My old solenoid would make a clicking noise every time I turned the key in the ignition. I went ahead and purchased a new solenoid and battery, installed it, and tried starting the car. It cranks and stays cranking, even when I remove the key. I had to remove the positive battery cable to shut the vehicle off. Whenever the battery cable touches the battery it sparks and the engine begins to crank. I noticed the ignition switch would come out with the key, so I purchased a new ignition switch and tried to connect the battery cable ending with the same result. All the cables are connected where they were before on the old solenoid. The Maverick ran and drove great before it sat for 9 months. Any suggestions of what is going on?
Since you replaced both the solenoid and the ignition switch, I am thinking that your new solenoid is a defective one. Sometimes a new part is not necessarily a good part ....
Be sure the two smaller wires on solenoid aren't crossed, red/blue connects to the post nearest the battery cable... If not that, disconnect the two smaller wires on the solenoid, if it still cranks you have a bad solenoid... If neither is the problem you have a wiring or ign switch issue...
The same problem occurs when I swapped the new solenoids out. looks like I purchased an ignition lock, not the switch. How do I take apart the steering column to gain access to the switch?
So it doesn't crank with small wires removed??? Switch mounts on top of tube just under the dash so column must be dropped, no dissembly of column necessary...
I removed the 2 small wires on the solenoid like you asked, touched the positive cable to the battery and got a spark with the engine wanting to turn over.
Then the problem is with the solenoid or the battery connections to it... Should never crank with the small wires disconnected...
Battery connections and solenoid are new. I guess it's a good idea to buy a bigger stronger solenoid.
Low battery voltage under cranking can stick a starter solenoid. The solenoid actually tack welds itself in place.
This is weird. I hooked up the old solenoid and attached the positive cable with no spark. I cranked the engine 4 times with the car almost turning over. on the 5th try I hear a click which sounds like it's from the starter. Every time I turn the key I hear a click instead of a crank. I will pick up a new solenoid later today.
The click means the battery has an insufficient charge to fully power the starter. Cranking the starter until you kill the battery is one of the most damaging things you can do to a car battery. The discharge required to power the starter is the most draining thing you do with a car battery, and it will generate the most heat, with the greatest likelihood of boiling the acids out. You should really never crank a starter for more than 20-25 seconds of every minute. A method of crank, wait twice as long as cranked, crank, etc. will give you the longest charge and battery life while diagnosing a starting issue.
Thanks for the info. I will crank less per minute from now on. The battery is now fully charged and the new solenoid seems to be working. Now if i can only get the car to turn over.
I had this issue with my Mustang! Drove me nuts, I ended up replacing the ignition switch and worked good for me.
