I have a 2002 ranger with the 4.0L V6 engine and automatic trans. It stopped turning over yesterday after seeming to start strong. It clicks as though the battery is dead but won't turn the starter. I checked the battery voltage and even tried a jump offf my Super Duty diesel batteries and used a start charge on the big charger but no difference, only the clicking is faster with more juice hooked up.

Has the solenoid gone bad (is there one)? I see the battery wire go into what looks like a starter relay on the front of the battery fuse box, driver side, under the hood, but don't know for sure. I can't even see where the starter is and don't feel like laying in the mud just yet. Otherwise I'd give it a whack to see if it's that. Anyway, any info on starting, solenoid/ relay possibilities would be appreciated. it happened after a fairly heavy rain, could something have gotten wet? Could the battery just be too low (don't know how with the charger and other batt's hooked up also)?

Thanks, David.

 

Yeah, thats how they act when the engine is locked up, "just kidding"!!!! Sounds like either a bad conection, or a starter problem. Check over all your conections, ground cable, ect. If they all seem to be fine, pull the starter and take to autozone to be tested.

 

Thanks Wendell. The problem is I have never worked on this truck and don't know where anything is. Does it have a starter solenoid somewhere I can test by jumping it? Is the starter accesible from the engine bay, or under the truck? I really can't see the starter right now and would have to lie in mud to get under it today and don't see a solenoid either. Is it a solenoid, or a relay?

Thanks, David.

 

With the change in the relay clicking tempo with the charger hooked up, I like Wendells bad connection idea.

When the starter relay clicks, but the starter motor doesn't turn over, suspect the battery, the relay contacts, the starter solenoid, or the starter motor.

So check the battery state of charge, or turn the head lights on & see if they dim a lot when you crank the engine.
If they do, suspect the battery, or cable connections, or cables.

So check the battery cables B+ & B- connections on Both ends. They should be clean, bright & tight. Check the starter relay & solenoid connections, they must be clean bright & tight.

If you don't want to do all that, you might try parallel connecting a set of good quality, low resistance, large wire gauge size jumper cables along each length of B+ & B- battery cable, one cable at a time, to check their electrical conductivity out.
If it'll suddenly crank, then suspect the last section of battery cable paralleled, or it's connections.

If the cables & connections, relay & solenoid check out, try thumping the starter motor with a hammer handle & see if it'll wake up. If it does, suspect the starters brushes.

The starter motor will be mounted back on the bell housing, usually on the same side of the engine as the battery & can be best seen from underneath, so it sounds like you need a piece of cardboard, or tarp, so you don't become a mud bunny!!!!

A bunch more thoughts for consideration.
Let us know what you find.

 

Thanks pawpaw, I'll try and get to some of those efforts later, mebbe after football.
It's dried out a little so I figgered I could give the starter a little bash today, I don't miond lying in the dirt if I know it'll be productive, lol. other than that, I am still wondering how to find the starter relay and the solenoid (if indeed there are both, LOL). I haven't had anyone help me yet either so it's possible I'll find the relay OR solenoid by getting someobne else to turn the key and following the click.

I'm certain the battery terminals are good, clean and tight but not sure what's at the other end, so that'll be the start of my investigating later on.

Thanks again, if you have specific locations forn the relay and solnd, please share.

Cheers, David.
sorry, sig is based on my primary ride/ another FTE group I use.

 

Just follow the big red B+ battery cable from the battery, back to the starter, it'll stop at each component your looking for, along the way.

 

OK, I'm gonna admit to being retarded on this one. I just went out with the wife to turn the key and before I got under the truck I looked at the battery and terminals again (I did clean and tighten them, honest ) Anyway, I immediately noticed a little "bubbling' between the + terminal and lug, tightened and twisted it again, turned her over and KAPOW! I inspected it and noticed I have a crack in the lead lug so even though I tightened down before, out in the pouring rain, I didn't notice I didn't have a good connection. I'm sure it'll come loose again but I'll put a new lug on it tomorrow. I gave it a good squeeze with the channel locks and for now I'm giving myself a good .

Thanks again pawpaw for the input. Now I can DRIVE down to watch my Dolphins try to hand it to the Patsies again. Good luck with that!

Cheers!

 

Wait, DON'T opt for one of those replacement clamp on battery cable connectors.

They are for emergency use only & shouldn't be used as a permanent repair, as they are prone to all sorts of problems, from corrosion, poor mechanical & electrical quality contact to the battery cable wire strands & often come loose, or the wire strands get dirty or corroded from being exposed to the under hood enviorent, or break because the connection isn't stress relieved.

Choose an OEM, or heaver gauge better quality replacement cable assy instead.

 

Yes, I think there is a cheap aftermarket crapper on there now, prolly what created the problem in the first place. I will look for a good quality lug.

Thanks for your help,
David.

 

I found a clamp that was similar to OEM at NAPA, Ford wanted to sell the whole wiring system, won't cut loose of just the battery clamp. Cheap brass eaten away on my 2001 Ranger.

 

for the record your starter relay should be in the power distribution box in the engine compartment( drivers side). They are usually black or gray either square or rectangle and a lttle smaller than a golf ball. when you pull them out they have what looks like prongs that you would find on an electrical cord.

 

IMO, you should replace the battery cable with one thats at least OEM quality, or heavier gauge wire, with a molded on type battery post clamp.

The clamp on replacement type cable ends, no matter what they are made of, are prone to all sorts of electrical & mechanical problems & are best left on the shelf!!!!

 

It was just the clamp that was replaced not the cable. Clamp was replace, orginal cable was still good, clamp had corrosion damage that prevented good contact. Took old clamp off put on NAPA OEM equivalent.

 

Yes I understand the remainder of the battery cable may look ok.

What I'm tryng to say is that type/design, of replacement battery cable clamp isn't a good idea elecrically or mechanically, as you'll likely have problems with it again, just as you've already had the problem return once with that arrangment.

It's relaibility isn't good, so thats also why Ford doesn't offer that kind of "fix" as a replacemet!!!!

Best to spring for a whole new battery cable assy to avoid future problems, imo.

So don't be surpised, just be prepaired, when a problem with that type of repair returns!!!!

 

OK, I was looking in the right place then......I'd just need to figure out which relay it is, I think there were 2 or 3 in there when I pulled the top.

Anyway, thanks for that info. Now do I assume the starter has a solenoid attached/ built in, or is that somewhere separate too? All this is just for future refence of course because it turned out mine was the battery clamp/ operator error.

David.