I have a 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac with just shy of 200000 miles on it. Recently I wanted to take it into town. The dash, radio, lights, etc came on, but the starter failed. No noise was made as I attempted to start the engine. Jumping it failed. The next day, I had a mechanic buddy of mine come over and take the starter out. We went to an automotive store, bought a new starter, installed it, and the truck still would not start. The next day, we attempted to start it and you could hear the starter spinning. We chalked it up to a defective starter. We removed the starter, brought it back, and they gave us the wrong part. We got the correct part, installed it, and the truck would not start. The starter does not spin anymore. The battery is not defective. The solenoid is a part of the starter. Where do we go from here?
Got to drive that Volvo Amazon today. Drove great. Loved the engine sounds, too.
Beautiful car.
QUOTE(AhumanRS @ Dec 31 2021, 05:26)
I have a 2007 Ford Explorer Sport Trac with just shy of 200000 miles on it. Recently I wanted to take it into town. The dash, radio, lights, etc came on, but the starter failed. No noise was made as I attempted to start the engine. Jumping it failed. The next day, I had a mechanic buddy of mine come over and take the starter out. We went to an automotive store, bought a new starter, installed it, and the truck still would not start. The next day, we attempted to start it and you could hear the starter spinning. We chalked it up to a defective starter. We removed the starter, brought it back, and they gave us the wrong part. We got the correct part, installed it, and the truck would not start. The starter does not spin anymore. The battery is not defective. The solenoid is a part of the starter. Where do we go from here?
It was noted that the solenoid was clicking, or that a 'clicking noise' was present, but this cannot be heard from within the vehicle. I can't be sure without calling someone over to have them listen. If the solenoid should be loud enough for me to hear inside the vehicle, then does the cord that runs from my battery to the starter have a short? It would explain why the starter was spinning miraculously, and then would not spin again after we replaced the starter.
This post has been edited by AhumanRS: Dec 31 2021, 16:24
It was noted that the solenoid was clicking, or that a 'clicking noise' was present, but this cannot be heard from within the vehicle. I can't be sure without calling someone over to have them listen. If the solenoid should be loud enough for me to hear inside the vehicle, then does the cord that runs from my battery to the starter have a short? It would explain why the starter was spinning miraculously, and then would not spin again after we replaced the starter.
Hearing the solenoid can be hard if you're in the car.
If the solenoid is clicking but the starter isn't turning over it can be several problems.
The starter itself could be faulty. It's a common problem with cheap parts for older cars. (Most parts you get for older cars are made out of chinesium unless you got proper manufacturer parts.)
If you pull it out get your mechanic friend to bench test the starter. It might work on the bench test, but note that it isn't under load. If it works on the bench but not in the car it's most likely a faulty starter. Or it could be a relay.
Check the negative and positive wires running from the battery to the starter for any damage. While your at it, check the battery terminals and make sure they're tight.
Your friend should have a voltage tester. Put the tester on the battery and turn the engine over. If it's under 10 volts, you have a battery problem and may need to charge/replace it. Your friend should also have a diagnostic tool that he can plug into the car's ecu to check whether it's throwing out any codes. If it is, get him to clear the codes and try starting it again.
Check any relevant fuses/relays as they tend to fuck up once a car gets past 10 years old.
Might I also add that most cars past 2005 are poorly designed, poorly constructed and horrible to work on which is why I stopped doing it.
Even if your car is assembled locally, nearly all of the components are made and sourced from China.
This post has been edited by Mags_: Dec 31 2021, 17:04
Hearing the solenoid can be hard if you're in the car.
If the solenoid is clicking but the starter isn't turning over it can be several problems.
The starter itself could be faulty. It's a common problem with cheap parts for older cars. (Most parts you get for older cars are made out of chinesium unless you got proper manufacturer parts.)
If you pull it out get your mechanic friend to bench test the starter. It might work on the bench test, but note that it isn't under load. If it works on the bench but not in the car it's most likely a faulty starter. Or it could be a relay.
Check the negative and positive wires running from the battery to the starter for any damage. While your at it, check the battery terminals and make sure they're tight.
Your friend should have a voltage tester. Put the tester on the battery and turn the engine over. If it's under 10 volts, you have a battery problem and may need to charge/replace it. Your friend should also have a diagnostic tool that he can plug into the car's ecu to check whether it's throwing out any codes. If it is, get him to clear the codes and try starting it again.
Check any relevant fuses/relays as they tend to fuck up once a car gets past 10 years old.
Might I also add that most cars past 2005 are poorly designed, poorly constructed and horrible to work on which is why I stopped doing it.
Even if your car is assembled locally, nearly all of the components are made and sourced from China.
Battery may need replacing. Starter is brand new, cost me 200 dollars. Battery terminals are tight. My mechanic friend is more 'freelance'; he doesn't have fancy equipment. I know another mechanic friend, but he is professional and I'm a cheapskate. I'll try replacing the battery, and then checking to see if that helps. Thanks.
Battery may need replacing. Starter is brand new, cost me 200 dollars. Battery terminals are tight. My mechanic friend is more 'freelance'; he doesn't have fancy equipment. I know another mechanic friend, but he is professional and I'm a cheapskate. I'll try replacing the battery, and then checking to see if that helps. Thanks.
Invest in a battery charger.
There will be a cold cranking amps rating (cca) sticker on your battery.
Make sure the charger you get is rated to the same cca or more as your battery otherwise it won't charge it properly.
EDDY: Got your message.
Get a new battery.
This post has been edited by Mags_: Dec 31 2021, 18:14
Might I also add that most cars past 2005 are poorly designed, poorly constructed and horrible to work on which is why I stopped doing it.
Amen.
I think I will be buying that Amazon as a new year gift to myself. Even if it's not a 200/100 series (which are my favorites right now). It does drive an awful lot like a 100 series (although with two drums and two discs instead of four discs). I think it might be smaller than a 100 series as well, although I've not had one side-by-side with it to verify that.
Apparently the one part on the car that really does need a special tool is the part for popping the drum brakes off.
At the very least it might be a somewhat fun car to wrench on. Not a lot of parts to go wrong. Four fuses - one of which is for the radio which it doesn't have anymore.
This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Dec 31 2021, 20:10
If cars now have electric motors for AC, is there any HP/KW difference having the AC on?
When I was a kid I thought overdrive made the car go faster, so I had toggle installed so I could switch the car from low boost to high boost mode and call it overdrive...
That is how I assumed overdrive should have worked as a kid. High boost is balls to the walls, so I don't use it much on public roads.
If cars now have electric motors for AC, is there any HP/KW difference having the AC on?
When I was a kid I thought overdrive made the car go faster, so I had toggle installed so I could switch the car from low boost to high boost mode and call it overdrive...
That is how I assumed overdrive should have worked as a kid. High boost is balls to the walls, so I don't use it much on public roads.
A little bit; the alternator gets harder to spin the more electrical load is put on it. But the alternator puts out so much current that it isn't that bad. Electric motors have much more torque.
Unless the battery charging circuitry has been totally isolated somehow. Which I highly doubt because then the car battery wouldn't be able to charge. Maybe with a second battery or with a hybrid you could get away with it? I'd have to think about it and it's 3 AM.
This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Jan 7 2022, 10:35
Or was it not connecting with the anti theft system?
Usually if the anti theft system is preventing the car from starting the solenoid won't even click.
I don't know. I used the key every day, and then now it just doesn't work. I decided to try using my spare, and Truck turned on immediately. The keys look identical, and I can't find any damages on the bad one.
Meanwhile, Tesla announces anew $5000 car. It will be made at Gigafactory Shanghai. I wonder how much the inflation will affect the price of this minicar. It will have no steering wheel or traditional pedals in the base model. It uses an autonomous self-driving operating system. I wonder what name this self-driving O/S will have.... Maybe HAL 9002?
I just went on a car fixing spree. might have fixed my faulty wiring in my tailgate (we'll see if my wiper/central brake light work when it rains; previously the wiper would power the lightbulb due to some short or ground fault somewhere) and installed the door map pockets that I've had sitting in a box for over a year.
Oh yeah, the 245's transmission works again, too.
This post has been edited by dragontamer8740: Mar 24 2022, 22:36
Yet another state is switching to electric cars. Washington State just passed a new law where all cars of model year 2030 onwards must be fully electric in order to be registered, transferred, or licensed in that state. As for trying to register your gasoline car in a border state, Washington can seize your car if it proves you did so for the purpose of defrauding the state and the fine is also large. It will be a big waste of taxpayer dollars because the state is apparently going to help apartments, group homes, and businesses install a lot of electric car chargers. The cost of electric power can only go up for WA state because they don't want more coal or nuclear plants replacing the use of gasoline.
Car things, Talk about cars/trucks/motor vehicles in general.
Dec 24 2021, 20:18
