Won't start after oil change

[Rippin' Ranger]

I have a strange issue I am hoping someone else has maybe run into or can help with. I did an oil change on my 2001 3.0 Ranger yesterday. I was having a heck of a time getting the filter off and so I removed the starter motor to give me a little more room. Unfortunately I forgot to remove the battery cable and sparks flew, shorted it out. I took it to Autozone and they tested it, said it was dead, I got a replacement. Installed that, it still won't start. The dash lights come on, I can hear the fuel pump running, but when I turn the key I get a click and that's it - does not turn over. I checked the ignition fuse in the cab, the one in the engine bay fuse box, swapped the relay with the blower motor all to no avail. I tested the new starter motor by connecting it directly to the battery, it works. I re-did the wiring connection for the solenoid wire as it was a little rickety. Still no good. I also considered perhaps the anti-theft had been triggered but the anti-theft light does not indicate that is the case. I tried both the disconnecting the battery for 15 min trick and the leave key in on position for 10 min trick. No good there either. Any body else have any ideas?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Sounds like you have a bad connection on either the battery +ve or -ve. Check connections at battery and solenoid/relay and starter. Check battery ground at motor if it doesnt go to starter.

 

[gaz]

@Rippin' Ranger
Are you saying that that battery was checked dead or the starter?

 

[Curious Hound]

I agree with alwaysFlOoReD. Chwck your battery connections and starter connections. Make sure you have battery voltage on the big positive terminal.at the starter.

 

[Rippin' Ranger]

I'm getting 12v at the main power cable from the positive battery terminal, but zero from the smaller solenoid switch. However, this does not make sense to me as I can see the starter gear engage through the view port on the transmission, it just doesn't spin. I'm going to try cleaning up the battery cables to make sure the connection is good, but they don't really have a lot of corrosion on them.

 

[Rippin' Ranger]

Gaz: the starter motor was checked. And I checked the new starter motor as well by connecting it directly to the battery and connecting the terminals with a screwdriver - it engages and spins with that test using the batter that is already in the truck.

Everything worked fine before the oil change when I shorted the first starter motor. I wonder if I fried the ignition switch? But then I would think the starter gear would not engage when the key is turned and it definitely does - just does not spin.

 

[Curious Hound]

I'm getting 12v at the main power cable from the positive battery terminal, but zero from the smaller solenoid switch. However, this does not make sense to me as I can see the starter gear engage through the view port on the transmission, it just doesn't spin. I'm going to try cleaning up the battery cables to make sure the connection is good, but they don't really have a lot of corrosion on them.

You should only get battery voltage from the starter relay (what you called the "smaller solenoid switch") when you turn the key to the start position.

If turning the key makes the bendix gear shoot out and engage the flywheel, then the starter relay and the solenoid (which is built into the starter and actually pushes the bendix gear forward) are working. If the starter doesn't rotate, then the motor is bad or the battery is too weak to send enough voltage to spin it while engaged with the flywheel.