[Chad N.]

I have had my Bronco for a month and the thing STILL isn't running. :banghead

When I bought the thing it started fine. Last week I took it out for a 15 minute drive to O'Reillys. When I went to start it again, it was dead so I got a jump. When I got it home, I took the battery out and charged it, put it back in. With the hood open I tried to start it and saw some sort of steam or smoke coming from the negative battery terminal (still wouldn't start).
I assumed it was the battery so I took it to Walmart and exchanged it under warranty. Yesterday I put the new battery in and still nothing.

At first I have accesories. Then I attempt to turn the engine over, and hear just a single click from the engine. After this I have nothing...not even accesories. When I turn the iginition off and wait a minute I have accesories again. However, if I try to turn on the headlights it kills everything, then I have to turn the ignition off and wait before I have accesories.

One other thing.... after attempting to start the truck the connection at the base of the negative battery cable feels warm. Not hot, just warm.

I searched the forum and didn't find any problems like this. I thought I would ask what the problem could be here before spending several hours troubleshooting my entire ignition system.

 

[jermil01]

Sounds like a bad alternator, have it tested.

 

[84XLT]

Undo the starter, check to see how well it mates to the bellhousing. If there is a bunch of grease or oil in there, clean it out. Check to see how well your negative battery cable runs down to the block, and then to the frame. Replace or reground it at either or both points if necceasary.

The starter grounds through the bellhousing, which grounds through the block, which grounds to the negative terminal. To make this better, when reinstalling the starter, run a cable ( I used 6 ga I think) right from one of the bolts to the negative terminal.

If you keep trying it, eventually you will eventually hit a point where the click keeps happening, and you'll either burn out the fender mounted solenoid, or melt a terminal clamp. I am 99% sure that this is your issue. AMHIK. :brownbag

Walt Breymier

 

[Traveler]

Sounds like just a bad connection, either at the battery, or one of the cable ends.
The heat will be an issue, If you negative cable is clean and will not get any tighter, maybe replace it.

Lose connections create heat, that's how you find them.

 

[Zach94]

It could be a starter relay with burnt out contacts, I actually had the opposite problem, the starter would stay engage because the contacts would weld themselves together.

 

[Chad N.]

OK....I put additional grounds through jumper cables from the negative battery terminal to 2 ground chasis points in the engine bay. Now when I try turn it over I hear just 1 click as before, but I don't ever lose accesories.

I don't know if the click is coming from the starter or solinoid though.
EDIT: the click is comming from the solinoid. Tommorow I will check things people listed below. You all have been a tremendous help!

 

[The Yak]

With the key in the 'on' position, take a piece of wire and tie it to the positive post on the battery. Then touch it to the small post on the solenoid....if the engine kicks over, the solenoid is toast. If it still clicks, chances are the starter is shot.

 

[ESC]

Try banging on the starter with a hammer while trying to start it.....if it tries to turn over then the starter is shot.

 

[Traveler]

OK....I put additional grounds through jumper cables from the negative battery terminal to 2 ground chasis points in the engine bay. Now when I try turn it over I hear just 1 click as before, but I don't ever lose accesories.

By using the jumper cables, you haven't completely eliminated your negative connection problem. Take your cable off, and clamp directly on the battery post.
If your problem is with the chunk of lead on the end of the cable, don't know what you call it, the post clamp maybe. around the post you haven't omitted it by just putting jumper cabes over it.

 

[81Bronk36]

It could be a starter relay with burnt out contacts, I actually had the opposite problem, the starter would stay engage because the contacts would weld themselves together.

had that happen as well, if checking connections doesnt help replace the solenoid next... that 12 bucks is better then finding out it was the problem after 250 bucks for everything else!!

 

[Jersey Bronco]

i had the exact same problem in my mustang. check ur grounds. All i had to do was replace then negative battery cable.

 

[Chad N.]

I fixed the problem! It ended up being a bad ground AND bad solinoid.
I ended up cutting down the neg cable, restripping it, and attaching it to a brand new terminal. Now it starts :thumbup

Thanks for everyone's help!!!

 

[DrtyFrank]

Haaaalp! So I'm just getting the "clicking" thing. All accessories work fine (including the amp for the subs), no start action, though. I kinda figure it to be the starter, but it's possibly the silenoid? The truck's at school and I'm now 20 minutes away at home, so if anyone else has experienced this or knows at least what I'm goin' on about, help please.

It started doin' the clicking thing this morning, but I just tried it a couple of extra times and it finally caught and started. When I tried to leave school this afternoon it did the same thing, but when it caught and tried to start, I was in the middle of switching the key on and off quickly (like I did this morning) and missed the chance to start it. Since then it's just doin' the clicking thing. I checked the battery connections and everything's square there, but I couldn't tell how the connections were on the starter 'cuz I didn't have any tools or a flashlight in the truck. I know, rookie mistake. It sounds like the clicking is coming from the passenger side, but under, which leads me to think starter. I can't really tell 'cuz I can't be at the passenger side and try the key at the same time, obviously. Starters up here run $130 to $230 and ya, those are reman's. So, before I fork over that kinda cash, I wanna make sure it ain't somethin' else. Long post, I know, but I figure it's better to give all the info I can to get the best answer.

 

[81Bronk36]

get a new solinoid that should be the prob!

 

[Chad N.]

DrtyFrank, it sounds like you have the same problem I had. From the driver's seat you really can't tell if the clicking is comming from the solinoid or starter (mine ended up being the solinoid).

Get hold of a screwdriver and short out the solinoid between the place where the battery hooks on and the small "S" post. If the starter tries to turn over, replace the bad solinoid.

 

[DrtyFrank]

Well, for future reference, the solinoid on a '95 5.8 is on the starter. Ya, that doesn't help the price of a new starter at all. At any rate, turns out I just have some bad connections at the battery terminals. They weren't as tight and clean as I thought. Same can be said for some women, I suppose.

 

[SoftTopBronco]

I just had this problem also, there are a couple of thicker yellow wires going to the starter relay, one of them is for the ignition. It ended up that the wire was corroded on the inside under the shiething, I cut off the bad part and put a new end on it and it has been fine ever since. Try bending the wire at the end, if it is really hard to bend then thats you r problem. I thought it was the solenoid too, then i replaced it and the problem returned about 2 weeks after, it just worked cause of tranfering the wires to the new solenoid.

hope this helps.

 

[Dave666Thomas]

Great Help

With the key in the 'on' position, take a piece of wire and tie it to the positive post on the battery. Then touch it to the small post on the solenoid....if the engine kicks over, the solenoid is toast. If it still clicks, chances are the starter is shot.

I was having the same problem as the guy who started this post except it started a little different, anyway, i used the test above to figure out my solinoid is fried. Im gonna get a new one tomorrow and hopefully the Bronco will kick with life again .

My problem started on the highway, the car started choking, kinda like it wasnt getting any gas. I replaced the fuel filter hoping it was the cause of the initial starting problem. My Bronco still wouldnt start, i really hope its just the solinoid now and nothing else. I'll post a follow up and let u all know

Search Button helped a lot in finding this info:beer

 

[broncoMJV]

I had the same exact problems as you and it turned out to be the fuel pump housing was melted from improper installation and it was shorting everything out. I replaced the solenoid before I figured that out. After the pump was replaced I had no problems. That was a pretty rare problem but it might be worth taking a look at.