General Starter question. Ford ranger

[Stranger ranger]

Ok, going back to basics here. My buggy is a 94 ranger. I got a trip coming up sunday and don't have much time nor the gumption to mess with it much, however, for a while now, its been giving me trouble starting. It clicks, and clicks and clicks the after a good bit of time, especially if its cold out, the starter will eventually engage and everything is fine but shut it off and I get the same thing, gotta turn the key prob 50 times till it engages, less if its warm outside. Figured, for 12 bucks might as well throw a new starter solenoid (one mounted to fender) on it so I did but that didn't solve my problem. Now i'm wondering if I should replace the solenoid on the starter itself or if I should just spend the extra 50 and get an entire new starter.
I'm thinking I burned it up or damaged it while I was starting the truck, in gear cause my clutch line blew, in the woods in almost the worst possible spot on the trail.
I dunno, What should I do? I hate electrical shit.

[Cooter!]

Whats clicking? The solenoid on the fender or the starter itself?

EZ solenoid check is to put the test light on the big terminal on the starter and crank... if it lights up, the solenoid it good, get a starter. good luck!

[mrboyle]

If it were mine I'd just go ahead and replace the entire starter. Get a new starter if you can afford one. I don't trust remans.

[Stranger ranger]

eh, I'm probably going to. Bad thing is, its a lifetime warranty starter and i've lost the slip and I'm no longer in the computer system at advance auto as they've changed it and flushed out ppl like me from 5-6 years ago or I could have one for free. That is why I bought the lifetime one.
Yes the solenoid on the fender you can hear clicking, until that one time where it actually engages and fires up. Seems though after its hot it doesnt take as many turns of the key.

[scooter141]

Run a new ground wire from the frame to your engine. Mine would do this to intermittently. Would work fine for a while then have this issue.
Give it a whirll.


Todd S.

[Stranger ranger]

thanks, I'll give it a try.

[Bodo Luckenbach]

check and clean all your power and ground connections also.

[meatmonkey]

Your problem is that you bought an electrical product at Advanced...

I can't even count how many "world class" or "world series" or whatever starters that they sell that I've changed for people, and they always go "What, it can't be the starter, I just replaced that a couple monthes ago!". But it always is.

Lifetime warranty is junk if you are constantly relying on it.f

I've also seen a couple of those trucks develop corrosion inside the power wires lug on the starter. Once you replace the starter, check the voltage from the power wire to the starters ground and make sure it is with a half a volt of the battery. Excess voltage drop will cause starters to live short lives.

Look in the phone book for any place that in-house rebuilds starters and the such. There's an old timer in my area who'll rebuild any electrical motor for less than half of what a crappy reman will cost. And then if it goes bad, you know exactly where to go.

[Stranger ranger]

thanks for the advice and we actually have a alternator/starter rebuilding here in town, never went to him but he's there and supposedly does good work.

As for it being from Advance Auto, its been fine for all these years and after all the abuse i've put it through. Last June I had to get myself out of the woods by continuously starting it in gear due to a blown clutch line, while being winched and pulled on 3 flat tires, 38's mind you so its not like its a Sunday driven pap truck. It gave me no trouble at all until it got below 60 degrees outside and kept dropping from there. I guess I should take it apart to see whats corroded and whats not, maybe have the local mom and pop re-builder to test it for me while its off. Someone else also mentioned the power and grounds could be corroded which I do not dis-believe.