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No start, please someone tell it isnt what I think it is....

3K views 19 replies 6 participants last post by  CableguyJJS3 
#1 ·
So I went to start the car the other day and nothing. New battery plenty of juices, no clicks, no pops, no farts no nothin, just crickets. Well given I've never heard a strange noise, I went right to the ignition rod pin that likes to fall out. It's happened to me before so I figured it fell out again. So I took apart the column, no such luck, the pin is there and all that, crap. So I pulled out the ignition box from the bottom side of the column, can't see anything wrong there. I can't get under the car without jacking it up, so I haven't done any testing there yet. Is there anything else I can look for inline before I get to the starter??? Please tell me there is because just the thought of going after that starter with the longtubes is seriously giving me indigestion. I'm pretty sure if I have to drop out the starter the k member needs to come down and the header needs to come off, but I can't remember. Someone give me some good ideas please, otherwise I have a can of gas and some matches, lol.
 
#3 ·
Thanks man, let me know what you find. The worst part of all this I can't even jack the car up or even try to as it's in the driveway. Can't put it in the garage because thats full. I'll have a bay open but not until the end of next month. And with the angle on my driveway not liking the idea of trying there, this just sucks all around..
 
#4 ·
Reach down from the top, and (best you can) yank the starter wires around while someone cranks on it.

If it hits at all, it's wiring to the starter, not the starter.

If your car has factory anti theft, you have to lock and unlock the drivers door twice, possibly with the key; I can't remember for sure. There's a starter interlock.

If nothing works, take a piece of pipe or rebar, put it against the starter from the top, and tap it with a hammer a few times. :)

If none of that works, you're moving it somewhere. :) I'd bet with the longtubes, you can't even see the starter from the bottom.
 
#5 ·
Not even a blip from the starter, and it never failed before, other than the time the pin fell out. And the last time I started it made no odd noises at all, started fine. The car used to have some kinda goofy dealer installed alarm system, which I removed when I had the dash out 4 years ago doing the 5speed swap, haven't had any issues since then, aside from the fact I cut out my power lock circuit and haven't bothered figuring out what was wrong there yet. I would have expected if the starter was failing it wouldve made some kind of noise, and not just work perfect one day then next time I wentout there to do absolutely nothing. I'm lost...
 
#8 ·
One more thing.

Borrow or buy a "remote starter switch" (I use this one) and connect it to the proper terminals on the starter solenoid (the one on the starter, natch).

If it bumps when you use that, there's always a possibility that your ignition switch has failed internally.

If you don't want to do that, grab a multimeter, and see if the voltage switches on the proper wire out of the ignition switch.

RwP
 
#10 ·
Well aren't you just a fountain of good news....j/k man thanks for looking. Kinda what I figured so hopefully I can find an issue somewhere else and not have to worry about the starter. If not, I'm gonna be kicking myself for not replacing it the last 2 times I've had it on the ground. Oh well such is life. Thanks for the info.
 
#13 ·
Nope still using the stock T-Bird pan. I'll check the sensors and such but I believe if that was out the motor would still turn, not sure though.
 
#15 ·
Allrighty, thanks for that. I hae been digging through my pis from the engine install and longtube install and haven't been able to find the right angle. I think the only issue I'm looking at is getting to the starter bolts, I seem to recall that being a nightmare. I'll find out soon enough I suppose.
 
#17 ·
Man! I used two u-joints, three short extensions, and a deepwell socket to get that third bolt; line up the u-joints just so, and pop it with an impact to loosen it if you have to. :D

You can't do more than just barely move it with an impact and two u-joints (they bind), but it's enough.
 
#18 ·
I actually don't have the third bolt in my starter, the top one. Ford ran 2 bolt starters for 60 years with no problem and after I removed that top bolt one time I said never again. I've spent the weekend fooling with the other car so hopefully this weekend I'll have time to get into this issue.
 
#20 ·
Thankfully nothing wrong with the starter, that's a relief. Jacked it up tonite, the wiring harness by the trans, has 02 sensor connections and my mods for the neutral safety switch from the 5-speed swap in it. I had it all tied up high, or so I thought, it apparently ame undone somehow. Saw it dangling checked it out, it must have come down on the exhaust as the plugs are all melted. Found a pin that had come unconnected, must hae been one of the neutral safety wires, plugged it back up, car fired right up. So now a trip to the junkyard for some new plugs and I should be good to go.
 
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