Not quite starting
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Freshman User
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Not quite starting
Alright, so Ive got a '98 expedition with the 5.4l and yesterday I went to start it and it would not start. It starts to turn the engine then just sits. The motor is engaged until I stop turning the key. The battery is reading 11.8V at the posts and 11.8 on the terminals so connection at the battery is good. I have yet to go underneath.
There is no clicking of the solenoid. This has happened once before when it was real cold out, i waited until the next morning when it was wamrer and started right up.
My guess is the starter no longer has the ***** to turn over the very cold engine.
Hopefully I will be able to throw it up on the lift tonight and take a look.
any ideas?
There is no clicking of the solenoid. This has happened once before when it was real cold out, i waited until the next morning when it was wamrer and started right up.
My guess is the starter no longer has the ***** to turn over the very cold engine.
Hopefully I will be able to throw it up on the lift tonight and take a look.
any ideas?
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Just got it towed to the shop, so I will take a look at it tomorrow.
any common problems to look for besides corrosion?
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Steve
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True, but being a 98 I'm figuring it's at the end of it's second battery's life cycle. Plus he only has 11.8 volts on it. A fully charged and good battery has slightly more than 12. That why I'm figuring it's either not being properly charged, or it has a dead cell in it. But I've been wrong before. LOL
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True, but being a 98 I'm figuring it's at the end of it's second battery's life cycle. Plus he only has 11.8 volts on it. A fully charged and good battery has slightly more than 12. That why I'm figuring it's either not being properly charged, or it has a dead cell in it. But I've been wrong before. LOL
My money is on the starter motor. Gunna hit the shop after classes today to do some troubleshooting . I will be looking for corrosion and bad cables/connections.
how much of a PITA is it to run a new battery cable? I feel like it is all tucked nicely into the wiring harness.
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So as I predicted, leaving it in the warm shp over night let it start right up. This is tricky now because it is hard to troubleshoot a problem I don't have.
Anyway, I was going down to clean the terminals on the starter (cables were good and there was plenty of voltage at the can) and when I was loosening one of the terminals, the solenoid started to rotate in the can, I said screw it and bought a new starter.
The engine spins so much quicker with the new motor, I don't doubt that was the problem. Just need to wait for it to get real cold to really find out.
Anyway, I was going down to clean the terminals on the starter (cables were good and there was plenty of voltage at the can) and when I was loosening one of the terminals, the solenoid started to rotate in the can, I said screw it and bought a new starter.
The engine spins so much quicker with the new motor, I don't doubt that was the problem. Just need to wait for it to get real cold to really find out.
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From: Cornelius, Oregon
temperature would have zero effect on the starter motor. It WILL however have a huge effect on the battery. Batteries are not very efficient when they are cold, which is why a lot of diesels these days have warming blankets on their batteries for cold weather starting. My guess is you may have had a starter on the way out, but I'd still put money on a weak battery.
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temperature would have zero effect on the starter motor. It WILL however have a huge effect on the battery. Batteries are not very efficient when they are cold, which is why a lot of diesels these days have warming blankets on their batteries for cold weather starting. My guess is you may have had a starter on the way out, but I'd still put money on a weak battery.
also, doesnt look like there are any real cold days coming up, so the problem may not come back until next winter...