Hey guys, I need some expert help with my 2000 Taurus.
It has the 3.0L 2V 6 Cyl FFV motor. Starter is located just under the oil filter, right in front.
A week or so days ago, the wife was going to use it and came inside to tell me that it wouldn't start. Didn't do anything when she turned the key. I had my doubts so I went outside and BOOM... first try, no problems at all works for me. So I come back inside and let her know that there is not a problem. I assumed she just had the wheel locked and the key wouldn't turn, etc... who knows?
A few days after that, I used it to head over to storage. No problems at all except after I got there, I gathered up what I needed and went to start it. Nothing. Just a click. I swear under my breath a little thinking about me thinking that the wife was crazy the other day and how evidently she wasn't and try to think about what to do next. I let it set for a few minutes and try again... VROOM, starts right up. ?
Once I got home, I tested the battery with a multimeter and it's putting out 12 + VDC. The connections were clean but despite that, I go ahead and pull them and clean them good and spray with cleaner and protector and re-install.
Everything appears to be fine but I still have it in the back of my head. Then yesterday BAM it happens again when I'm out running errands. Only THIS time... it tried to crank but couldn't and then acted like the battery was dead and just a single click. Thanks to an amazingly kind gentleman, I got a jump which started it and brought it home.
This time, I thought that it must be the battery just isn't working right even though it's showing 12 + VDC constantly. So... I set the charger on it overnight with a 2 Amp trickle and was thinking today I'd check it out and go by the auto parts store to have them test it and get a new one if needed.
Morning comes round... I take off the charger showing a full load. Check the terminals with the multimeter and we have 12.74 VDC. I'm thinking all is good for my plan. The wife has to run a quick errand so she takes it out for a minute only driving about 6 miles total, reports that everything is working fine, it's starting strong, etc... Then, not 30 minutes after she gets back, I go out to try it and go to Autozone to check it out, ZZZZZ nothing again. Slow couple of cranks that dwindle into nothing followed by a single click when I try again.
OK, no problem... I put the charger back on. Throw it up to 50 starting amps mode and think I'll just force it to start and be on my way and deal with it at the auto store. Nothing... it laughs and doesn't crank at all. What's even stranger is the battery still reads 12.7x VDC even when the ignition is being turned to start.
So... at this point, I'm frustrated because the wifes van just so happens to be taking a battery charge in preparation for it going into the shop in the next day or two. So I can't try to jump it because the van's was totally depleted. BUT... I start to wonder about the battery vs. the starter and I put the Taurus battery into the van and it starts right away... SO it's NOT the battery obviously.
At that point I go over and hit the starter a couple of times with my biggest wrench. Yell at it a few times and even stand in the engine compartment and jump up and down making the car shake violently kinda like one of those apes throwing luggage commericals. I even beat my chest for good measure. My thinking was back in the day we had starters getting locked up and a swift knock on would sometimes free them up. Didn't work.
So here's my dilemma. I don't want to go spending money on a new starter or solenoid unless I know for sure THAT's what the problem is. I can get the battery tested at the parts store, but I've kinda already determined it's not the issue since the van has been running fine with it all day.
Online there are people talking about having wiring harness issues on taurus's and subsequent starting issues from corroded wires, etc...
I read about a starting system fuse too? Don't know what that is or how it could play in?
Anyone out there know what steps I should take to ensure I isolate my problem perfectly before I spend money on things I don't have to?
Thanks!
It has the 3.0L 2V 6 Cyl FFV motor. Starter is located just under the oil filter, right in front.
A week or so days ago, the wife was going to use it and came inside to tell me that it wouldn't start. Didn't do anything when she turned the key. I had my doubts so I went outside and BOOM... first try, no problems at all works for me. So I come back inside and let her know that there is not a problem. I assumed she just had the wheel locked and the key wouldn't turn, etc... who knows?
A few days after that, I used it to head over to storage. No problems at all except after I got there, I gathered up what I needed and went to start it. Nothing. Just a click. I swear under my breath a little thinking about me thinking that the wife was crazy the other day and how evidently she wasn't and try to think about what to do next. I let it set for a few minutes and try again... VROOM, starts right up. ?
Once I got home, I tested the battery with a multimeter and it's putting out 12 + VDC. The connections were clean but despite that, I go ahead and pull them and clean them good and spray with cleaner and protector and re-install.
Everything appears to be fine but I still have it in the back of my head. Then yesterday BAM it happens again when I'm out running errands. Only THIS time... it tried to crank but couldn't and then acted like the battery was dead and just a single click. Thanks to an amazingly kind gentleman, I got a jump which started it and brought it home.
This time, I thought that it must be the battery just isn't working right even though it's showing 12 + VDC constantly. So... I set the charger on it overnight with a 2 Amp trickle and was thinking today I'd check it out and go by the auto parts store to have them test it and get a new one if needed.
Morning comes round... I take off the charger showing a full load. Check the terminals with the multimeter and we have 12.74 VDC. I'm thinking all is good for my plan. The wife has to run a quick errand so she takes it out for a minute only driving about 6 miles total, reports that everything is working fine, it's starting strong, etc... Then, not 30 minutes after she gets back, I go out to try it and go to Autozone to check it out, ZZZZZ nothing again. Slow couple of cranks that dwindle into nothing followed by a single click when I try again.
OK, no problem... I put the charger back on. Throw it up to 50 starting amps mode and think I'll just force it to start and be on my way and deal with it at the auto store. Nothing... it laughs and doesn't crank at all. What's even stranger is the battery still reads 12.7x VDC even when the ignition is being turned to start.
So... at this point, I'm frustrated because the wifes van just so happens to be taking a battery charge in preparation for it going into the shop in the next day or two. So I can't try to jump it because the van's was totally depleted. BUT... I start to wonder about the battery vs. the starter and I put the Taurus battery into the van and it starts right away... SO it's NOT the battery obviously.
At that point I go over and hit the starter a couple of times with my biggest wrench. Yell at it a few times and even stand in the engine compartment and jump up and down making the car shake violently kinda like one of those apes throwing luggage commericals. I even beat my chest for good measure. My thinking was back in the day we had starters getting locked up and a swift knock on would sometimes free them up. Didn't work.
So here's my dilemma. I don't want to go spending money on a new starter or solenoid unless I know for sure THAT's what the problem is. I can get the battery tested at the parts store, but I've kinda already determined it's not the issue since the van has been running fine with it all day.
Online there are people talking about having wiring harness issues on taurus's and subsequent starting issues from corroded wires, etc...
I read about a starting system fuse too? Don't know what that is or how it could play in?
Anyone out there know what steps I should take to ensure I isolate my problem perfectly before I spend money on things I don't have to?
Thanks!
