a good ol 1989 e150 no crank
#1
05-07-2024, 11:24 PM
a good ol 1989 e150 no crank
hello all,
I recently got a 1989 5.0EFI with the AOD transmission. The van was a single owner with 85k miles and was well maintained besides sitting for periods. I put 1500 miles on it and noticed only two issues. The first is a hard shift when going into 2nd. This symptom did not really get worse or change since I've had it. The other issue was some unpredictable revving during idle. This would happen in drive or neutral as well as park. A few weeks back, i parked it, and it hasn't turned over since. turning the key engages the various electrical features but no clicking or starter motor action.
Bridging the solenoid did weakly power the starter, but did not replicate with just a key turn. Battery tested good and the rest of the electrical functions like locks and seats and lights work. I replaced the starter solenoid (because i had one), the corroded 4-gauge wires (- battery to block and solenoid to starter), cleaned up all connects, and same symptoms. I measure the control (s-terminal) voltage coming into the solenoid. I believe it should be same voltage as the battery(12.3) It is low (7 volts), which is not activating the solenoid (as measured with voltometer) I hypothesize that the problem is upstream of the solenoid. Working backwards the candidates are 1. Neutral safety switch 2. Ignition switch 3. Shift Actuator 4. fusible links somewhere?
Today I complicated things a little bit. I took the harness off the back of the neutral safety switch (it is the 4-pin type that mounts on the top of the AOD), and bypassed it with a jumper. I was getting 11V at the hot pin to the NSS with the key turned, but no start. I resat the harness on the NSS, and since then have measured ~11V at the S terminal of the starter solenoid, and now a key crank does switch the starter solenoid on... but nothing happens at the starter... Additionally now any of the cars electrical functions do not work but instead produce a check engine light... Looks like i fried a fuse, but it seems messing with the NSS did change things... Im looking for any advice to troubleshooting this system. Thank you! - Nico
I recently got a 1989 5.0EFI with the AOD transmission. The van was a single owner with 85k miles and was well maintained besides sitting for periods. I put 1500 miles on it and noticed only two issues. The first is a hard shift when going into 2nd. This symptom did not really get worse or change since I've had it. The other issue was some unpredictable revving during idle. This would happen in drive or neutral as well as park. A few weeks back, i parked it, and it hasn't turned over since. turning the key engages the various electrical features but no clicking or starter motor action.
Bridging the solenoid did weakly power the starter, but did not replicate with just a key turn. Battery tested good and the rest of the electrical functions like locks and seats and lights work. I replaced the starter solenoid (because i had one), the corroded 4-gauge wires (- battery to block and solenoid to starter), cleaned up all connects, and same symptoms. I measure the control (s-terminal) voltage coming into the solenoid. I believe it should be same voltage as the battery(12.3) It is low (7 volts), which is not activating the solenoid (as measured with voltometer) I hypothesize that the problem is upstream of the solenoid. Working backwards the candidates are 1. Neutral safety switch 2. Ignition switch 3. Shift Actuator 4. fusible links somewhere?
Today I complicated things a little bit. I took the harness off the back of the neutral safety switch (it is the 4-pin type that mounts on the top of the AOD), and bypassed it with a jumper. I was getting 11V at the hot pin to the NSS with the key turned, but no start. I resat the harness on the NSS, and since then have measured ~11V at the S terminal of the starter solenoid, and now a key crank does switch the starter solenoid on... but nothing happens at the starter... Additionally now any of the cars electrical functions do not work but instead produce a check engine light... Looks like i fried a fuse, but it seems messing with the NSS did change things... Im looking for any advice to troubleshooting this system. Thank you! - Nico
#3
05-08-2024, 09:58 AM
If you provided power to the solenoid the starter should ave cranked over the engine, period.
If not, you should find out why power from the battery to the solenoid did not get to the starter..
What you can try, in the absence of equipment, turn on the headlamps, jump the solenoid and see what the headlamps do.
If they do nothing , the solenoid is defective, or the starter has an open inside or the connection at the starter from the solenoid is with high resistance and needs cleaning.
If the lights go dim, the battery is low, the starter is internally shorted or again dirty connections from battery.
Lets try this and see what we get , OK ?
If not, you should find out why power from the battery to the solenoid did not get to the starter..
What you can try, in the absence of equipment, turn on the headlamps, jump the solenoid and see what the headlamps do.
If they do nothing , the solenoid is defective, or the starter has an open inside or the connection at the starter from the solenoid is with high resistance and needs cleaning.
If the lights go dim, the battery is low, the starter is internally shorted or again dirty connections from battery.
Lets try this and see what we get , OK ?
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