Starting up 90 SC

JDC

Registered User
Hey guys I have a question about a 90 SC after it not being hooked up to a battery 4 or 6 weeks.I had to change out my damper to a BHJ one and the doggone thing won't even turn over,I here the fuel pump, all the lights light up on the dash oh and buy the way it's an auto not a manual.The only thing I unhooked was the CPS and battery.I have a ture shop manual but couldn't find anything on what to do on this problem.Please help me . Thanks JDC
 
the doggone thing won't even turn over

When you say something like that, you are telling me that the starter motor is unable to actually rotate the engine. Is that truly your problem? Or is the problem that the engine won't start?
 
When the balancer goes, it often makes contact with the Crank Position Sensor and causes damage. If the engine is turning over and just not firing up, the crank sensor may be the problem. Does the upshift arrow light stay on while cranking the motor ?

David
 
Staerting up 90 SC

When I shut the car down it started fine and there was no drag on the battery , the timming,or the starter.The car was fine exceept for the damper.The car just won't to start.The Cam sensor wasn't damaged and it doesn't drag on the starter. Thanks for the come back JDC
 
Oh yes the up shift light does come on but it don't turn over or fire up. thanks JDC
 
Oh yes the up shift light does come on but it don't turn over or fire up. thanks JDC

I hate to say it, but I still have no clue if what you are saying is the engine wont' start or the starter is unable to turn the crankshaft. When you say things like "don't turn over" that implies the crankshaft is unable to be turned by the starter.

What causes this confusion is you say the engine won't fire as well. Something that is a given if the starter is unable to move the crankshaft.
 
starting up 90 SC

As far as a "clicking sound" when I try to start: no clicking. As far as the starter not being able to turn the crank,I can turn it by hand.The start worked fine before all this,the starter is about 2 years old,I drove it in the past two years about 5,000 mile. Its not that the crankshaft is not turning,its as though the car is not getting fire. It was starting about 4 weeks ago just fine,it was until I had to take the damper off and put everything back on that I have this firing problem. You can hear the fuel pump
running,light come on,battery is fully charged. Its like a switch turned off and the car is getting no fire,Oh and I replace the crank positioning sensor.Thanks for any and all help.JD
 
Wait, so the car does crank okay?

If so, does the upshift light in the tachometer come on when you crank?
 
starting up 90 SC

When I turn the ignition on all the dash lights come on:as well as the upshift light.The car ignition does not fire.The starter does not come on,you can hear the fuel pump,have not had problems with the ignition switch,or the starter.All the little tale signs of trouble that show up when the ignition or starter are going out have not shown any signs.The battery is charged.If anyone has any ideas please let me know.Thanks JD
 
It might be a bad ignition switch.....

A very common issue with these cars and can end up causing all sorts of problems.....
 
90 sc has a solenoid/relay mounted to the inside of the drivers side fender near the battery. If you are in a safe area, you should be able to carefully jumper across the two terminals on the relay and cause the starter to run. If that works, and turning the key doesn't, it could be the ignition switch.

I'm assuming you made sure the transmission is in park? Are you sure the ground cable at the battery is intact?

again, there is no point hoping for ignition until the starter makes the engine crankshaft rotate.
 
im confused here, one post he says that the starter turns the motor over. then in another post he says that the "starter doesnt start" and its not getting fire???

well yeah if the motor is not turning over then the motor will not fire. is it a manual or an automatic?

we all understand here that when you turn the key to the start position the dash lights come on and you can hear the fuel pump run. what everyone is confused on here is if the motor is turning over (as in physically rotating under the power of the starter) and the car is just not starting or its not turning over with the power of the starter.

fords in general are plagued with starter solenoid problems, ignition switch problems, and other strange things that just make them not start.

on the starter solenoid you will see two large red cables going to it. one from battery and other goes to the starter. in between them is smaller wire that is the signal from the ignition switch. if you get a multimeter or even a test light you can check this. have your buddy get in and turn ignition to start (try to crank motor over) and measure the voltage at this smaller terminal. if it is less than say 12 volts you have a problem with either the battery itself or the ignition switch.

have you performed a load test on the battery, as said before i have seen batteries get 13 something volts if you test across the terminals with a multimeter but will have say 200 cca and fail a load test.

my vote is either you have a bad battery, bad solenoid, or key switch or any combination of the problems.

and since no one is sure by what you mean "the motor wont start" everyone can only just speculate on what is wrong with your car.
 
If the starter does not turn over at all and you don't get a loud click / clunk when turning the key, then you probably have either:

A loose wire
A bad ignition switch
A bad starter relay (on the driver's inner fender)
A blown fuse
 
starting a 90 sc

Hey guys I won't thank you all on the come backs I really can use all this infor , but to put it as plane as I can the starter don't turn, the engine, the battery has been checked and it,s good,the crank don't turn and there is no noise from the starter.I'm going to go with what 90turo1 and s mazza has mintion and see what happens .I really won't to thank each one of you for tring to to help this old man out , thanks agian .JDC
 
starting a 90 SC

Hey guys just tried some of those things out and before I could try all of them out I now have no power. I went over the fuses thats next to the relay, looked at all the wiring to see loose wires ,there wasn't any so..... what is giong on here guys? Now I don't have power at all. I mean the battery is like it;s not even hooked up. I had the battery checked out,at [Auto Zone ]put it on a load on it,it checked outit was a ok so I don't know what to do next.JDC
 
Ok, so your saying the engine will not turn over with the starter as no power is getting to the starter?

Check all your connections, battery to the slave solenoid. and from solenoid to starter. Test for power at the main post on the starter when turning key to START position. Check your shifter put it in N or P for an automatic, AND press the brake pedal. Or if its a manual put it in N and depress the clutch and brake pedal.

If still nothing, take a screwdriver and jumper the slave solenoid and see if THAT makes the starter engage, if so. Just replace it....its cheap anyways..

If not you need to check the power wire between your battery and solenoid.




JD, where do you live? Maybe someone can come help you.
 
Like others have stated , more than likely its the ignition switch but it also could be a fusable link...a heavy wire fuse attached to the solenoid on the drivers side fender, you can give them a gentle tug and if they stretch they are bad---just replace them with ones available from any parts house,,,I'm still betting on the ignition switch though. when you get the power back there is a small wire on the starter solenoid---the one thats part of the starter---if its connection is corroded will cause the symptoms you describe............Dan
 
starting a90 SC

Well young man I live in orlando and it being Thanksgiving week it seems that everybody I talk to is is doing something so..... Anyway I checked the power side of the cylinoid,checked power side of alternator,power side of start-it all has power.But I don't have power at any of the fuse boxes,the one outside beside the cylinoid and the one fuse box inside-no power to either.I tried the proceed that you told me to try to see if starter would turn over-the starter turns over that worked.So now were do we go.?????Thanks for all your help I really do appreciate it.JDc
 
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