Good day everyone. New here. Now im not much of a “gear head” but I’m not useless and the Ford is just getting too old to pay to get fixed anymore so I’m looking for some help or advice of where to start looking. I Went to start the truck this morning it turned over once. Stopped and now won’t even make the dead battery sound with the starter. Any ideas of what it could be? Haven’t had a chance yet to look at it. I hoped into my wifes new material getter truck and gave the wife the keys to the tesla and left for the day. So thank you for any help or advice it will be greatly appreciated.
First guess is a dead battery. If the battery is completely discharged the starter won’t make any noise, lights might not come on.
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This could be as simple as, you left the dome light on.!!!
Yosemite
Battery is fine. I got it to start by jumping the starter took a few tries to get it to turn over and know it knocking when running and it was perfectly fine the day before. Any ideas now? Time for a newer truck?
not to steal VolvoV70’s thunder, but your other vehicles are a tesla and a brand new truck? and you’re worrying about a 2002 Explorer?
Why?
Beyond that, does this Ford have a fender mounted starter Solenoid?
If so, check the small wire on that- it should have power when you turn the key to start. If it does, and the truck still wont start, that solenoid could be bad.
Does this Ford have a remote start? An aftermarket alarm system? Both could cause issues liek this.
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Nope starter is on the block and no remote starter or aftermarket alarm system. Both explorers are basically exactly how they came from the factory except for added leaf spring’s, gas filled cargo helper shocks, backup cameras, class 3 hitch, trailer break controller, high-output alternator, direct wire power inverter and a GPS transponder (Plug N Track) And that is also installed of the f350 . I had them all installed after finding out that one of them took my 05’ Dakota off roading in 07’ and blew the transfer case and front differential. Now that being said this is why I no longer buy new work trucks for my company to be driven by people who really don’t care about the trucks. Hence why I’m looking for any advice on what it could be so I can decide if it is possible for me to fix it myself. It’s to old of a truck to pay a shop $100 an hour to fix it and if I’m unable to repair it myself I’d rather buy another work truck then pay a shop to fix a 16 year old truck. And with employees that don’t really care about the condition of the trucks and how they treat them, I personally won’t spend any more than 5 thousands on a Truck that I barley use now I basically only drive them now when moving them in my shops parking lot when their blocking something or not parked straight or whenever one of my guys say something is wrong with them. I spend an average of 10-14 hours a day driving from site to site or to quotes now. Hence the electric car. And my company is still far away from being able to afford brand new work trucks for my crew’s to be running.
So your truck was running fine one day, the next day it cranked once but didn’t start, then wouldn’t even crank or even click. You jumped it, and it started, but with an knocking sound from the engine compartment that wasn’t there the day before … . … hmmm … I’d be thinking maybe something wrong w/ the starter motor or the flywheel/flexplate. First thing I’d do if that happened to me is make sure the starter motor is firmly attached to its mounting spot. If it is, then I’d remove the starter motor for a look see at the flywheel teeth, the starter teeth, and to make sure the flywheel doesn’t move in and out.
Yes that is the gist of it. Now when you address the flywheel, would that be inside of the block or is that part of the starter?
Thank you for your time and reply. Im about to give up and buy another one, take off all the good and newer parts and scrap it
The flywheel pr flexplate (if automatic) is bolted to the end of the crankcase, and the teeth on its edge that engage with the starter when cranking can be viewed through the hole after you remove the starter.
OK thank you for the added details.