Starter Help!

[wmholliday2010]

I have a 2005 Ranger with the 3.0 engine. I replaced the starter and it started right up and worked a couple of days. Drove it around the neighborhood for about 10 minutes. Turned it of and now when it try to start it, the starter just loudly clicks once. I thought it might be a bad starter so I replaced it with another new one and all I get is the one click. Any ideas or suggestions? Anyone else run into this problem? I’ve seen some people say it may be the ignition switch, but would the ignition switch be bad if it is sending power to the starter to get the click?

 

[franklin2]

Leave the driver's door open so the domelight is lit, and then try to start it. When it clicks does the domelight go out? If so, you have a bad connection at the battery or a dead or bad battery.

If the domelight stays lit up, and you still just get a click, check the cable to the starter carefully, see if it has any bad spots or corrosion where it hooks to the starter.

 

[SenorNoob]

That's a nice trick. I usually end up watching the dash lights.

 

[RobbieD]

Main cables.

Check all three of these cables VERY carefully- battery positive to solenoid; solenoid to starter positive; AND the battery ground to the frame, block, and body.

A cable can look perfect but be rotted internally; flex the cable and feel for "crunchiness". Look at the ends for corrosion; when it comes to cables, green does not mean "go".

 

[wmholliday2010]

I believe the dome light went out when I did that. However I did hook up jumper cables last night to it and let it try to charge for about 10 minutes with my other car running, but still just had the click. I was thinking the same thing that it could be the battery. I had a questionable connector on the positive battery cable also, so I swapped it out before I tried jumping it. I had just installed the battery the middle of last year but the truck had been sitting for a couple of months when I replaced the starter. I was thinking it might not be the battery since I did all of that, but could I maybe be wrong on that?

 

[Curious Hound]

It’s either battery or bad connection somewhere. All we can do is guess remotely. What is your battery voltage? What voltage do you see at the starter relay on the fender? Check all positive AND negative connections to make sure they’re clean and tight. Corroded, dirty or loose connections will not only prevent the starter from working, but can also prevent the alternator from charging the battery. So the battery gets discharged.