3.0 Won't Start When Hot

[susieranger]

My 3.0 '92 Ranger won't start when hot. After a couple of hours it cools off and starts fine. I replaced the fender mounted solenoid, tested the battery, and retightend connections but it did no good. I'm still getting that one clicking sound coming from the solenoid when I try to start it hot. Thanks very much for any help.

 

[Bryan22]

first thing i'd try next time is to jump the posts at that selonios with a screw driver and see if it still will just click. if it wont turn when u try jumping the posts, smack the starter with a hammer and see if it frees up. just curious, have you tried cleaning your battery terminals? my 92 does that about once a month, just have to clean the terminals and it's good to go until next time.

 

[Big Jim M]

So you get a click but the starter doesn't spin? If so check the bolts that hold the starter in place for tight.. If that don't work get a new solenoid. The solenoid clicks every time but when worn out the lectricity don't pass thru it to the starter..
Could also be battery cables but they usually won't start the vehicle when cold either.
Big JIm

 

[evanesce69]

does your engine leak oil from the rear valve covers?

if so..... does it fall on the starter???


oil is an excellent medium to transfer heat, some of the older members may know this as "heat soak"

if your solenoid has oil on it, and it gets hot (from repeated tries at starting or simply engine heat) the solenoid stops functioning. It still tried to engage the starter, but the increased resistance caused from the heat/oil combination just compounds the problem. eventually all you will have is a loud "click"


before you replace the solenoid, you first have to fix the oil leak. Otherwise you will spend 3-4 time the amount due to having to replace the same parts time and time again

​

otherwise, it may just be a dry cell on the battery....

check the oil leaks first!

Rob

after rereading the thread, all the symptoms you have can be equally explained and fixed buy each suggestion: battery posts, ground and heat soak.

huh... how about that, you can actually skin a cat more than one way???

 

[susieranger]

Thanks much for your replies. I am still having the same clicking sound form the solenoid after cleaning all connections to/from battery and solenoid, cleaning and checking all connections under truck to starter, checking for oil leaks, and jumping the terminals on the fender mounted solenoid. All the connections were already clean, but when I jumped the fender mounted solenoid with a screwdriver, I got a spinning sound from the starter (not a flywheel sound) and had to disconnect the battery to stop the spinning. It spinned again after I reconnected the battery. I have had the battery tested and it is fine. Could the starter possibly be pulling too much current and damaging the solenoid? I am on my third solenoid in three weeks. Anyone have any other suggestions? I am now stranded a few miles from home. Thanks again!

 

[susieranger]

Well, I just bought another solenoid and ended up with the same result. We installed the fender mounted solenoid, and I still just got that little click from it. After that, we used a large screwdriver under the truck to test the starter, and it started spinning. It wouldn't stop until we unhooked the battery. Again, it was just a spin of the starter and not a flywheel kind of sound. Sounds like it's getting power, but we just don't understand the problem unless it's some kind of strange starter problem. Seemed like we've checked everything else, and the starter has always sounded good otherwise. Anyone had any fuse problems that might act up like this? I kind of thought that a fuse problem would just kill everything and that would be it. Thanks.

 

[AgPete139]

This is really odd. Other thing to check: bring the entire starter to get tested at A-Zone or O'Reilly's. They test them for free, and they can tell you if your component is going. I dunno about the solenoid under the starter. You shouldn't be popping all the fender solenoids like you are. Make sure that the connections to the starter and the ground are properly attached/screwed on.

It's treating the starter wire as a constant hot/power. Are your wires good from the starter all through to the column/key?

Sometimes when power is borderline and the battery is on it's way out, it can play funny tricks. I'd use a battery from another car and test your truck on that one (to completely rule out your truck battery).

 

[Bryan22]

then the starter gear isn't coming out and engaging the flywheel... did you try hitting the starter with a hammer? Just smack it a couple good times, I bet it'll fire up. if not just replace the starter that seems like the only thing it could be. update us if/when you get it fixed.