My Escort's dead.....Starter?

[Steve]

I have an Escort gt that won't start. Luckily the last time it started was in the parking lot after work yesterday to get me home. It turned over real slow then. Now when I turn the key, everything is normal, just nothing from the starter. No clicks, no turns, no sound, nothing. I replaced the battery last night since it was 4-5 years old and filed all of the connections clean and shiny. Tightened everything down and still have the same problem. I have never had a starter go out on me. Is that the symptom? No response at all from the starter?

[ScotWithOne_t]

I figured out the problem. It's a Neon.

Ommig rofflemayo!!!!1

[DNeinstadt]

Solonoid? Cheap and easy, try to "jumper" it over?

[Dustball]

Any lights work? Sure the battery isn't dead again?

[Stormwalker]

Could also try tapping the starter to see if it turns the motor over. What happens with your voltage when you turn that key to the start position?

[Steve]

I am thinking it's the starter/solenoid. Can you replace just the solenoid? Is it worth it? The whole assembly is only $100.

No other problems are noted, everything else works fine.


Sorry, no volt gauge on the dash.

[Outrun]

Tap that musther fucker with a hammer. Make sure you got someone standing on the brake in case it takes off when you whack it. Works like a charm.

[Frankenstein]

If it is a 5 speed, just always park it on a hill. Problem solved.

[ScotWithOne_t]

When you turn the key to the on position, can you hear the fuel pump and run for bit, and ll the dash lights and everything light up? If so, then it's defeintely something to do with the starter circuit, or the starter itself. Have you checked the starter fuse?

How about the starter relay? can you hear (or feel it) it click when you try to start?

[Steve]

If it is a 5 speed, just always park it on a hill. Problem solved.

Umm...it's winter and roads are icy in winter.

[tim]

You could pull it out and take it to almost any parts store to test it. But first I would get a volt meter and check to make sure you have power at the starter.

[MINNESOTA 5.0]

try to see if the trigger wire at the starter solenoid has power while trying to start it.
if it does then the starter is bad. you can try tapping the starter with a small hammer as the permanent magnet starters will usually start when you tap them if they fail to turn in the first place.

they have also had problems with the trigger wire that has a spade coneector type plug in on them, most of the replacements have a ring terminal on them to avoid a bad connection problem.

[Ford Fan]

If it cranked slow and now it won't turn over it's the battery-guaranteed. It's probably so dead you won't get any dash lights or headlights. Nick

[Steve]

Stater replaced. All is well again......

[Ford Fan]

It's not real common for a starter to crank slow. Usually when they do it is a result of high current draw caused by a bad connection or a bad cable. A lot of times just the taking off of the cable and reinstalling it is good enough to get it going. If it happens again do a voltage drop of the pos and neg cables. A lot of times you'll see the same problem again in a week or two after installing a new starter because of that.