Truck sat for a year, won't start

[ranger92]

I just finished lifting my 86 ford ranger 2wd, It has a 2.9 litre and a 5 spd. When I tried to start it there was just a loud rapid clicking noise so i charged the battery and tried again, same thing, I have tapped the started as well as pulled it off and inspected the flywheel with no luck.

The loud click sounds like its coming from the airbox?? i can't think of anything around the airbox that would click other than the starter soleniod but i have tried jumping that aswell with no luck. Could it be something inside the engine and the sound is just amplified by the airbox or something?

any help is much appreciated, Snow is falling and I need to park the street truck asap. thanks

 

[H munster]

Try a different battery. Sounds like its not taking a charge.

 

[feellnfroggy]

There are only 4 components to turning the starter over.

1. the battery

2. the starter relay

3. the starter solenoid

4. the starter.

If the battery isn't holding a charge, check the fluid level in the battery if possible. An aspirin in each little cylinder and top off with water. Otherwise replace the battery.

If you getting clicking by the airbox and the battery is fully charged it is the starter relay. The part you were trying to "jump". Replace that and one of two things will happen, 1. your truck will start. or 2. you will realize what the next thing is that needs fixed. LOL

If both the above are good and you think the solenoid is bad, you must replace the starter. (solenoid can be replaced independantly but good luck finding a solenoid without a starter attached.

If battery, relay, and solenoid are good replace starter. If none of these works (actually before checking all these) check all your wires both positive and ground for corrosion, tears, kinks, anything that might inhibit conduction.

 

[adsm08]

Ok, jumping the solenoid won't help if it's already clicking.

Is this a rapid fire multiple clicking, or is this one loud, definitive THUNK when you hit the key. If it's rapid fire, go buy a battery. If it's one big thunk, go buy a starter.

 

[xkotyx]

check and clean the connections also.

 

[Twisted_Steel]

Make sure to check the ground connections... body to frame, engine to body, engine to frame

 

[WTF]

If the battery isn't holding a charge, check the fluid level in the battery if possible. An aspirin in each little cylinder and top off with water. Otherwise replace the battery.

What do you mean by putting an aspirin into the battery?

 

[tedcrf450]

I was going to ask the same question about the aspirin.. what does that do??

 

[feellnfroggy]

i couldnt honestly give you a scientific answer. Its something Ive done since I was told too at 16. I remember something about the aspirin helps distill the water to hold a better charge. Ive never tried to prove it. All I know is normally crappy batteries seem to run better, ive always done it before replacing a battery as a last resort. Filling with tap water has a bunch of stuff in it probly not conducive to the workings of a battery, so I assume it helps balance out the city water additives.

Im sure one of the career techies will jump in any time and either refute me or back me up. They always have scientific answers so just wait a bit.


Where the hell is ALLAND?

 

[WTF]

Never heard of it before and don't suppose it could hurt the battery. Sounds like a good one for the myth busters to figure out.

 

[tjstranger]

if you just put on a body lift chances are you need to check your grounds on the body , engine and frame first like twisted steele suggested.Then test battery, my experience as a Ford service manger leads me to trust what these guys here are saying.

 

[strvger]

aspirin: acetylsalisilic acid
aspirin is an acid and will help restore the acid ph in the battery.

 

[adsm08]

aspirin: acetylsalisilic acid
aspirin is an acid and will help restore the acid ph in the battery.

The reaction that it has to the acid in the battery also helps to de-sulfate the plates.

 

[Brandon12]

So any luck yet? I just had the same thing happen to me. I took a battery out of my explorer that I thought was better than my current battery and it just clicked. I chased every wire and couldn't figure it out. I put my old battery in and it started right up. Next time I tried to start it, my starter crapped out so I had to replace that today and all seems good now.

 

[Marky48170]

You might try taking off the solenoid and making sure there isn't any rust were it mounts and also the back of the solenoid. Take a wire brush to both surfaces, that's how the solenoid is grounded by the mounting bracket. Bad ground will make it click.