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Won't start - one click and nothing

P

PurpleMystique

Hard-core CEG'er
Joined
Nov 16, 2004
Messages
2,602
Location
Greater Des Moines Area
No spinning, no repetitive clicking, just one click when I turn the key. My battery's good, all the lights are bright, but no start. It didn't have a single problem when I left for class, but now it's stuck in a campus parking lot.

All of the fuses in the engine bay box looked good. I pulled the R6 relay and plugged it back in, but the same thing happened. What can I do?
 
PurpleMystique said:
Can I push start the car and at least get it home so I won't get towed on campus?
Click to expand...

Yes you should be able to. I had this same problem not long ago, check your battery cables. My Pos cable had melted a bit by the terminal, caused me to barely get 6 volts at the starter when cranking.

http://contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=36373&page=2

ISU DPS is horrible about ticketing and that kind of crap.. Seemed like damn near anytime I went up there to see my now wife, I'd get a ticket, always got out of it, but still. Park in a "safe" zone, get a ticket
 
I checked out the battery, I have about 12V and it barely drops when the key's turned...maybe down to 11.5 or so, and there's a satisfying clack of the solenoid when the key's turned, but nothing besides that.

I was able to jump start it and get it home, so it's at least safe for now. As far as wiring goes, I did notice a wire that had melted to the EGR insulation...could that be a problem?
 
PurpleMystique said:
I checked out the battery, I have about 12V and it barely drops when the key's turned...maybe down to 11.5 or so, and there's a satisfying clack of the solenoid when the key's turned, but nothing besides that.

I was able to jump start it and get it home, so it's at least safe for now. As far as wiring goes, I did notice a wire that had melted to the EGR insulation...could that be a problem?
Click to expand...

The wire needs fixing. That could be the starter wiring.

You could also have a bad battery. Test both the battery and alternator.
http://www.contour.org/ceg-vb/showthread.php?t=3535
 
Last edited:
OH DUDE!!! I think I know your issue

I had the SAME problem with my SVT when I first put it together. Check your battery cable clamps I was stumped for a week by this issue; my battery registered good voltage but when i tried to turn the starter it would just click, if I jumped it all was fine and dandy, I came to find out that the cheap-o metal that ford used for the battery clamps, over time, has stretched out so no matter how much I tightening the clamps, they would still just easily slide off of the battery terminals with a little wiggling which in some cases provided a fine connection and in other cases wouldn't allow enough cranking amps to run the starter.

if this is the case, I just used a vice grip to bend the clamps together a little bit while the clamps were loosened, then I reattached the battery clamps and retightened them, they wouldn't wiggle off anymore. Fixed the issue, I felt like a sucker cause I spent $90 on a new battery and it turned out my battery was fine :mad:
 
Okay, I took a jumper cable and connected one end of one wire to the battery positive terminal, and when I touch the other end to the input wire on the starter, the starter motor whirs, but the engine doesn't crank. What does this mean? What's my next step?
 
Here are the starter and solenoid connections.

starterconnections.jpg


I'm suspicious of the starter to solenoid connection.
 
Well, it starts now. I was trying to test voltage to the starter when cranking and it actually started, except my intake filter and tube were completely disconnected...oops. I put everything back together but in the process managed to snap a brittle vacuum line tee, so now I have to replace that.

This almost guarantees the problem lies somewhere in the wiring. Any clues?
 
PurpleMystique said:
Okay, I took a jumper cable and connected one end of one wire to the battery positive terminal, and when I touch the other end to the input wire on the starter, the starter motor whirs, but the engine doesn't crank. What does this mean? What's my next step?
Click to expand...
Starter plunger wiring (internal) is messed up. Need need starter.
 
If starter itself works maybe just change solenoid. They can go bad internal when contacts erode enough, will still click but not enough starter current. The car will not start when jumping starter unless ignition is switched on because ignition circuit dead until then. I assume you jumped to the bare braided wire that goes into starter itself. That would spin starter, but not engage it into motor. The solenoid throws gear forward at the same time it joins up the starter big wires. Try jumping to the smaller wire contact, that one tests solenoid itself. Energizing smaller wire causes contact to occur between the two big wires to engage flywheel and spin starter both.
 
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