Odd no start electric gremlin...little help?

[jlylec]

I'm having an odd issue where at the most inopportune or embarrassing times (of course) my EB will not start after shutting her down. I just get a click. I've found if I disconnect the negative battery lead and reconnect it the problem goes away, although it generally takes 3-4 disconnect/reconnects/start-attempts.

Any ideas what this could be or how to diagnose or fix it? Seems to be less of an issue when she's allowed to cool down completely before the restart. That's what I mean about it happening at the most inopportune or embarrassing times. Generally happens at the gas station, or grocery store parking lot or something when she's only been shut off for 5-10min. Of course it doesn't happen EVERY time. Appears rather random, but frequent enough to drive me nuts!

 

[Slowleak]

It’s probably a bad negative lead or bad ground at the block where it connects. That’s where I would start looking.

 

[Slednut10]

This^^^^^
I had the same issue with a brand new 2ga cable. Don't overlook your cables even if they are new. But before you condemn them, make sure both ends are connected securely and where they connect is clean.

 

[jlylec]

Thanks guys...sorry for the noob question, but how do I tell if they're no good? Just if they're not tight or clean? Should I use a volt meter or something?

 

[Skytrooper15]

I've had more problems with a starter solenoid than I have with cables.The next time it fails to start take a # 2 cable and jump across the solenoid on the battery cable and the cable going to the starter.You don't have to hold it long,just long enough to see if it turns the engine over.Hope this helps.

 

[Jfryjfry]

You can look at the negative (and positive) cable and at the connections and see if they look dirty or corroded for a start. It sounds like a bad connection. You can try jumping the solenoid as well, as described above. If you don’t have the proper wire, you can use a pair of metal pliers to jump the two large posts.

 

[hammer189]

If you are gonna jump the solenoid make sure its in neutral/park!

 

[jlylec]

thanks guys...good tip on the neutral/park too! I noticed this morning that the amp for the stereo holds power for a minute or so after i shut her off. maybe my bad ground is there?

 

[chickenman]

I've had more problems with a starter solenoid than I have with cables.The next time it fails to start take a # 2 cable and jump across the solenoid on the battery cable and the cable going to the starter.You don't have to hold it long,just long enough to see if it turns the engine over.Hope this helps.

I had this same issue this year and this cleaned it right up

 

[Steve83]

...my EB will not start after shutting her down. I just get a click.
...
Any ideas what this could be or how to diagnose or fix it?

After the click, does ANYTHING electrical still work? Headlights, radio, dash warning lights?

The first thing to check for any no-crank symptom is the BATTERY TERMINALS. Click this & read all the captions:


(phone app link)

Next is the starter relay:


(phone app link)

 

[ENDLIFE]

A while back I was having a problem where my Bronco would just shut off while driving down the road. It was the most infuriating situation I have ever experienced. After a few hours with a diagram and a test light, I chased it down to the small wire that goes from the solenoid (opposite the "S" side) to the ignition coil. The old connector boot just was not cutting it anymore. I replaced it with a soldered shrink tube connector, and I have not had that problem again. Check wire 262, supercritical PIA.

https://www.bronco.com/graphics/diagrams/68-71ignition-color.pdf

 

[Jfryjfry]

End life:
If that wire caused a no-run situation, you should check 16 and 016. This is the wire that supplies power to the coil when it’s running. 262 is only supposed to get power to the coil while cranking so the coil has more juice on startup.

But maybe you found that the wire at the the coil had a bad connector which would obviously cause issues.

 

[gr8scott]

What Jfryjfry said. The "I" terminal bypasses the resistor wire (016) when the key is in the crank position to send full 12V to the
coil to aid in starting. It has no power to it when the Bronco is running.
I currently have nothing connected to the "I" terminal, as it is not needed in my setup.

 

[ENDLIFE]

May I present the terminal that wire 262 is connected to in the off position.

Now, may I present the terminal that wire 262 is connected to while the vehicle is running. It may be hard to see, but that terminal looks hot to me. I can get better pictures at dusk if needed.

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[vintage bronco]

and also if battery cables and solonoid check out starter could be bad. sometimes if you give it a tap they will work to get it going.

 

[gr8scott]

Yeah ENDLIFE, I think I see the light. Does it have power if that white wire is removed?

 

[ENDLIFE]

Yeah ENDLIFE, I think I see the light. Does it have power if that white wire is removed?

On my setup, the wire with the boot is the hot side of my solenoid. I use that side for my key on hot, so if I pull it my rig dies.


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[DirtDonk]

The "I" wire at the starter relay will always be hot with the key in the ON position. That's not showing that power is coming "from" the starter relay. Rather it's being fed "to" the relay and the I post from it's connection to the coil's positive source.
It's just electricity flowing the other way because the wires are connected without any sort of a diode.

And while a bad connection there cannot kill a running engine, a bad connection internal to the relay could do it. I don't know where it grounds to, but if that circuit ever grounds out it also takes the coil with it. Not allowing the coil to spark, and thereby killing a running engine.
It's not common, but it does happen. And with these things failing so often nowadays, it's likely we'll see it happen more often too.

It's why one of my first recommended tests when an engine won't start for lack of spark is to remove the "I" wire from the relay. Brown wire if it's factory colors, and White with Centech and maybe others.
Same for removing any tachometer wires, in case your tach is giving you trouble.

Paul

 

[Skytrooper15]

jlylec did you ever solve the problem about your erratic starts?Seems like your thread headed off in another direction.

 

[Jfryjfry]

Not trying to derail the thread, as maybe what is happening with endlife’s bronco is happening with the op’s.

You should see power at that terminal when the car is running but it is a reduced voltage that comes from the supply line. But that is misleading because that terminal’s connection inside the solenoid should not be closed when it is running . In other words you can see in the diagram where the wires 262 and 16 join. While running, the power from 16 is also going through 262 but deadends at the starter relay because that terminal is only supposed to be connected to anything (power) when the solenoid is engaged (while starting).

There is a wiring or solenoid issue if you are getting power there with the key off.

All of this relates to the op because if you’re losing power to the coil it won’t run.