Strange Starting Problem
 

Hey. This is my first post on this forum, very happy that I have found one.
I have Ford Bronco II 1985, 2.8V6, 5-Speed.
It was giving me a lot of electrical problems. From times to times it started. When it didn't start, I mean it didn't even crank. Now, I cannot make this car to crank or start.
The syptoms: I put on the ground wire on the battery, go inside, turn on the emergncy flasher-doesn't work, turn on headlight-don't work. Put the key into the start position(not when it is supposed to crank, but right before it)-my EEC Power Realy starts acting weird. It turns on, and then turns off, sometimes doesn't click at all, and sometimes clicks just once. Still, not one thing on the car works(headlight, horn, emergency lights, etc). When I turn the key into the crank position, nothing happens.
Measurments: I get 12V at the battery, I get 12V at the yellow wires which come to the ignition switch. If I short the Ignition Switch and Wire which goes to starter solenoid(disconnected from solenoid), I get 12V on it too. If I put this wire at the starter solenoid, the EEC Relay starts clicking and the voltage in the system drops to about 7-8V.(I mean between the battery terminals I still get 12V, but between the battery wires I get 7-8V).The car doesn't crank if I do this kind of shortening.
That's pretty much it. Please, I need help, I was fighting this kind of strange behavior for a year allready(changing batteries, solenoids, starters, etc).

Appretiating any help,

Klim

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Welcome to FTE!!!

Have you ever replaced the battery cables, they corrode internally and you can't always tell.

I did replace the positive cable. Should I replace the ground?

Thanks,

Klim

Try adding a jumper cable -the kind you jump start a car with-to the negative cable and see what it does

I did some new stuff today. I looked at the ground cable of hte battery-it goes to the engine. I saw another cable which goes from frame to nowhere. So, what I did, I bought new cable(gauge4) and connected the frame to the engine, cleaning all the connections. So, now the ressistance between battery end of battery ground cable and ground is 0. Tried to start the car, nothing happens. The EEC Power relay doesn't act weird now. It clicks once when you put the key into start position. Once the emergency flasher started working but blinks very slow, as if it is not getting enough voltage. I get a strange clicking from carburator, from something which is right above the TFI Ignition Module. Can it be the ground cable of a starter?
Tomorrow I am going to do the jumper cable trick and check the starter ground.
Write your thoughts,

Thanks a lot to all the help,

Klim

A wiring diagram would sure help. Do you have one? Not sure, but you probably should have a ground strap from engine to firewall for the gauges. Are the gauges working?

The wiring diagrams for my 87 dont show anything "grounded" to the frame.

I have a wire diagram from Chilton's.
No, the gauges are not working and the warnign lights are not working either.
With a jumper cable trick, what should I connect the jumper cable to?
On which side is the ground for the gauges?
Yeah, my voltage meter never moves. Maybe that will help...

Thanks,

Klim

Just connect the jumper from the negative post on the battery to any handy bolt on the engine & see if it will crank.

If it wont crank, remove the wire with the rubber boot on it from the starter relay & see if you get 12 volts on it when you turn the key to start.

BTW, Chiltons wiring diagrams are not the best. The diagrams in the Ford "electrical & vacuum troubleshooting manuals." are easier to understand.

Hey.
I did the jumper cables trick. I connected the jumper cable to the bumper(I checked for resistance between bumper and frame and it was 0). The car didn't crank, it sounds like the starter relay clicks, but doesn't have enough current to hold the contacts together. It clicks once.
I tried to jump start the car. Absolutely the same reaction except that the starter solenoid clicks a lot. So, i turn the key into the crank position, and it clicks as long as I hold it.
I checked for the voltage on the red wire coming to the starter solenoid. It is about 5V. Is it supposed to be that, or it is supposed to be 12V?
If it is supposed to be 12V, what grounds should I check?

THanks,

Klim

The bumper??? What i was saying is to add a jumper cable between the negative post on the battery & your engine.

I was helping a guy on another forum with a Toyota that would'nt start after he replaced the starter & battery. He added this jumper and it fired right up meaning he needed to replace the negative cable.

5 volts is no good.

Ok, I will try to connect it to the engine. You mean the battery terminal or the battery terminal with ground wire on it?
Where do you think I can loose the voltage?

THanks a lot,

Klim

Try replacing the ground cable between the battery & engine block. It "might" be bad.

I didn't replace it, but I checked for ressistance from end to and end and it is about.003Ohms, which I think is normal. I will check the store out for it today.

THanks,

Klim

The wiring diagram for my 87 shows the battery grounds at the engine block & at the radiator support.

Is the ground at the radiator support clean & tight?