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Originally Posted by patrickswem
Let me start off by saying that I and my brother-in-law beleive the problem is the starter, but the guy that towed it back to my place thinks it is the engine.
Situation:
Knew the truck was in need of a tune up, but right after I got it I was heading up for camping during my vacation, so I had to nix the tune up for a week, during which driving was a minimum. I drove 50 miles to the camp ground, seemed fine. Took a drive to the store (maybe 5 miles total), took it to my folks house to drop my kids off (after camping, 80 miles roundtrip), then drove it home (another 50 miles). By the final drive, the truck was shaking while on the freeway, and I could smell an exhaust leak and the check engine light came on (I think becuase of the exhaust problem). I got it home with no other problems. The next day I drove another 10 miles to meet some friends and head to the water park. Shook again at higher speeds (75-80), but no main problems, and no check engine light (didnt drive that far though). We stayed at my friends that night and he dropped me off at the truck the next day. So I am on the way home, shaking again at high speeds, nothing else going on, I get about a mile and a half from my house, slowing for a stop sign, and the engine just dies. I throw it in N and try starting but it doesnt even try to turn over. So I park it and look it over, nothing leaking, no smells, nothing. Walked home, got my car, came back, tried jumping it, no luck. I called the guy I bought it from and he said I may have run out of gas, as the guage is wrong... Yeah, great to know now huh. So we get it towed home while I was at work the next day, and it was left in the middle of the driveway. I wanted to move it so I took the keys and before throwing it in N to push it I decided to give it a try, and it started. Didn't run great though. Moved it up, shut if off, won't start. Starter 'clicks', but only about one time a day will it attempt to turn over. I am also wondering if it is possibly the battery. The dome light dims a great deal when trying to start now. I also put a fresh two gallons of gas in so I know there is fuel for it to start.
Any ideas? I just don't want it to be the engine, as my Explorer's 4.0 blew and I am just not in the mood to go through another engine swap.
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