Ok, I know this is totally off the wall for a Dodge Ram forum but I am having problems with my wife's 97 Ford Explorer. I posted this on the Ford forum website and have no response. Hopefully, one of you may have seen the same problem and offer some of your knowledge. You have always helped me out before. Here is what I posted:


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Need help. I went to start my 1997 Explorer on Saturday morning. The engine turned over and then just died. Tried to restart and will not even try to turn over. I tried to jump it off but nothing. The lights and everything seem to work fine. I do hear a single click coming from the drivers side when I try to start it. Have never had any problems before. Could this be the starter? I have never had a starter just go bad all at once before. Or could be it be something different like a seleniod or something? Please help. Thanks.

 

My guess is battery cables notgetting connection or bad battery. Clean cables tighten them down if that doesn't work take battery in and get tested. It might not be the problem but will get you started.

 

sounds like the starter, check the ground cable on the starter to make sure it's not damanged and has a good connection. Also try moving the shifter through the gears to reset the transmission so the solenoid lines up.

 

That click you hear is the solenoid trying to work. I'd go with Ballbeerfish and check your connections. How old is the battery? I'd have it tested at your local parts store (they do it for free). If that doesn't fix it, report back and we'll work at it from there.

 

If the lights stay on while trying to crank ... it ain't the battery. IIRC, Fords have a seperate, fender mounted solenoid. It's either that, the cable from it to the starter motor or the starter motor itself. If there's a dead spot on the starter, rapping on it with a hammer while trying to crank it works a lot of the time ... as a temp fix.

 

Can you hear the fuel pump when you turn the key on? Please go to this wev site for more help on fuses and pump. Please post your results.
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...threadid=76685

Good luck.

 

What do the fuel pump and fuses have to do with getting the motor to crank?

 

Look for the easy first: fuse 1, 18 and 4, diode14, relay 1 and 3 must be ok for ignition system to work. On your Dodge, inside the PDC there is a 20 A fuse that would give you the same problem. Good luck.

 

... and again ... what does all this have to do with CRANKING THE MOTOR?? [>:]

Ignition system? Are we looking for a spark here? Fuel pump? What good is gas if the engine's not turning over? We're talking about the starting system ... battery (ruled out), ignition switch (possible but unlikely), starter solenoid (better than even chance), starter motor (probable) and associated cables (probably not).

 

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I have had the flu for the past few days and have not been able to work on it any. Will post my findings as soon as I can.