jmacd27
Premium
join:2001-05-13
Florida
clubs: 
| 1999 Ford Expedition wont turn over
A friend called me who has a 1999 expy with 4.6 v8 in it. I have a 2000 so he called me for advice when his truck wouldn't start.
He said he was working around the starter relay (solenoid?) mounted on the firewall when he accidentally shorted the bottom (pos?) terminal. He said it just sparked for a split second. After this happened his truck wouldn't start.
I went to his place and had him short the two posts on the same relay he had earlier shorted, the truck fired right up. He went to the parts store and bought a replacement stater relay and installed it. The truck still has the same problem. All the lights radio etc work, but nothing happens when you try and start it. You can hear two clicks from inside the cabin when trying to start, but nothing else. He checked all fuses from the owners manual, they all seem fine. We also tried moving the gear selector to neutral and jiggling it just in case it was the interlock.
Do any of the helpful members in here have any ideas?
Thanks in advance. |
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master1000
join:2001-02-22
Fort Pierre, SD | does the security light flash rapidly when he tries to start it?
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LET FREEDOM RING |
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jmacd27
Premium
join:2001-05-13
Florida
clubs: | reply to jmacd27
The security light comes on and goes out after a few seconds when you turn the key on. The alarm light stays off when trying to start. |
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master1000
join:2001-02-22
Fort Pierre, SD | does this have an after market alarm system installed?
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LET FREEDOM RING |
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jmacd27
Premium
join:2001-05-13
Florida
clubs: | reply to jmacd27
No, everything is stock on the vehicle. |
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Kringle
Dr.D
Premium
join:2004-02-27
Pierrefonds, QC
 ·Bell Sympatico
| Is there a 40A fuse in the fuse box in the engine compartment as well as a 10A (hot in start) fuse in the passenger compartment? That would mean that there are 2 relays in the starting circuit and probably the 40A is blown (because of where the short took place). Whether or not this is the case depends on the engine in the vehicle. Other than that, I don't know - it's a pretty simple circuit. |
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master1000
join:2001-02-22
Fort Pierre, SD
| reply to jmacd27
make sure you connection's are good and tight and no corrosion anywhere and that the battery is fully charged. there should be 4 posts on your solenoid one on the battery side connected to the battery 3 on the other 2 cables attached to the bottom post one large cable to the top and a small one that looks like it take a nut on the upper side. when the key is all the way forward to the starting position the small wire that plugs into the solenoid should show 12v's to it and when the key is released should show 0.
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LET FREEDOM RING |
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jmacd27
Premium
join:2001-05-13
Florida
clubs:
| reply to Kringle
I just had him recheck the fuses, he said they look fine. I had him switch some of the same amp fuses around in the box to be double sure. All of the connections seem tight and nothing seem obviously wrong. The engine will fire right up when shorting the two posts, so everything past the solenoid seems fine.
I guess there is a chance the new part is faulty. |
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Kringle
Dr.D
Premium
join:2004-02-27
Pierrefonds, QC
·Bell Sympatico
| Actually, I think it's something upstream of the new part and also that the old part was also good. In '99 Ford was good at having the ignition switch activate a relay that activated another relay (each with a separate fuse) that, in turn, activated the starter solenoid.
Remember that fuses can look good and still be bad. It's always best to check with a meter. |
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jmacd27
Premium
join:2001-05-13
Florida
clubs:
| I found the problem, I went over to help this morning and he didn't have the relay mounted to the firewall. There was no ground getting to the relay then. We bolted it back up and the truck fired right up.
He had the relay and a bracket below it unfastened to access the low side ac port.
Thanks all for you help. |
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Kringle
Dr.D
Premium
join:2004-02-27
Pierrefonds, QC
·Bell Sympatico
| said by jmacd27  :He had the relay and a bracket below it unfastened to access the low side ac port. Yup. That would do it!
Glad you tracked it down.  |
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