LS No Start-This car hates me

[4Jenna]

Well after fixing one thing more things break

WTF

Battery is good, tried diff key, cycled trans shifter, tried starting in neutral

NOTTA

I have power (lights radio), but the engine does nothing. I hear the relays under hood clicking that is all.

Theft light is not blinking

[shorod]

Start by making sure the battery cables are tight (even though you have lights and radio), then check all the fuses. If you were to turn on the headlights and attempt to start the car, do the headlights dim at all, or is there really no change other than maybe a brief flicker? It sounds like maybe the starter solenoid or relay is shot.

-Rod

[4Jenna]

Battery is good, even did a load test. The battery is a 4mo old Motorcraft battery.
All connections are tight.

I tapped on the starter and solenoid in hopes of it doing something, no luck.

I have no owners manual or chilton, how can i find out what relay to look at?
If the starter solenoid is bad, that means a new starter, would like to verify before i yank it!

All fuses are good under hood and in trunk.

[shorod]

If you have a test light or multimeter and a friend, one of you can crawl underneath the jacked up and safely supported LS, position the light/meter on the lead for the starter solenoid, then the other turn the key to the start position and see if you get voltage to the solenoid (gray wire) when trying to start the engine. If voltage there as well as at the main starter motor power wires, and the ground for the starter is good, then the starter is bad. If you don't have voltage at the gray wire, then you need to work your way back to the starter relay in the underhood Aux. Junction Box, making sure it has all the correct voltages to the coil and common of the relay. Depending on what you find at the relay terminals would guide you in your next troubleshooting steps.

You might also try shifting the car to neutral and trying to start again, maybe the transmission range sensor is failing.

-Rod

[4Jenna]

I have power to the grey wire when key is turned to start (8v or so), I also have constant power (11v or so) to the main power wire on the starter. Ground was good also. Def not a fuse or relay if power is making it that far down line.

I was thinking bad starter solenoid.

Yanked the starter this morning, took it to a local parts store to run a test on it. All 3 times it was tested the starter checked fine, but the solenoid portion of the test came back N/A...go figure. I am still thinking it is the starter solenoid since i have power going to the starter like it should. Maybe take it to another parts store and have them run the test just to verify.

No one in town has a starter, not even ford.

What do you guys think.

-Chris

[4Jenna]

Had Pep Boys check the starter also this evening...they said it's good.

They had no readings on the solenoid, but told me the starter is fine.

Hmmm

[shorod]

The voltages you listed are quite low, especially if the starter is not engaging. Sounds like you may have a weak battery since the cables are clean and tight.

Rod

[ronaldk]

what year and what eng.need more info

[4Jenna]

2000 3.0l

[ronaldk]

I agree with shorod 8 volts is low and isnt powering solinoid but your main line has full 12v so probably not batt, if you jump your small line to the 12v large line on solinoid it should ( will be sparks ) turn over be careful if key on it will most likely start. Then find you starter relay it seems it may have burned contacts not allowing 12v if prior test turns starter ,again if starter checks out then check your neutral park switch also needs to pass voltage.If you jump starter and doesnt turn over your solinoid on starter is bad. you can buy sep from starter but may not pay. if you still have starter out of car and have bench vise or someone to help hold you can hook jumpers to batt and hook to main B+ were large positive wire would go and with neg term on case then conect main to were small wire would go, should turn and cause gear to throw out if not its your solinoid. wish you luck

[4Jenna]

Relay 10 under hood is the "Starter Motor" relay...it along with all the other relays look fine. No burn marks, no burnt smell.

Where is the nuetral saftey switch

[4Jenna]

Out of the car the starter gear pops out when i add pwr/grnd and jump the small terminal.

[shorod]

Hopefully the low voltage you were measuring is not due to a seized engine. You might be at the point where you need to pull all the spark plugs and try to turn the engine over with a cheater bar on the crankshaft.

-Rod

[ronaldk]

these are closed relays you would not smell contacts. we call wear burned but really most of time no smell . if there is an identical relay try to switch( something else may not work but who cares). I believe your neutral switch is mounted in trans. consult a book you can p/up local auto store leave for last on list. I dont have your year book.But if motor was frozen there would still be 12v on solinoid not 8v and if you had say your headlights on same time your tried to start they would dim real bad from current draw of your starter not being able but trying to turn eng(you can try this), you can also put starter back in and short solinoid as you did when out this will force starter on and should turn eng if not seized. That will tell you eng not seized. could even be bad ign switch not passing full 12v. I assume its not you anti theift by your op let me know as you try these tests.Oh and you say that starter gear pops out when you bench tested, I assume starter also turns correct please say yes??!!. I know that sounds stupid but gear needs to pop and starter needs to turn (just making sure)

[4Jenna]

gear doesnt turn, just pops out