ago i found out what was causing the problem- it was my car alarm, just to mess around, i turned my car alarm on, and righ after, my truck wouldnt start, so i turned it off, and it started, just to make sure that's what it was, i tried it again, and i found out that that was the problem!
Trending Topics
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,237
Likes: 3
From: Belleville, Ontario
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 6 Best Deals Available on New Fords & Lincolns Right Now
Brett Foote
This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Every Truck Owner NEEDS (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
Rezvani's Latest Post-Apocalyptic Monster Is a Ford F-150 Raptor Underneath
Verdad Gallardo
Moderator
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 57,014
Likes: 2,751
From: Virginia
Yes, no start questions are asked all the time on here and it turns out to be some sort of alarm. I know you guys in the big cities need car alarms to protect your vehicles, but they just add another complication to the whole electrical system, and make it very hard to troubleshoot, especially when they are aftermarket and the installation is not done well. Most of the time when a car alarm goes off where I live, people just ignore it.