engine will not crank when starter engages.

kelleydm · 09-05-2006, 11:25 AM

this might sound crazy but when i turn the key on 95 aerostar the starter clunks like it is trying to turn the engine but the engine refuses to turn over. the engine has no burn smell. any ideas?

bertha66 · 09-05-2006, 12:51 PM

Have you tried turning the engine by hand? Battery charged? If the engine turns by hand, your starter is most likely bad.

kelleydm · 10-02-2006, 11:20 PM

took starter out and had it tested at auto part store and passes test. have not attempted to crank by hand yet will do that today. it sounds almost like the starter trys to turn the engine but is to tight. could it be a voltage issue?

bertha66 · 10-03-2006, 10:09 AM

Have the Battery tested. What engine is in your Van? If the battery is good and the starter is good and the engine turns over, you may have a timing problem.

kelleydm · 10-03-2006, 11:52 PM

battery is new i believe the engine is a 3.0 though looks different then my 93the one i am trying to get going is a 95. starter tested good also. i double checked the ground to starter and cleaned it up good. when i turn the key the starter seems to engage for a sec and all lights go out, but the engine will not turn at all. have not attempted as of yet to hand turn it. honestly not a sure exactly how to do that. but will look agian tommorow. didnt have time today to. i heard something about the flywheel having high and low teeth do you know if that is correct? thank you for all your help i appreciate it.

bertha66 · 10-04-2006, 01:30 PM

[QUOTE=kelleydm]. i double checked the ground to starter and cleaned it up good. when i turn the key the starter seems to engage for a sec and all lights go out, but the engine will not turn at all. [/QUOTE]
When say that the lights go out, do you meen the dash lights, head lights or what lights? If when you turn the key and the engine starts to turn over and then everything goes dead, the lights, you may have a bad set of battery gables.

kelleydm · 10-05-2006, 12:18 AM

the lights that go out when i turn the key are all lights dash, headlights ect. the starter i can hear hit the flywheel like a clunk but the engine doesnt turn at all that is when the lights go out when the starter engages. could that still be the cables bad? thank you once agian.

bertha66 · 10-05-2006, 12:05 PM

Yes, once the load of the starter hits the battery and the the cables are bad or not making good contact, the lights will go out. Clean the battery ends real good, if that does not do anything, cut the rubber back on the cable to see if corrosion is in there.

kelleydm · 10-05-2006, 01:47 PM

will do that tonite post update. thank you agian was about to junk the thing, but i am stuborn. had a few people try to tell me the only cause was the engine was frozen. i could not see that since it only sat for a couple months and the fluids all smelled good with no burn. thank you agian crossing fingers.

Chad · 01-26-2007, 04:57 PM

May sound hillbilly,but you can clamp a jumper cable to the positive batttery terminal,then get under the vehicle and hit the positive stud on the actual starter to see if it cranks over. Then go from there,checking connections at the solenoid ect.. Also the starter is sensitive to high battery cable resistence,so your starter wire is probably the culprit