Car has been starting when it feels like. Has a Jegs remote starter solenoid (been sitting a while). One day the car will start every time, but then some days it wont even turn over or click.

Today I start it, pull it in the driveway. A few hours later, I go to pull it in the garage, but it wont turn over. I disconnect the battery to do a few things, go to reconnect the battery, and now the starter engages when I try to connect the neg. cable.

My guess is that the remote starter solenoid has gone bad. Any suggestions? Any way to test the solenoid?

 

Sounds like it has gone bad.
You can test it on the car by jumping 12V to the small 'S' terminal and listen for it clicking.
Oftentimes when they go bad it is due to a failed spring inside - the spring that pulls the contacts apart when there is no power to the 'S' terminal. This will allow the contacts to stay closed when you turn the key off, letting the starter continue to spin. Also, it can engage at any time - even while driving. This happened to me once, and chewed the teeth off the starter drive gear. Luckily the flywheel sustained very little damage.
I replaced it with another generic Ford starter relay, and keep another one on hand, just in case.

 

Sounds like your battery is low or dead. Make sure the battery is fully charged before doing anything. You solenoid probably did not, just go bad.

 

Why would low battery charge make the starter engage without the key in the ignition? If low batt. is to blame he would have a click or nothing all the time.

May also want to check out the wiring and make sure you have no shorts. Check with a DVOM at the starter solonoid terminals to make sure that you really have no power at the small purple wire (from the ign. sw.), have 12.4v at the fat wire, and that you have no voltage drops over the starter wires or the ground. Remember that the starter grounds thru the chassis, so all the contacts between the starter carcass and the block have to be clean and free of corrosion.

 

Anybody else?

 

What parts of advice have you tried? The problem is either in the solonoid or the wiring.

 

It's the solenoid, the same thing happened with my remote solenoid, except mine would engage and stay engaged. I just went down to Autozone and picked up a Ford solenoid for $6.

 

Does a Ford solenoid hook up the same way? If so, what exactly do I ask for at the store?

 

Get yourself one that looks like one of these http://amkproducts.com/starter_relays.asp and you'll be all set.

 

Mine, i believe is off of an older Mustang, early 90's i believe. Fender mounted type.

 

Yep, fender mounted Ford, I believe mine was from a Mustang as well.

 

Fnord made a few different styles, not to mention they also used a divorce solenoid/relay on jeep, dodge and a few others.

To be sure just take the old one down to any parts store and they can match it up assuming they know how to open a few boxes. They did make quite a few different ones some with 3 terminals and some HD. If you just want to make it simple tell them its for a 80 F series, 300-6. I'd stay aways from the Wells unit at ozone they seem to crap out quicker them most.

 

Autozone was no help when I was trying to find the Ford solenoid....and I didn't feel like looking through boxes and boxes. Anybody have an exact make/model or a P/N? Thanks....

 

I got the ford solenoid, hooked it up, the car started. I go out 2 days later to start the car, it is doing the same thing.....not turning over. Everything is getting power, but no starter action. I've checked all the wires. Could it be the starter? Why would it start one day, but then not start another?

 

What is the voltage on the wires while the car is cranking? If a wire has a bad connection, it can still show 12 volts without a load, but as soon as you try and pull amperage thru it the voltage will go way down. That's part of the voltage drop test I mentioned above

So you've verified that you have 12+ at the fat wire while cranking, at the small purple wire during crank, the output from the solonoid is good during crank, and the ground is good at the solonoid during crank? If so, tear the starter apart. You could have a "dead" spot on the armature, or worn brushes.

 

Check the fat wire....12volts before and during cranking (well, turning the key I should say)...checked the purple wire once....no voltage b4 or during cranking, but then after checking fuses for the hell of it (which were all fine), it cranked up, what do ya know. But chances are, it wont crank again tomorrow, so I still have a problem. Does the fact that the purple wire didn't get get voltage mean it's a VATS problem? The motor was originally a 305TBI, now it's a 350TPI w/ a harness out of an '88 IROC...VATS should be disabled all together correct?

 

napa echlin part number ST81 is what i'm using.

 

I replaced the solenoid...no luck. Could it be a VATS problem? I had the ignition switch replaced not too long ago.