car wont start - starter is good.

[Manocooper]

i have a 93 escort staion wagon that wont start. I have tested the starter and it is good. When I turn the ignition I can hear a click. The click emanates from one of two square plugs located next to each other on the firewall on the passenger side. I think these are the solenoid switch but not sure. Are both supposed to click or just one? if this is function what do I check next? I have already checked the starter and the battery. If its a faulty ground is thaqt easy to fix.
I can bump start the car without a problem. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Manocooper]

An additional question. I just hear 1 click when the ignition is turned. I have read that ths could be a bad solenoid. Could someone tell me where the solenoid is located on a 93 escort.

[jsmki]

I have a 1993 Escort LX, Auto., with similar problem: I hear 'clicking' when I try to start it. Is this a starter problem, or ???

Also, the gearshift will not move out of park. Is this normal if the car is not running?

I have no history of this car - just bought it 2 days ago.

Thanks!

[Jet-Lee]

Check your connections to your battery. I get that same click if my connections are loose or all corroded over.

[Manocooper]

Posts are clean, all acessories come on. There is only 1 click when turning the key and then no more. is the solenoid a seperate unit or is is it part of the starter. Sorry I am pretty new at this so if my questins seem dumb I am sorry. I would like to get this car running. Any other suggestions?

[jsmki]

I cleaned up the battery posts and cable connections. No Change. I am not certain that my starter is good. I will take it to autozone and have them check it. The car accessories are working otherwise.

[jsmki]

I had the starter tested. It was drawing 150 amps. The technician said that it should only be drawing 110 amps.

I replaced the starter and solonoid. No change, still some clicking.

Then, on a whim, I connected a wire from the (-) post on the terminal to the bracket for the alternator (just used a booster cable).

THE CAR STARTS EVERYTIME!

I probably didn't need the new starter.

I learnt this trick (grounding) on my Cadillac. I'll figure out a more permanent solution.

[redbox]

I'm not sure if you are still around, but have you found a permanent solution yet? I'm having a similar problem. I have not tried your trick yet, though. When you say you used a battery booster cable, did you use it just to start it and then you disconnect it, or do you leave it connected? Are you using a traditional booster cable and connect negative clamps to the post and alternator? Would it also work to connect it to something else, such as the block?

I'm new to this, too

[jsmki]

Let me reflect . . .

The car wouldn't start, only click click click. . .

I bought a new starter - the technician said the old one was drawing too many amps (I don't remember the mechanic term for this condition)

The car wouldn't start with new starter, only click click click. . .

Then, using a booster cable, I connected from the (-) post on Escort to starter bracket on Escort (supplemental ground)

The car started beautifully!

I used this trick a few times to start the car, and then -like magic- I no longer needed the extra ground - the car starts fine without the cable/ground.

PS. On my 1992 Cadillac, this "extra" ground is a permanent requirement for the car to run properly.

[cboneill]

jsmki:

Thanks for the suggestion, but it wasn't a faulty ground. The solenoid and motor would operate when removed from the vehicle and connected to the car's electrical system with jumper cables, but would fail (no solenoid clicking) when bolted on the engine.

New starter solved our problem.

[DarkblueTA]

I had the same problem on my newly found Escort(sister and brother-in-law didn't want a car that wouldn't start that had 185K miles on it and was "old and no longer good for them".

Battery and starter were good...

Found out that the part you put the key into, there is a shaft that goes down to the ignition switch. The shaft broke in the "on" position. Once you started it, you could only put the car in 5th gear(5 speed...thank GOD) and drop the clutch while on the brake to stall the car out.

Solution: took the steering column apart, took the ignition switch out and let it hang there...put the steering column back on with the switch hanging out. You can start/turn the car on/off that way and you still have to put the key in the switch to unlock the steering wheel.

Its kinda ghetto, but it works. of course, if you looked at this car, you'd understand the phrase..."the little ghetto car" fits it perfectly. I should put a pic on the web to let everyone see it to understand that.

So far, put 3K miles on it with a AM/FM/CD player and replaced the speakers. Did a plugs/wires(needed badly....can you say "stock yet"), airfilter and O2 sensor(stock sensor too) swap..just got 37mpg doing 75mph from Lancaster PA to E. Hartford CT. Great car for 500.00 and its now my daily driver and work car.