I need your guys' expertise on my DD please!

[mob]

Hey guys I really need your help, I need to get my DD running by tomorrow or im screwed. Its a 1991 Ford escort, 1.9L I changed my starter cause my old was wasnt working sometimes. I had to change the wire coming off the new solenoid to a male connector, did that. I put the new one in. Cranked it up, cranked up fine. Turned it off, cranked it again, cranked up fine again. Turned it off, went to crank it and got nothing. I have no power though. My battery has 12v but nothing comes on, no lights, radio, I have no power going anywhere. I checked voltage at the starter battery post and I am only geting 3.5V with key on, why is that? Shouldnt there be 12? What are the possible issues, I checked all my engine bay fuses and they are not blown. I know its not a 5.0 but its a standard ford and issues should be identical other than the fact it doesn't have a fender mounted solenoid.

 

[1990Coupe]

How old are the battery cables? i had a battery cable go bad on my old jeep cherokee and it was doing the same thing.

 

[Saleen0679]

Along the same lines as 1990Coupe you may need to clean your battery terminals and clamps. The battery terminals get a black coating causing problems like you have.

 

[5.0Droptop]

+1 battery cables. Replace them both.

 

[mob]

Well I dont know about the positive cable, but all the terminals are brand new, and the ground cable is brand new. Could it be anything else?

 

[5.0Droptop]

Im not sure how its wired. Does the positive cable go to the solinoid and then another cable goes down to the starter? If so check the voltage at the solinoid and see if its getting 12 volts. If not then the positive cable is bad.

 

[fivespeedsteed]

jeep does the same thing once in a blue moon, have been told plenty of times its corrosion or cables.

 

[mob]

I got it fixed. not really sure how. On this car the positive cable goes to the engine fuse box and then to the starter. I noticed that the coolant temp sensor was broken in half so I replaced it with the one from my mustang since its the same sensor but I dont think that could cause that. I took out the starter again and jumpered it to a battery to make sure the new one was fine. The ground wire is brand new but I cleaned the actual ground on the engine. I put the battery back in, checked voltage at the wires and it had 12V, put the starter back in and it works perfect. I am hoping it was just a loose connection or something somewhere. I know I have no corrosion anywhere, I install at least 4 batteries a day at my work, I am VERY meticulous about my cables and terminals, I've seen some reallll bad ones.

I appreciate the replies guys, and sorry again to be off topic.

 

[Mr. Rustypwnz]

i just rebuilt a 1992 escort with the 1.9, very simple pos's lol

 

[fivespeedsteed]

where you work?

 

[mob]

I work at advance auto parts. I got this thing for 200 bucks and all it needed was 2 lifters, so I am pretty satisfied with it.

 

[fivespeedsteed]

i work at aap too haha.

 

[mob]

Oh true, thats cool.

 

[Notchbck93]

Oh true, thats cool.

Study up on how to measure voltage drops, it will make you appear to be very savvy to your customers.

It also would have pin-pointed your point of the bad connection. It's fool proof.

 

[mob]

How do you propose I do that? I had continuity between the battery and all wires and grounds while it wasn't working. What else could I have done.

 

[ID89GT]

Its quite simple, you just use a multimeter and measure voltage at one spot and another, and it will tell you the voltage difference. Very useful to know.

 

[mob]

Its quite simple, you just use a multimeter and measure voltage at one spot and another, and it will tell you the voltage difference. Very useful to know.

Thats exactly what I did....I measured voltage at all my fuses and all my wires that should be getting power. I even checked continuity from one end of each wire to the other. I know how to use a multimeter and check voltage.

 

[Notchbck93]

Please read:

Voltage Drop Testing

Voltage Drop Testing - An Effective Method For Solving Automotive Electrical Faults