should i just shoot it?

frustrated96tbird · 02-25-2008, 04:57 PM

i have a 1996 ford t-bird 3.8l the other day my wife went to start the car and it started fine. a minute later it died and now wont restart. i jumped it and after a while it finally started. i let it run for almost an hour trying to let the battery recharge. i then shut it off and now it wont start again. it seems as though there is a massive drain on the battery. the battery is new and so is the alternater. there have been no modifications or work done on the car in a long time other that routine maint.

jonmark1985 · 02-25-2008, 07:26 PM

Whats the voltage at the battery when the car is running?

frustrated96tbird · 02-26-2008, 02:29 PM

last night i bought a battery charger that tests the battery and alternater. after doing a complete charge i tested both and they are operating as should be. my next guess is the battery to starter wires. now after looking at that mess, is there an easy way of doing this? i got wires from autozone and of course the ones that their computer said to get were too short. also, if there may be something im over looking... any help would be appreciated as this is my families only transportation. why cant they be as easy to work on as old school chevys?

jonmark1985 · 02-26-2008, 03:57 PM

Actually its eaisier than a Chevy! The altenator wire runs to the starter solenoid mounted on the fenderwell. The wire from that solenoid down to the starter is only hot when the battery is in the run posistion.

frustrated96tbird · 02-26-2008, 04:04 PM

could it be a bad solenoid?

jonmark1985 · 02-26-2008, 04:06 PM

No, that all the wires with the excpetion of two or three will be on one side of the solenoid, they are constantly hot, and if the solenoid went bad your car would''nt crank, and they rarely go bad.

frustrated96tbird · 02-26-2008, 04:21 PM

thats the thing... it aint cranking now. when you turn the key im not getting anything at all now. at first all light were dim and now nothing. when i tried to jump it it took about a half an hour before it fired. and it ran fine. once i shut it off it would even click. thats why i got the charger. the battery and alternator are brand new. which leads me to believe it is something between the key and the starter. i also had the starter tested and it is working just peachy too.

frustrated96tbird · 02-26-2008, 04:23 PM

oh yea...what about the wires running from the solenoid to the starter... thats the mess of armor plated crap that i was originally having the problem with. its wrpped up and routed in a way that only an engineer could invent. not very user friendly is it?

jonmark1985 · 02-26-2008, 04:26 PM

Ok, Put the Car in park, Set the parking brake, make sure the battery is charged up. Oh and block the wheels! Now apply 12V+ to the smallest terminal on the solenoid, and the engine should crank. If it does your solenoid is fine. The Larger termnial of the solenoid with all the wires on it is 12V+ constant, so its a pretty easy source to get the jumper voltage for.

If you hear the solenoid click 9/10 is that is fine. I'd bet that its a 1% chance of being a bad solenoid, and when they are bad usually the engine will keep cranking until you pull the battery cables.

jonmark1985 · 02-26-2008, 04:26 PM

Be Safe! Don't Get Run Over By Your Car! Make Sure It Won't Start When You Jump The Solenoid!