Hey all...
I had been having issue with a bulb, so I did some steps to try figure out the flickering and one light working then not.. on each.
But then my truck wouldn't start! I did't cut any wires.. just moving them around etc.
I had my friend offer his friend up "said he's a electrician" come over. He couldn't figure it out.
I had to do a long travel into mountains... he was tired of not figuring it out. So he asked if I had a long piece of wire, I got it. He did a direct line.. (headlight to headlight) He said they WILL work 100% .... .well they did NOT
I was NOT impressed with his even taping the wires. Sloppy Sloppy job!
So I had no dash lights.. and and a head light did still go off.
I'm still in mountains ready to head back to city! I redid his sloppy job but I'm back to the start again! My Truck won't start!
I have a New Battery! New Starter!
what on earth did I do... what could it be?
Checked fuses...

I hope someone can help me figure this out....
thanks bunches all!
Beebe

 

When you say it won't start, Just what does it do?

Would help if we knew,
Year, model, engine size.
If it is not push button start,,,,,,,,,,, you are turning the key to start position and the starter is supposed to crank over the engine so it can start running.

Does it crank over? Does it do nothing? Does it just click? The more info you can provide the better.
If it clicks and does nothing else, turn the headlamps on and attempt to start the engine. What do the headlamps do, go out, go dim , do nothing ?



Are the battery terminals clean free of any corrosion ? Did the "Electrician" remove one and forget to tighten it, so many things to check.

 

Hi Hanky!
sorry and of course
2003 ford explorer XLT v8 4.6L

no piush start utton.
Yes it does crank over but doesn't kick/ engage engine/ run
no it doesn't give me the clicking sound.

We just tried turning on the lights first, then attempting to turn engine over. That did't change the results
I had a friend watch the head lights, he said after that they dimmed. both head lights were working

The battery terminals are clean. I just put a new battery in it two weeks ago.
I have been taking the terminals on and off while playing / swapping wires.. This last time I just put the cable on it. I didn't tighten it.
I will go try tighten cable on battery now and try starting ... before sending this off.


My friend went under my truck when I was turning it on and over.. he could hear the fuel pump running. He is thinking I should get some
starter spray and spray it in the air filter .. tunnel.? I remember those days with carburetors.. where we had to put gas in it to help it turn over when working / building
classics.
I just took pictures of the wiring on my lights if that might help .. I am sure its in the wiring.. I don't know why but I do lol

If I could just get this to be sure to stay running.. I could get myself to the city where I have more of my tools and can raise truck up if need be. I am working in my sisters yard..
I really don't want to rewire how this guy had it.... just putting this out there.
Thanks Hanky!

 

passenger side

passenger

passenger

passenger

this red wire.. every since I had bought this car there has been a loose red wire on each side of the truck. I have no cue maybe you can tell me whats up with that lol
I should really get phone to take smaller picture sizes! I will remember that next time ! srry

 

This is what I would try,
Remove any spark plug and look to see if it is wet or dry.
If it is wet, you know it is getting fuel into the combustion chamber, if not the injectors may not be working. We realize the fuel pump is operating , but if the injectors are not, can't run.
If all is well up to that point, we need to check for spark. Let us know what you find with spark.
When it is cranking over to start what is the check engine light doing , on or off ?

 

Hi Hanky,
ok will do that..
I don't understand this line..( If all is well up to that point, we need to check for spark. Let us know what you find with spark. )
how do I go about this? does it need a specific tool? (test light) friend just looked it up. I will go buy one now
about what is the check engine light doing (this truck its always been lite since I bought it)
so that would probably be useless.

also I wanted to add in that we have been blowing fuses of (coil on plug) #38
does that possibly make it possible that its in the wiring?

I have to go get more fuses, will buy a "test light" at the same time

 

If no one did anything , we would choose one course to travel.

But,,, since somebody got loose in there , we first have to find what they might have screwed up and then,,,,,,, go after the original problem which caused the check engine to remain on.
This will not be easy and will require some time and effort. Here is where patience pays.

In answer to question , if all is well, we have verified fuel is getting to the combustion chamber.

A test light is a good investment and will save a lot of work just for checking fuses alone.
There is a simple procedure for verifying spark is available , it is a somewhat lengthy procedure to print out, but will do again if necessary.

 

Fuse F1.38 is circuit protections for 'All' the 12v inputs to the individual ignition/COP coils. The PCM grounds the coil negative side to complete the timed spark firing. If 38 blows, you'll have no spark.
There isn't any relation to lighting and the coil ops, but if someone tied into or shorted an ignition wire/harness or? causing the #38 to consistently blow, it's not going to run..

 

What you might try,
Starting at any one of the ign coils there should be a red wire that comes from fuse 38. and serves all the coils. Thanks Hayapower.
Look carefully for where "Our friend", might have tapped into that RED wire, and if you see that remove the added connection and then see if the fuse still blows
We are doing this strictly by what we think might have been done and it is difficult to see everything with only a few pix.

A challenge is always welcome, just not so many of them lol.
We should be able to help get you through this.

 

I should have mentioned this earlier, " NEVER" attempt to check for spark with a test light. It is designed to operate with 12 volts. If spark is available it could be a high as 20,000 volts and would destroy the test light and possibly provide you with a shocking experience.

Computer circuits can be damaged with a test light ,so only use it to check for power (12 volts) or ground availability.