Taurus 3L vulcan problem

[Mystique97]

Well a friend of mine tried to leave work sunday and his car would not start it made the whirr noise according to him and well he tried again while on the phone with me and nothing well he got it started last night and drove it and now it clicks (I looked at it for him) Just the starter clicks could this be a bad starter? I tried to jump start it he said no lights on the dash were on when he drove it. If this isn't the starter I'm stumped.

 

[Dyoel182]

Getting a click usually means start with a new battery. No noise at all means check the battery and then assume starter.

 

[Smalls]

did the clicking immediately start upon turning the key? or did he try starting it a few times before the clicking? the starter takes a lot of juice to turn that flywheel. doesnt take long for the battery to die when it wont start

 

[redtires]

I would go with a battery as well to start, that may be the cause of the problem. If there is not enough juice the starter may spin (the "whirrrr" noise) and then if it's really dead, it may just be popping the solenoid, but not enough to actually engage the starter motor. But before your friend goes out and spends money, have him check all the batt connections...if there is any white crusty stuff on it, do a thorough cleaning, check the battery and try to start it. I've had this happen once or twice, the first time ironically was on an 89 Taurus. Drove it to my girlfriends house...everything was fine. Went to leave late at night, opened the door...not even a dome light. I wiggled the positive cable...everything came right back.

 

[Smalls]

also, if you have a volt meter, test the battery after a charge. see if it holds it

 

[Linkman]

I would go with a battery as well to start, ... have him check all the batt connections...if there is any white crusty stuff on it, do a thorough cleaning, check the battery and try to start it. ... I wiggled the positive cable...everything came right back.

I've replaced the starter in my girlfriend now wife's 97 Vulcan Taurus, it's not hard at all, but definitely check the battery first. I've had clean to the eye connections on the positive battery cable when the absolutely would not start, not enough juice to light the dash lights when the key turned, but which fired up after wiggling the battery connections.

Cleaned and tightened them down after I got it home, and no symptoms after that.

 

[Mystique97]

I wiggled the battery connections and nothing, I tried using my jumper pack and nothing my dad tells me if the battery is dead enough it won't work. I do have a volt meter and should have used it (I'll go back tomorrow) he gets out of school at 3 (college) I left him a message maybe we could get the battery out of there and run it to autozone or something. First I'll test it with my volt meter. Thanks guys.

 

[Linkman]

I wiggled the battery connections and nothing, I tried using my jumper pack and nothing my dad tells me if the battery is dead enough it won't work. I do have a volt meter and should have used it (I'll go back tomorrow) he gets out of school at 3 (college) I left him a message maybe we could get the battery out of there and run it to autozone or something. First I'll test it with my volt meter. Thanks guys.

Yeah, that's also happened to me (that would be the old 87 Taurus, way back when).

If the battery is toasted, it may present too great a load on the charging car to let it jump start. You can remove the battery cables from the battery, and hook up the jumper cables directly and try to jump start without the dead battery load.

 

[Mystique97]

I tested the battery with a volt meter and it read 12.1 volts. I'll try the jump start without a battery load see what happens. I have a jumper pack that should work.
Also I can't charge the battery if the car is in a parking lot.
Update:
Well I didn't try to jump it without the battery but it wasn't, kinda wish it was so It'd save my friend some $$ but it was the starter problem solved. Thanks on the feedback guys.