I'd check the ground that goes to the block (on the front driver's side of the block. There is a bolt and nut facing the driver's side fender and a large battery cable that is the ground. Take the nut off and rub it clean with sandpaper. Also rub the other metal parts that the nut touches. Lastly, rub the cable end with sandpaper till it's clean.
This fixed my ground problem instantly a long while back. I learned that after washing the engine bay a couple times, my grounding would weaken, so now I clean the area up after each wash and no issues at all. I added another short battery cable from the negative battery terminal to the radiator support area (absolutely no problems for sure now).
I couldn't start my car either when the ground went too weak. Someone told me about the rolling start and sure enough it worked. All the while, my starter, alternator, and battery were in great shape. I'm sure a dealer or shop may have wanted me to get those replaced.
This fixed my ground problem instantly a long while back. I learned that after washing the engine bay a couple times, my grounding would weaken, so now I clean the area up after each wash and no issues at all. I added another short battery cable from the negative battery terminal to the radiator support area (absolutely no problems for sure now).
I couldn't start my car either when the ground went too weak. Someone told me about the rolling start and sure enough it worked. All the while, my starter, alternator, and battery were in great shape. I'm sure a dealer or shop may have wanted me to get those replaced.
Seriously, this was good advice. I'd add another motor ground. I chose to mimic that driver side ground, but used 4 AWG and installed it on the passenger side of the engine.
Good luck.
The ground on the driver's side is indeed a braided strap as I recall. It sounds like you found the right one.
Hmm. I will have to check on it then because it was in fact replaced, but did the same thing out of no where. The car hasn't done it since this most recent time. Could be because I cleaned up the engine....maybe water got trapped or something.
I'll just have to watch that I guess.
Thanks for the help!!
I once had a nasty problem like yours on a trip to San Diego. It turns out it wasn't the ground, but the positive terminal off the fuse box (the one with the square shaped ring terminal). It had corroded in a single day enough to screw up the connection badly. I sanded it down, goo'd some electric grease into it and it was good to go.
BTW I'm pretty sure the motor has TWO grounds IIRC.
BTW I'm pretty sure the motor has TWO grounds IIRC.
I remember my foxbody having a ground from the back of the lower intake to the firewall - that was nixed on the '94-'95s.
I think my '95 just has the one braided strap though - around oil filter to driver's side frame rail.
Am I missing one?
Wes
Thanks for the info HISSIN. You said you had another engine to firewall ground - I'll probably replace my braided wire and add a 2nd one in the next couple of weekends. I got bit by a bad ground on my '90 Mustang so I would rather add a 2nd ground at my convenience than wait for the ground to corrode inside the wire with the humid weather we have here. That's how the last one died - it looked fine from the outside but when I cut into it, it was pretty messed up.
Wes
Wes