I have been taking care of my boss' truck for the past month and a half. Last time i tried to start it to give it a drive, it wouldn't turn over. Completely removed its battery from the circuit and tried starting off a known good source (my truck at idle.) Everything lit up okay on the instrument panel, but when I tried to start it I only got a series of loud clicks as I held the key at "start" on the first attempt, then only one click on subsequent attempts. Sounds like a relay. Starter not even trying to turn the engine.

Question is, why would the started go bad all of the sudden--has worked fine till last week.

He does have a car alarm, which complicates matters.

Thanks for any replies--want to get this fixed before he gets back!! (He's aware of he problem.)
-Mike

 

If you get the relay to click, it's not the car alarm. Check the cables. Maybe they are corroded or shorted. It could also be the starter relay. If the relay is clicking that doesn't mean the starter is bad. If it clicks once when you turn the key and the starter doesn't turn, then most likely it's the starter. But if it clicks like an automatic weapon, check the cables and the relay itself.

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1997 F-150, 4.6, automatic, Dark Toreador Red, Supercab, Flareside, 4X4 Off-Road, Towing Package, Ford hvy dty rubber floor mats, Kenwood 10-disk cd changer, Ford bugshield, Chrome Grizzly Wrap Around Push Bar with 2 KC 100w Daylighters, Ventshades, Ford bedliner, cab and bed professionally undercoated, Code Alarm Sure Start RVS remote starter, Ford alarm, Realistic CB with Wilson Little Wil antenna and Astatic power mic, ported MAF sensor, and Lots of TLC!! (Besides being an F-150 nut, I am a Ford auto technician.)

 

I bet the battery is just dead. If you get the battery charged I bet it starts.

Or you could try jumping his truck with yours but you may have to leave your battery connected to his (with your truck running) for awhile so his battery can receive a charge before you try starting his.

Good luck!

 

Sounds like the starter. Remember, I did hook up to my truck's battery to try starting once. The first time, I got the "automatic weapon" type clicking, with no starter turnover. The second and subsequent tries yielded only one click... How tough is it to remove the starter?

-Mike

 

Mike,

It could be the starter but before you replace I would try charging the battery first. A clicking sound is also a sign of the starter not gettng enough current from the battery.

I tried starting my truck once exactly like you mentioned in your first post. I disconnect my battery and connected the battery from my car (using jumper cables) to the battery cables on my truck. All my truck did was clicked (rapidly). You can loose a lot of current from jumper cable connections. I then took the battery from my car and put it in my truck and it started right up. (The battery cables were connected directly to battery.)

However, it could be a bad starter. I've never replaced a starter on an Explorer but starters are usually not too bad to replace.

Good luck,
Jim