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1997 Taurus w/Vulcan, No Crank, How To ?

3K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  jag1959 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Trying to sort out no start problem for my sister-in-law. Auto in question is a 1997 Ford Taurus with the Vulcan V6. So far I have the following:

engine does not turn over
Fuses and relay appear to work fine
5v on the transmission range sensor input
12v to starter relay power connection, no voltage to relay switch during
start cycle

Suspects left:

ignition switch
alarm box
wiring

I could not find a point to test the ignition switch for contact in the start position. Does anybody know where I can access wiring to check for continuity or voltage thru the start switch circuit from the actual key switch?

Additional info:

New starter installed about 1.5 years ago
New trans range sensor installed
alarm box appears to be ford but with a very unprofessional installation.
box was mounted over the under dash fuse box and wiring does not
look "factory". As an aside, is anybody familiar with this alarm box? It
does appear to be working properly.

Any input will be appreciated. I have the Haynes manual as well as Taurus Ford Factory Manual for the 1996 Taurus.
 
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#4 ·
Update: Just had conversation with owner/sister-in-law. She had failed to mention earlier that prior to the failure, she had to jiggle the key to get car started a few/several times. Because she had had a problem with a loose wire to the starter solenoid she assumed that was the issue again.

My bad; I failed to quiz her about these details when I first took on the job. So the ignition switch is looking like the guilty party, although I'm not going to assume that's it until I get a test procedure and see results for myself....
 
#5 ·
Was shooting trouble in my gen 4 this week. Starter needed repair, but along the way I found the starter relay was in the fuse box under the hood. Its position was indicated in the owners manual. If you can find it, you should be able to hold a finger on it and feel it click when your helper turns the key to start.

The S terminal is the small wire on the starter. The big wire is the battery +, and there is a third stud that connects the solenoid to the cranking motor.
 
#6 ·
The starter relay itself works fine. As stated, the starter relay is not getting a signal from the ignition system. Problem is located before the starter relay. The S wire is the one that came loose on this car about a year ago. It is secure now.

What I need is a test procedure for the ignition switch itself, as I believe this is where the problem lies.
 
#8 ·
There's a lot here if you look. DO NOT rely on the Haynes ignition switch test procedure:
http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/82-maintenance-repair/179794-ignition-switch-test-error.html
The Ford manual you mentioned having in your original post has correct test points listed.
Before shooting the ign switch though take a look at the TRS circuit. This link from the Solutions to Common Problems Forum http://www.taurusclub.com/forum/185-instructional-videos-links/220866-electrical-diagrams.html led to this diagram:
http://www.revbase.com/BBBMotor/Wd/DownloadPdf?id=9201
 
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