1994 Ford Thunderbird

ZEN ZACZEK

MEMBER
1994 FORD THUNDERBIRD
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
120,000 MILES

Every 10-15 strat-ups I cannot stort engine. It takes several turns the key to be able to start. Recently replaced: battery, starter, module, distributor stator and ignition switch (twice). Every time I changed ignition switch there is improvement for a couple of weeks, after that it is the same problem. The car is in very good condition, clean inside and out. No corrosion and engine is clean inside as well. Checked cables to starter connections and not seen any problem.
Any suggestion what else to look into?

5 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,874 POSTS

What are the symptoms? If the engine doesn't crank, does the solenoid / relay click?

Caradiodoc

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Thursday, April 8th, 2010 AT 7:42 PM

ZEN ZACZEK

MEMBER
3 POSTS

Yes, I hear a click, but the starter doesn't turn.

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Friday, April 9th, 2010 AT 7:10 AM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,874 POSTS

Check the connections on the two large nuts on the starter relay. It sits near the battery on the inner fender, and is black, about 2" around. You can follow the red positive battery cable to it. It is real common for those nuts to work loose because they are just soft copper. That's what should be clicking when you turn the ignition switch.

If the nuts are tight, measure for voltage on both of them when a helper turns the ignition switch to "crank". A test light should be bright, or a voltmeter should read at least around 10 volts.

Caradiodoc

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Friday, April 9th, 2010 AT 3:41 PM

ZEN ZACZEK

MEMBER
3 POSTS

I do not know if you refer to the 94 Thunderbird relay. I know that relay was on the inner fender on the early models, but in my car there are two red cables coming from the batter terminal, one is going to the fuse box on the inner fender, the other is going under the engine, probably right to the starter solenoid. I have to look closer where that relay is located. Today I had that starting problem again and I tried to overpass the safety neutral switch by starting from neutral shifter position, it did not work either.

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Sunday, April 11th, 2010 AT 1:02 PM

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,874 POSTS

If you are familiar with the old round solenoid that was used on the older models, that is the same part that was used as the starter relay when the solenoid was on the starter. My guess is it didn't make sense for Ford to buy millions of relays if they had a whole pile of solenoids already in stock that needed to be used up. The way to tell is to look at the wires on the two large terminals. Either way, you should see a large red battery cable going to it. If the second terminal has a fat cable going to the starter, they are using it as the solenoid. On the newer models, the second wire will be real small. It is being used as a relay to operate the solenoid on the starter. It's the same part, just serving a different function.

Caradiodoc