93 Auto Starter & Gas Repair Q's

[walth]

(AFTER THOUGHT: before some of you say to search .... I searched for automatic starter looking for pics before I snapped a shot of it and figured out it's tucked down and to the back of the trans just over the right axle << that is right, isn't it?)

Today's my day off, and I'm slowly working on the 93 yellow auto.

So I figured out after there not being a starter in the typical "manual trans" area that it's literally hard to get to especially with thousands of sticky cobwebs like a tropical rain forest has trees and brush.

anyways, I found that after some camera shots under the car. The Haynes doesn't even signify a difference in the manual/auto from the little reading I did in chapter 5. And I need to go back through it on what to do/check/fix when you turn the key and "nothing" just as quiet as when the key was off.

I have the gas tank undone and in fact I'm about to drop it to do some electrolysis and fix it up. It's not in bad shape but LOADS of rust chips inside. I know it's not going to fire. I don't care about that. But what I do care about is the engine not even turning at all. I haven't checked any fuses inside the car but I did replace the three in the bay (red/green/red) since the main fuse they had in there burnt in two so they just took the two halves and twisted them back together. I'm going to have to do a complete makeover on this car before I trust it sadly...

Oh, and to rule out a bad battery, I had my 55amp charger/starter hooked up and at full tilt so ... the batteries ruled out IMO. I'm guessing it's probably the starter is bad, bad bad. bad. Or the connection at the starter...but I think the PO's were stupid enough not to get that far...or maybe they messed it up. what do you guys think?

[eurotiva]

You can "jump" the starter with 12 volts and see if it's turning. That takes the wiring out of the question. Could also be some type of safety lock out, like not all the way in park etc. Just my .02 $ Hope it helps

[walth]

I just got back from running errands and helping my father-in-law get his original 94 ranger's radiator out, lol. He had everything but the bottom hose undone which I got from underneath on wet dirt...eew. lol.

I just got back and haven't had time to look it over. I'm going to drop the tank first so that's done and in the garage and then I'll look at it some more. I saw that "not all the way in park" deal in the manual. I don't think that's the issue because I reconnected the cable to the trans shifter and undid the parking brake and pushed back and forth on the car a little. seemed to be fine. but is certainly still a viable option.

I did put the 12v to the fuel pump...tried both ways since I couldn't tell and neither worked...figures. Could dipping the fuel pump into parts cleaner revamp it? I'll jack up the front of the car and test the starter that way since I can't even see it from up top.

ooh, I forgot to mention, I ran across a baby black widow while I was working on one of my bike frames. Saw something move and was shocked. I'd been working on that frame for at least a half hour, picking it up, moving it, etc. Went and grabbed my cam and got some good shots of it.

[walth]

I pulled the tank with the beam in place and jack stands under the beam. I just had to undo the left side parking brake clip so I could get the cable around the tank. Dropped fast and easy after I saw two more hoses I hadn't seen from above. I cleaned out the tank pretty well and it's now undergoing pretty good electrolysis. I took some pics of the tank (which I'll post?? idk when...in the next week possibly) and it's pretty clean. It had loads of rust chips flaking out but the tank wall is pretty shiney and cleaned up well with just a sprayer.

I'll also post pics afterwards of how it turns out. Nate has also just done this to a festiva for someone he knows...he just finished up that tank and is almost ready to re-install.

well I'm buggin out for the night.

thanks again Eurotiva for the help. How hard is it getting the starter off if it's the problem? well...while having EVERYTHING else in the engine bay as well, plus unknown crazy spiders and their webs, haha

[eurotiva]

I'd spray some spider killer, and let it sit for a few. The starter has 3 bolts coming from the drivers side and one bolt into the block on the passenger side end of the starter.

I can reach all of them from up top, but the starters gotta come out the bottom.

I wish it was like the manual starter.

I would put a wrench on the front crank bolt and see if the motor turns before removing the starter.

[walth]

I had a fraction of a thought of starting to pull the intake hose and air box as the quickest way to making loads of room to easily turn the crank but I got called away. I'll definitely do that before I mess with the starter. The car has been sitting since...04/05. But the moron PO told me they got the car to fire/"run" but I don't know that I believe much of anything he really told me about the car. The battery seems to be holding somewhat of a charge though so that's good. They could have burnt up the starter messing around with it...

My plans for this car so far...
Short term, I really want to get it running for FM4 but I don't want to have it break down on the way there/back.

just past short term...BP. I don't really have the money for it, lol, but I did find someone who told me they'd sell me pretty much a complete swap which I'm down with but it's a long honkin drive. The good thing is he isn't ready for his swap so that gives me time.

I get off at 2 tomorrow so I'll see if the engine turns over after that.