Car Heating Up Then Wont Start!! Need Opinions!!

[BlackOnBlackATX]

OK, so im coming home on the highway this afternoon around 5:30 and the temp guage starts going up and up after about 10 minutes of driving. doesnt leave the normal range, but definately gets hotter than usual for my SHO. so i exit the high way and pull onto a sidestreet and check the coolant overflow tank. turn off the car, add some coolant and then it doesnt want to start. solenoid clicks on the starter (the starter was replaced this past december) and all other lights, bells work fine, but the starter wont crank. checked my **** switch, my wires on the starter, jiggled the battery connections, even the fuel pump switch. nothin. no dice.

so i had it towed to a local dealership there(which unfortunately is still 65 miles away from where i live) but does anyone have any opinions on this? this happen to anyone? i dont believe the car is leaking coolant at the water pump, but i *do* know my t-stat housing is leaking during warm up because i butchered the gasket when i put in a new t-stat this past novemeber. but the leak is only until it warms up and the housing expands and its very very slow. but i found no other water ever underneath the car, so i dont believe it would be the cps, plus the starter would still crank at least, right? i want an idea of how much i need to bend over before i call ford in the morning so any help is greatly appreciated. thanks guys!

<small>[ February 06, 2003, 10:15 PM: Message edited by: BlackOnBlackATX ]</small>

 

[LaTechSHO]

so you are saying that the starter doesn't spin?

or that the car won't start?

if the starter isn't spinning.... then it is a little easier to do a diagnostic on, as there are only a few components in that system....

check that you have voltage at the starter.... if not, then check at the fender mounted solenoid switch.....

if not there then there is a **** switch, and an ignition switch....

thats about all there is....

if the starter spins, but the engine won't start... that is a much more difficult thing to diagnose

Louis

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

well the starter wont spin, youre right on that, the solenoid clicks signalling voltage across it (the solenoids are on the starters on the gen 2s so ya know). as far as i know voltage is ok, i did not have a voltmeter though so i could not directly measure. everything else works fine. just that the starter wont spin. fuel pump hums load and clear, just in case anyone asks. very odd. thanks!

<small>[ February 06, 2003, 10:34 PM: Message edited by: BlackOnBlackATX ]</small>

 

[LaTechSHO]

ok....so you sound like you already figured it out.... the solenoid is clicking, so you assume voltage (which i would check with a voltmeter).... which leaves a bad starter....

if the starter is getting sufficient power and not spinning...... then you have a bad starter......

another thing to think about while you are checking things... just because it clicks doesn't mean you have power to the starter... it means you have power to the solenoid....

there are two power wires to a solenoid.... main power (big wire) which supplies power to the starter... and signal power (small wire)...

when the small wire has voltage is engages the solenoid which in turn supplies the main power to the starter....


Louis

 

[projectSHO89]

To add to what Louis said:

Turn the headlights on before trying to crank the engine. Hit the starter and look to see if the lights are affected. If they do not dim, the starter is not pulling any significant current. If they do dim, the start is pulling current but not engaging.

In either event, your likely cause is either a defective starter/solenoid, or one of the heavy cables or their connections.

Invest in a $20 digital multimeter from Sears or Radio Shack, then go hear for a more instructive diagnostic procedure: http://www.spmotorsports.com/starter_troubleshoot.html

Steve

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

projectSHO89, thanks for the tip on the headlights. its at the dealership now so ill have to wait and see. i have a multimeter but was unfortunately 65 miles away from home when this happened. the odd part is the starter was replaced in december. i spent an hour on my back in the dark swapping it out, so i would hate to think it went bad that quick (although i know it can happen as rare as it is). thanks for all the advice, i guess its up to the ford techs now.

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

ok, got the car back tonight, turns out it was my battery cables. the jerks charged me $120 for the complete cable and terminal set, can you believe that garbage? im going to call and complain to them about that on monday. but the car doesnt overheat anymore either, so all is well. my theory is that the PCM sensed an open or short on the cable or somehow the cable interfered with the fan relay. who knows ::shrugs::

 

[brandon]

my 89 does the same trhing i jigglr the wires its starts right up every time an i have tryed everything in gods word to fix it new wires too starter new starter selinoied (how ever you spell it ) an it still does it no clue cleaned every con and no help