1999 e150 van won't start

On Nov 26, 11:35 am, Bruce L. Bergman <blberg....RemoveThis@earthlink.net> wrote:
> On 26 Nov 2006 08:15:08 -0800, jerrysteph....RemoveThis@houston.rr.com wrote:
>
> >On Nov 26, 10:07 am, "Jeff" <j....RemoveThis@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >> <jerrysteph....RemoveThis@houston.rr.com> wrote in messagenews:1164555057.241962.310420@l39g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...
> >> > Starter ok. Battery ok. Turn key, nothing happens except door locks go
> >> > up and down a couple of times by themselves. Can short across starter
> >> > with screwdriver and start it, runs good!
>
> >> Sounds like wiring or the ignition switch.
>
> >Thanks Jeff. I think you might be right. I'm 65, not great health.
> >Besides calling a mech. to make a house call, what can I do next? Are you shorting across the starter solenoid main contacts (Big
> Spark), or the battery lead to the pilot contact coming from the
> ignition switch 'Start' contacts?
>
> If it's the pilot contact, there's something in the ignition switch,
> neutral safety switch, or the alarm system starter kill (if
> installed). Take a test light or a multimeter and start heading
> backwards till you find the offending switch.
>
> And if you can get it started, you can always drive it to the
> mechanic. Just remember to put it in Park and chock the wheels before
> crawling under the hood or the car to do it - getting run over by your
> own car is very bad form. If you can have a second person there with
> their foot on the brakes that's even better.
>
> --<< Bruce >>--

I'm not sure about which one is which. I shorted across from the big
post to the small post to start it. Does that tell you anything?
Thanks, Jerry
 >> Stay informed about: 1999 e150 van won't start 

<jerrystephens.TakeThisOut@houston.rr.com> wrote in message
news:1164555057.241962.310420@l39g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...
> Starter ok. Battery ok. Turn key, nothing happens except door locks go
> up and down a couple of times by themselves. Can short across starter
> with screwdriver and start it, runs good!

Sounds like wiring or the ignition switch.

Jeff
 >> Stay informed about: 1999 e150 van won't start 

On Nov 26, 6:07 pm, Bruce L. Bergman <blberg....DeleteThis@earthlink.net> wrote:
> On 26 Nov 2006 09:52:07 -0800, jerrysteph....DeleteThis@houston.rr.com wrote:
>
> >I'm not sure about which one is which. I shorted across from the big
> >post to the small post to start it. Does that tell you anything?
> >Thanks, Jerry If this is a modern car with the integrated starter solenoid on the
> side of the starter, it will have three posts minimum.
>
> (The old Autolite system had the power switching relay up on the
> fender, and the solenoid used to swing the Bendix drive gear out was
> simply a movable pole piece on the side of the starter motor. The
> pole piece cover is shaped like a wedge, with the fat end away from
> the flywheel.)
>
> The big post with the big wire is coming in from the battery.
>
> There will be a small post (#8-32 or #10-32) with the wire coming in
> from the ignition switch "Start" circuit - that only has 12V when the
> key is turned. (Some new cars have a quick connect on this wire.)
>
> If you put a "Remote Start Switch" (a simple normally-open push
> button switch and two clip leads) between the battery lug and this
> small solenoid windings lug, the starter motor will run when you push
> the button. This indicates an open in the start circuit - the most
> likely one is the Neutral safety switch or an alarm system. Try
> starting in Neutral instead of Park, and in the other gears with your
> foot on the brakes.
>
> (If the engine RPM flares on start like normal but you're starting
> it in gear, the car can try to move even with your foot hard on the
> brakes - do this somewhere you have room in front of and behind the
> car, in case it does.)
>
> There will be a heavy post with an odd crimp lug going down into the
> starter through a grommet - that's the switched power from the
> solenoid contacts to the starter motor windings and brushes. Don't
> mess with that one, unless you want to make lots of pretty sparks and
> melt big chunks out of the side of your screwdriver.
>
> On older cars there's a fourth wire that feeds switched 12V from the
> starter back to the ignition system, and overrides the coil ballast
> resistor to get a hotter spark during starting - they literally use a
> 6V coil with an inline ballast resistance. You won't see this with
> electronic ignition.
>
> --<< Bruce >>--
Thanks so much for the infor. Even I should be able to do that. : )
(My granddaughter always adds one of those on her email.) I will try
those things tomorrow. Thanks again.
Jerry Stephens
 >> Stay informed about: 1999 e150 van won't start 

On 26 Nov 2006 08:15:08 -0800, jerrystephens.TakeThisOut@houston.rr.com wrote:
>On Nov 26, 10:07 am, "Jeff" <j....TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> <jerrysteph....TakeThisOut@houston.rr.com> wrote in messagenews:1164555057.241962.310420@l39g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...

>> > Starter ok. Battery ok. Turn key, nothing happens except door locks go
>> > up and down a couple of times by themselves. Can short across starter
>> > with screwdriver and start it, runs good!
>>
>> Sounds like wiring or the ignition switch.
>
>Thanks Jeff. I think you might be right. I'm 65, not great health.
>Besides calling a mech. to make a house call, what can I do next?

Are you shorting across the starter solenoid main contacts (Big
Spark), or the battery lead to the pilot contact coming from the
ignition switch 'Start' contacts?

If it's the pilot contact, there's something in the ignition switch,
neutral safety switch, or the alarm system starter kill (if
installed). Take a test light or a multimeter and start heading
backwards till you find the offending switch.

And if you can get it started, you can always drive it to the
mechanic. Just remember to put it in Park and chock the wheels before
crawling under the hood or the car to do it - getting run over by your
own car is very bad form. If you can have a second person there with
their foot on the brakes that's even better.

--<< Bruce >>--
 >> Stay informed about: 1999 e150 van won't start 

On 26 Nov 2006 09:52:07 -0800, jerrystephens.RemoveThis@houston.rr.com wrote:

>I'm not sure about which one is which. I shorted across from the big
>post to the small post to start it. Does that tell you anything?
>Thanks, Jerry

If this is a modern car with the integrated starter solenoid on the
side of the starter, it will have three posts minimum.

(The old Autolite system had the power switching relay up on the
fender, and the solenoid used to swing the Bendix drive gear out was
simply a movable pole piece on the side of the starter motor. The
pole piece cover is shaped like a wedge, with the fat end away from
the flywheel.)

The big post with the big wire is coming in from the battery.

There will be a small post (#8-32 or #10-32) with the wire coming in
from the ignition switch "Start" circuit - that only has 12V when the
key is turned. (Some new cars have a quick connect on this wire.)

If you put a "Remote Start Switch" (a simple normally-open push
button switch and two clip leads) between the battery lug and this
small solenoid windings lug, the starter motor will run when you push
the button. This indicates an open in the start circuit - the most
likely one is the Neutral safety switch or an alarm system. Try
starting in Neutral instead of Park, and in the other gears with your
foot on the brakes.

(If the engine RPM flares on start like normal but you're starting
it in gear, the car can try to move even with your foot hard on the
brakes - do this somewhere you have room in front of and behind the
car, in case it does.)

There will be a heavy post with an odd crimp lug going down into the
starter through a grommet - that's the switched power from the
solenoid contacts to the starter motor windings and brushes. Don't
mess with that one, unless you want to make lots of pretty sparks and
melt big chunks out of the side of your screwdriver.

On older cars there's a fourth wire that feeds switched 12V from the
starter back to the ignition system, and overrides the coil ballast
resistor to get a hotter spark during starting - they literally use a
6V coil with an inline ballast resistance. You won't see this with
electronic ignition.

--<< Bruce >>--
 >> Stay informed about: 1999 e150 van won't start