Car randomly won't start

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bjam2

New Member

Jun 20, 2003

94

0

0

Michigan

Feb 18, 2004

#1

• Feb 18, 2004

• #1

Ok it seems whenever i drive any good distance at all my car won't start.

It tries and seems like the battery is dead. Then it usually will get worse and just do the starter solednoid buzz. I'm farely sure it's not that battery cus it shouldn't happen right after driving and i've tried multiple batteries. I always hook up a battery jumper which is supposed to take like 3 minutes but it usually ends up taking a lot longer than that.

Would it be the alternator?
Would it be a bad ground?
Would it be the Starter (maybe overheating)?

The starter works fine but does engage a little hard and i would have put a shim but it's friggin winter.

This is very annoying please help.

 

Mavrick

Founding Member

Aug 29, 2002

2,264

0

46

Collingwood, ON

Feb 18, 2004

#2

• Feb 18, 2004

• #2

Ya, that sounds like heat soak on the starter, from your headers. Do you have long tubes?

 

J

jeffbigwood27

New Member

Nov 10, 2003

86

0

0

oklahoma city

Feb 18, 2004

#3

• Feb 18, 2004

• #3

Let me guess it starts fine when it is nice and cold then you drive it and it warms up you stop and try and start it and it barely starts, or doesnt. I had this problem when i moved the battery to the trunk I am pretty sure it was a bad ground I bought a high torque starter and it fixed it.

 

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bjam2

New Member

Jun 20, 2003

94

0

0

Michigan

Feb 18, 2004

#4

• Feb 18, 2004

• #4

It was starting find, then it got cold out and it would barely start and if the car died it wouldn't re-start cus it was like the battery was too low, so i put a different battery in and it was fine whenever i would just drive a few blocks then not start it for a few hours but i find whenever i drive very far it doesn't start.

Today when it wouldn't start i hooked up a jumper and nothing, so then i played with the ground/negative battery cable and also through snow on the starter (temp gauge went down 10-20 degrees real quick) then it started fine.

And i just have the stock headers.

 

Black 93 Fox

Active Member

Jun 1, 2003

1,995

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49

Vancouver,Washington

Feb 18, 2004

#5

• Feb 18, 2004

• #5

I was having the same problem so i put new cables on the battery and the problem went away.

black 93 fox

 

sixty9boss302

Founding Member

Jun 27, 2001

234

0

0

Pittsburgh PA or Rochester NY

Feb 18, 2004

#6

• Feb 18, 2004

• #6

I had a problem like that before. Changed everything in the ignition system from the switch to the module still didn't help. If i removed the spout connecter it would start up just fine though. Soon after i totalled the car and didn't have to worry bout the problem anymore. Sorry that i can't help ya out.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

34

129

Feb 19, 2004

#7

• Feb 19, 2004

• #7

if it continues to do this day after day, then you can probably rule out the alternator (you asked in the orig post).

as Black Fox said, really check your battery cables. they often rot from the inside out. also check your starter cable. you can do a drop test on it - a drop of more than one volt is too much.
might want to check the specific gravity of your battery, even if new. cold really takes its toll on them.
my two cents worth. good luck.

 

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bjam2

New Member

Jun 20, 2003

94

0

0

Michigan

Feb 19, 2004

#8

• Feb 19, 2004

• #8

OK now this morning it did it and i'm sure the engine wasn't hot.

 

J

jerry beach

Founding Member

May 20, 2002

2,671

0

46

Ocala,FL

Feb 19, 2004

#9

• Feb 19, 2004

• #9

Are your cables old? If so replace them. Ford starters draw alot of amps when new. If the batt. cables and the starter wires are old, they are prolly the cause of your prob., as was already stated. If you dont have a voltmeter to do the drop test on them change them out. Take the batt. to an auto parts store and have them load test it for free before you spend any $. Replace the solenoid switch while you are at it. Have you tried jumping it out with a screw driver when the problem occurs? If you do this, make absolutely sure its in nuetral.