I have been experiencing some wierd electrical problems. My '94 A'star has decided to not start a few times. It acts like the battery is dead or really low, but i had the battery checked at AutoZone and they said it was good, they also checked the Alternator, and it was charging properly also. The guy there sugested checking the Solinoid connections (they are all nice and tight) and the Ground Wire (that seems to be ok too.) The first time it did this, i had stoped to run into the store for a second, and when i tried to leave, the van did nothing when i turned the key. It didnt click, try to turn over or anything, just completely dead. Then i checked the headlights to see if they worked and they did, then i tried to start it again, and it cranked up no problem. Its done this a few times now, and Im worried ill be stranded eventually with noone to jump it off if need be. Once, it tried to start but then started clicking like the battery was dead. I jumped it off, and all was good again. Does anyone have any idea what i need to check now? Should i get a new soilinoid or starter? It was recomended that i check all the fuses. The only one bad was for the cigarette lighter (and since i dont smoke, i didnt know that one was bad, but i changed the fuse anyway.)

Any help would be great !!

 

With no click or turning over or anything it sounds like a bad Ign Switch or it's not being shifted all the way into park. Next time it does it try shifting it into netural and then start it.
There could be a miss adjustment in the shift linkage.

Jay

 

I'd replace the starter solenoid, only about $10.

John

 

I would look at the starter motor as well because I had the same problem as you and it turned out to be a bad starter on my 1991 4.0 ext van, I was stranded quite a few times before I changed that starter motor, thank god for AAA thats all I can say. And if you own an aerostar I would recommend AAA full package cause at sometime your going to need them. Cheers for now, have fun with your aerostar.

 

try rebuilding the starter before buing a new one, the rebuild kit is about 12 dollars at autozone, and they have free shipping on their website if you don't have one locally

 

If you depend on this vehicle why would you waste your time at autojunk. When the snows up to your a-- or itr 102 outside you'll wish you'd replaced the complete unit with a good one.

 

You guys keep saying it's the starter But he said it was checked.
I don't think it's the starter. It sounds like the Ign. switch or the Switch on the Trans that lets it start in Park/Net.

 

Read the original post again. He had the alt. and batt. checked at AZ and thats not saying much.

 

I did and he said that there was NO click when he turned the key. Every starter I had that went bad I still had a Click when I turned the Key. The only time thet there wasn't was when NO power was getting to the starter or anything else.
That is why I say a bad Ign Switch or he didn't have it out of Gear.

 

Like I Said Read The Post ! When He Tried It Again It Clicked Like A Dead Batt. I'm Not Sure Its A Starter Either, And Sure Wouldn't Take Az's Word On Anything.

 

Here is a reprint of my own experience with the mysterious loss of power. It took almost 7 months to find the problem and has not reoccured since. Also, the power readings are much higher now than they have ever been. Been close to 1 year and no problems at all.

Hope this helps!!

John


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
At Wit's End Electrical
I think I have found the problem to the weird occasional power problem and a previous problem that re-occured where all power in the car would go away and suddenly come back when you closed the hood or shook the wires.

The problem re-occured a few nights ago. After going for several days without major problems, my wife drove home from work and when she turned off the engine, once again all power was gone in the car. I came out and shook everything carefully and finally found the wire that was causing the problem.

There is a red wire between the starter solenoid on the starter and the starter relay on the top driver side of the engine fender wall. It is a 10 guage wire and gets bolted on by itself on one of the terminals on the relay. When I carefully would shake this, it would cause all power to go out and then all power to go back on. What did not make since was, when I took the wire off completely, the power would be on, but of course the starter would not start.

I determined the top 8 to 10 inches held the problem, so I cut off that portion, including the terminal crimp, and then stripped all the insulation off to see what the wire looked like. The top 6 inches were very black, as if it was arcing, but the wire was not broken in any way.

I crimped a new piece of wire and new terminal eye onto the existing wire and reconnected it and the power seems very stable now with no strange symptoms.

I can only guess that somehow moisture got into the wire and slowly caused it to deteriorate. Under certain conditions the wire would arc inside and trip some kind of circuit breaker in the electrical circuit. I really have no idea why this wire that was not shorting out against anything elese could cause all power in the car to stop, but hopefully, it's repair has caused the problem to go away. I will totally replace the wire soon.

Sorry for the long message but this has gone on so long I felt a full explanation was warrented.

John

 

First put your battery on a charger and make sure it is fully charged. Then make sure all of the wires to the battery are in good shape. Have someone strt it while you are checking batter voltage with a digital volt meter. Your battery should have at least 13 volts when charged and as it is cranked it should not go to 8 or lower. If it does your battery is bad. If it starts the altinator should be putting out 13-15 volts. Just check at the battery for this as its running. If this is all good remove the wires from the firewall silinoid and remove it. Does it fall apart in your hand? Do not laugh mine did. Reinstall it if it did not fall apart, replace it if it does. Now with the key in the run position take a screw driver and touch it to the battery terminal and the terminal with all the wires that run to the fire wall. It should start, if it doesnt you have a bad silinoid. If it still does not start after all this rap the starter with a hammer lightly if it does not start remove it and have it checked

 

All you need to do is with the key in the run position take a long screwdriver, short out the two terminals on the starter solenoid, If it starts then the solenoid is bad. If you have to bash the starter with a big wrench and it works then the starter is bad. I took my alternator into autozone (were I bourght it) they tested it and found it was bad, and gave me a new one free, cause my old one had a life time warranty. All so check that no wires near the battery are getting hot (the one,s that have the in line fuses in them) I had one of these wires burn out on me because of a short in one of the large wiring connectors just above the engine, this bad connection caused me allsorts of problems.