[geoff352]

Well, of this week couldn't get any worse (and believe me, I thought it couldn't )
i found out that when my bro took it to a party down the street, he couldn't get it started when it was over. the battery works, as the headlights work. And jumping it didn't help. It is a '99 Taurus SE (Duratec). I don't know what this would have to do with anything, but i had a new muffler installed (professionally) on friday afternoon. I know i'm leaving you guys some vague info, but can ya throw out some ideas. it's 11pm here now, so i havent gotten to looking at it yet. thanks so much for your time.

 

[02taurus]

Check your timing belt or chain,Fuel cut off switch,starter relay,starter and fuel pump and relay.

 

[geoff352]

thanks, 02taurus...i'll check those!

my bro gave me a little more info: when he turned the key, the engine wouldn't turn over at all. he just heard what he described as a "click" i;m thinking fuses for ignition, but what do i know.

 

[firespirit]

Would the alternator have anything to do with it?

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[geoff352]

i really have no clue
i'm thinking its gotta be a blown fuse or something. bc he had just used the car a couple hours before that, and it was just fine. grrr....this has been a crazy week.

 

[Kartunez]

Has it ever done this before. There is a CPS (Crank Postion Sensor) that will let the car turn over but will not start. Its an idea.
:evil:

 

[geoff352]

Kartunez, it doesn't even turn over at all. when he turned the key, all he heard was a "click", nothing more.

 

[geoff352]

anybody?

 

[Glenn62]

I'm poking at the stars right now, so bear with me..

My old car (before I bought my Sable) was a Chrysler Caravalle SE (1988). This thing did the exact same thing. I'd get it towed back home and right after coming off the tow truck, I'd try and start it.. sure enough, she fired up. I don't know how many times this car did this to me.. I lost count. Eventually though, I did find the problem, which was probably the problem the previous owner had, but no one seemed to find it. Turned out it was the ground going to the starter solenoid. It had that funny green corrision crap all over it. I should have fixed all the connections, but I just did the ground and she was fine for about a year. Then it started all over again (only I knew what it was this time!) and did all the connections. Just a thought... check your connections to the starter solenoid. If it's clicking, it could be corrosion or not quite tight enough. Hope this little story (I shortened it quite a bit), helps you out.

 

[Colonel_Sanders]

Take a hammer to the starter

 

[n2_space]

Gleen sounds on the right track, sounds like the starter selenoid.

 

[geoff352]

nope it turned out that it was a bad battery. got it started (took a while!) and then limped it over to Advance Auto Parts. They ran their diagnostic on the battery, and it came up negative. It was only putting out 0.2 volts! swapped in a new battery and it runs great. thanks for all your help guys (and gals)

 

[Glenn62]

Glad you found the problem. I assumed you had already checked the battery and had it tested. I know when my Sable did it about 2 months after I bought her, the first thing I did was check the battery and it's condition. Regardless, I'm glad you solved the problem.. hopefully, and no offense intended, you replaced the battery with something suitable to the car. I know the previous owner of my car had a 550CCA in her, which is useless for our climate... mine needs a minimum of 750. I put a 850 in her and she's been great starting ever since.... even in -40C January/Feburary cold snaps.... I can't comment on the heat test. We didn't get much of a summer here this year.... and fall is approaching fast.
My Chrysler got away with 550-600, but that's only because it was a 4 cylinder and the only computer in it was a SMB module. Doesn't take much juice to crank that thing over. The Sable with the 3.8 and fully loaded, plus the computer needs a mini nuclear station to kick it over (and I'm not insulting the car, it's just all the electronics nowadays in all the cars).

 

[geoff352]

lol i hear ya man! :lol2: i put in what the parts finder recommended for the 99 duratec, so that better be good. thanks for your concern man.