Any car mechanics in da house?

[Sharon 1]

I think my van is dyinggggggg

Ok, so it's old....it's a 94 Ford Aerostar. We just had the starter replaced about 3 months ago.

Today when I started it up, it started just fine....and kept starting even after the motor had started....lol.

What I mean is that the damn starter wouldn't DISengage, it kept going. Hubby had to disconnect one of the battery cables to stop it.

Anyone have any ideas or knowledge they can share? I'm a wee bit afraid that I won't be getting to work tomorrow....

Edited April 22, 2007 by Sharon

[russ 1]

Usually disconnecting the battery cable (ONLY EVER THE NEGATIVE ONE) will only cause the car to stop if the alternator is bad. This is how you check for a bad alternator (the thing that makes electricity to charge the battery and make the spark plugs spark). There are some weird cars with a positive ground, but I don't think the aerostar is one of them.

Bad alternator would explain why the car wasn't starting - it was running of the battery, not the alternator (a car does not need a battery to run. This is why you can start a stick shift without a battery in the car by popping the clutch).

I don't believe Aerostars have a voltmeter on the dash (it should show about 13-14 volts when the car is running), but a decent garage can tell you in about 30 seconds if the alternator is bad.

The starter should disengage (generally) because of the intertia from the engine spinning it. Sounds more to me like the engine never really started, but a bad relay kept the starter turning. Not seeing the car, it is hard for me to say. You'll probably need a new battery as well (at least they are cheap).

I'm an engineer, not a mechanic.

I think my van is dyinggggggg

Ok, so it's old....it's a 94 Ford Aerostar. We just had the starter replaced about 3 months ago.

Today when I started it up, it started just fine....and kept starting even after the motor had started....lol.

What I mean is that the damn starter wouldn't DISengage, it kept going. Hubby had to disconnect one of the battery cables to stop it.

Anyone have any ideas or knowledge they can share? I'm a wee bit afraid that I won't be getting to work tomorrow....

[kaydee457 13]

It has absolutely nothing to do with the alternator....

There's two possibilities:

1) Ford uses an external starter solenoid switch, usually located on the fender well. It's nothing more than a relay. It's about 3" long, maybe 1.5 inches wide and only has three connections; one small wire, and two larger wires (although on some models there may be more larger wires than that.

It costs about twenty bucks.

2) The ignition switch itself not returning to the "run" position when released from start.

If you want to see if the solenoid switch is stuck on, first momentarily reconnect the battery to verify you still have the same problem. Next, remove the smaller gauge wire (it just pushes on, so just pull it off the terminal), reconnect the battery cable momentarily, and verify that the starter isn't engaged. If it is then replace the starter solenoid swirch, else the ignition switch.

No I'm not a mechanic but just a guy that's been fixing cars all his life....

Edited April 23, 2007 by kaydee457

[russ 1]

I bow to your superior knowledge. Why the engine stop disconnecting the battery though? (I never owned a car that depended on the battery to run. I've never owned a ford either though).

It has absolutely nothing to do with the alternator....

There's two possibilities:

1) Ford uses an external starter solenoid switch, usually located on the fender well. It's nothing more than a relay. It's about 3" long, maybe 1.5 inches wide and only has three connections; one small wire, and two larger wires (although on some models there may be more larger wires than that.

It costs about twenty bucks.

2) The ignition switch itself not returning to the "run" position when released from start.

If you want to see if the solenoid switch is stuck on, first momentarily reconnect the battery to verify you still have the same problem. Next, remove the smaller gauge wire (it just pushes on, so just pull it off the terminal), reconnect the battery cable momentarily, and verify that the starter isn't engaged. If it is then replace the starter solenoid swirch, else the ignition switch.

No I'm not a mechanic but just a guy that's been fixing cars all his life....

[kaydee457 13]

I bow to your superior knowledge. Why the engine stop disconnecting the battery though? (I never owned a car that depended on the battery to run. I've never owned a ford either though).

It has absolutely nothing to do with the alternator....

There's two possibilities:

1) Ford uses an external starter solenoid switch, usually located on the fender well. It's nothing more than a relay. It's about 3" long, maybe 1.5 inches wide and only has three connections; one small wire, and two larger wires (although on some models there may be more larger wires than that.

It costs about twenty bucks.

2) The ignition switch itself not returning to the "run" position when released from start.

If you want to see if the solenoid switch is stuck on, first momentarily reconnect the battery to verify you still have the same problem. Next, remove the smaller gauge wire (it just pushes on, so just pull it off the terminal), reconnect the battery cable momentarily, and verify that the starter isn't engaged. If it is then replace the starter solenoid swirch, else the ignition switch.

No I'm not a mechanic but just a guy that's been fixing cars all his life....

She said the starter remained engaged- please read the original post. Has nothing to do with the engine running-

For Sharon-

[The Way it Is 0]

It has absolutely nothing to do with the alternator....

There's two possibilities:

1) Ford uses an external starter solenoid switch, usually located on the fender well. It's nothing more than a relay. It's about 3" long, maybe 1.5 inches wide and only has three connections; one small wire, and two larger wires (although on some models there may be more larger wires than that.

It costs about twenty bucks.

2) The ignition switch itself not returning to the "run" position when released from start.

If you want to see if the solenoid switch is stuck on, first momentarily reconnect the battery to verify you still have the same problem. Next, remove the smaller gauge wire (it just pushes on, so just pull it off the terminal), reconnect the battery cable momentarily, and verify that the starter isn't engaged. If it is then replace the starter solenoid swirch, else the ignition switch.

No I'm not a mechanic but just a guy that's been fixing cars all his life....

you gotta bad starter solenoid...if its separate from the starter drive...cheap and easy to replace. If its part of the starter drive, probably cheaper to buy a rebuilt starter. After all, its a FORD and thats the WAY IT IS.

[russ 1]

I should have read more closely. Ford went to a starter solenoid around 1990 (mechanical clutch before this). Relay sounds like it.

She said the starter remained engaged- please read the original post. Has nothing to do with the engine running-

For Sharon-

[archie07 0]

It has absolutely nothing to do with the alternator....

There's two possibilities:

1) Ford uses an external starter solenoid switch, usually located on the fender well. It's nothing more than a relay. It's about 3" long, maybe 1.5 inches wide and only has three connections; one small wire, and two larger wires (although on some models there may be more larger wires than that.

It costs about twenty bucks.

2) The ignition switch itself not returning to the "run" position when released from start.

If you want to see if the solenoid switch is stuck on, first momentarily reconnect the battery to verify you still have the same problem. Next, remove the smaller gauge wire (it just pushes on, so just pull it off the terminal), reconnect the battery cable momentarily, and verify that the starter isn't engaged. If it is then replace the starter solenoid swirch, else the ignition switch.

No I'm not a mechanic but just a guy that's been fixing cars all his life....

Your absolutely correct, I have a fleet of ford trucks, the solenoid can hang up .... 20 bucks and the problem is fixed., that's if it does it again.

[Sharon 1]

It has absolutely nothing to do with the alternator....

There's two possibilities:

1) Ford uses an external starter solenoid switch, usually located on the fender well. It's nothing more than a relay. It's about 3" long, maybe 1.5 inches wide and only has three connections; one small wire, and two larger wires (although on some models there may be more larger wires than that.

It costs about twenty bucks.

2) The ignition switch itself not returning to the "run" position when released from start.

If you want to see if the solenoid switch is stuck on, first momentarily reconnect the battery to verify you still have the same problem. Next, remove the smaller gauge wire (it just pushes on, so just pull it off the terminal), reconnect the battery cable momentarily, and verify that the starter isn't engaged. If it is then replace the starter solenoid swirch, else the ignition switch.

No I'm not a mechanic but just a guy that's been fixing cars all his life....

Thank you so much for your detailed (and illustrated! hehe) reply!

Hubby says thank you too! He's going to pick up a switch on his way home from work tomorrow. As for my getting to work, he has shown me what to do if the problem presents itself tomorrow morning....lol.

* Russ....sorry, maybe I wasn't clear enough in my original post....the engine itself didn't stop running when my husband disconnected the battery cable...the starter is what stopped.

Maybe my van isn't dying after all?

Thanks to everyone who replied!

My van may be a FORD but it has served me VERY well. We bought it 2 years ago AT $2100 for me to learn how drive ON! hehe Only put in a new battery and starter in the two years since so we certainly can't complain!

I'll get back to y'all tomorrow and let you know how my van is feeling!

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

I'll get back to y'all tomorrow and let you know how my van is feeling!

if it's a ford it can't feel too good

[bora bora 1]

Every time I hear, or read, the word Ford I think of what someone told me years ago:

F***ed

Over

Repainted

Dodge

[russ 1]

My Audi is a very grouchy car. Solenoids, bearings, hoses, relays... Lot's of parts and they are all expensive. They seem to magically fail at carefully spaced, six month intervals.

My wife's $1,400 toyota is always happy (it always works).

Sorry again for the bad advice! I'm glad the smarter folks here caught it quick.

I'll get back to y'all tomorrow and let you know how my van is feeling!

if it's a ford it can't feel too good

[MissStacey 1]

Every time I hear, or read, the word Ford I think of what someone told me years ago:

F***ed

Over

Repainted

Dodge

I heard it was

Found

On

Road

Dead.

I have owned a few Fords- lots of recalls, but I still was fairly happy with them.

[yogib37 3]

It has absolutely nothing to do with the alternator....

There's two possibilities:

1) Ford uses an external starter solenoid switch, usually located on the fender well. It's nothing more than a relay. It's about 3" long, maybe 1.5 inches wide and only has three connections; one small wire, and two larger wires (although on some models there may be more larger wires than that.

It costs about twenty bucks.

2) The ignition switch itself not returning to the "run" position when released from start.

If you want to see if the solenoid switch is stuck on, first momentarily reconnect the battery to verify you still have the same problem. Next, remove the smaller gauge wire (it just pushes on, so just pull it off the terminal), reconnect the battery cable momentarily, and verify that the starter isn't engaged. If it is then replace the starter solenoid swirch, else the ignition switch.

No I'm not a mechanic but just a guy that's been fixing cars all his life....

yeah I remember my mom had a Ford LTD and sometime when I turn the key to start it, it just click, so I pop the hood pull the sisiors out of the glove compartment and lay it across the relay.. boom it started up right away.

Take care

FORDS are a pile of Junk

[russ 1]

A friend of mine has owned many Jaguars. Since Ford bought them, at least the radios work work now. Ford makes decent cars. For the price, I love the new Mustangs.

The only American car I have ever owned was a Chevy Chevelle. I loved it (the 305 small block V8 was one of the best engines ever made. Working on this car was cheap and easy and fun.)

But cars are so much better now. I plug in my laptop and have a good idea what is wrong. My car now has 3 times the horsepower, and 3 times better gas milage than my Chevelle ever did - 30 mpg, 327 hp now, something like 10 mpg, 130 hp then (but plenty of torque).

Every time I hear, or read, the word Ford I think of what someone told me years ago:

F***ed

Over

Repainted

Dodge