[oldeguy]

It seems my starter isn't co-operating, and won't start the car, there is power going to it, the battery is fine,but all i get is a click click click......... My neighbour the mechanic is convinced the starter is ........not working. Anyone ever replaced one, by them selves? have any tips?

[OAC_Sparky]

Have you checked your cables for tightness/corrosion? Not to be a smart-alec, but just because power is reaching the starter doesn't mean it's getting enough power. Check the grounds too.

[torradan]

Check grounds and connections first..

I don't how accessible the starter is, but try smacking it with a hammer and see if that loosens it up enough to get it to turn over. Could be jammed, and on it's way out since you turn the key, and the starter heats up because its stuck. Did that way back when with my 80 Fairmont. Every couple of days I had to bang it with a hammer until payday rolled around to get a new one.

I've never replaced one in a Focus, but I'm guessing that the exhaust could be in the way.

If you need a hand with it, let me know and I can help you out. Won't be home this weekend, but next week would be cool.

[ZX3_2NV]

grab a wrench or hammer like previosly stated wack it a few times while someone is trying to start it if it starts you know your starter is going so drive it to your mechanic and when your hitting it your not loseing anything up your tricking it into sparking itself

[reldridge]

Seems weird... Multiple electrical issues all at once. Battery/Charge light in the other thread, now trouble starting.

Two common problems could cause both. Bad ground (as suggested), or bad battery (which you say is fine).

Has the battery been checked by a mechanic with a load tester? Have all connections/cables been cleaned/tightened starting from the battery and working out? You would still get lights, radio, etc. with a low battery, but might not have enough to turn it over.

You could replace the starter, and see if that helps. But if that isn't it, then you're starting from square one. I think maybe something larger might be going on... :iono:

Replacing the starter wouldn't be hard, just got to get it up in the air and swap it out.

Ryan

[oldeguy]

reldridge,Jul 25 2008, 11:31 AM Wrote:Seems weird... Multiple electrical issues all at once. Battery/Charge light in the other thread, now trouble starting.

Two common problems could cause both. Bad ground (as suggested), or bad battery (which you say is fine).

Has the battery been checked by a mechanic with a load tester? Have all connections/cables been cleaned/tightened starting from the battery and working out? You would still get lights, radio, etc. with a low battery, but might not have enough to turn it over.

You could replace the starter, and see if that helps. But if that isn't it, then you're starting from square one. I think maybe something larger might be going on... :iono:

Replacing the starter wouldn't be hard, just got to get it up in the air and swap it out.

Ryan
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When I replaced the intake with the SVT intake, I had to take out the battery. While tigthening up the positive clamp, it broke. I went to Canadian tire and got a cheap clamp, put all the wires into the clamp and the car seemed fine,actually it was better than before. Tuesday, the light started doing it's thing, but, no loss of accessories. When I got it home Wednesday, I tried to reconnect everything, and thought I had it. That's when the starter started "misbehaving." The only odd thing that occurred is that at one point, after the computer did it's read, the speedometer and the fuel gauge got stuck, the speedometer at 220 km/h and the fuel gauge at half. After I disconnected the battery again, it has since since behaved normally. The battery has been tested, and once I get the starter out, I'll test it. We've hammered the heck out of it, and it doesn't co-operate. Then we'll become detectives to see what's going wrong. My neighbour, who is helping me, is a mechanic. He's not a Ford mechanic, but he knows what he's doing. The worse part of the starter is there is one bolt that is very hard to get at, and you can't take the starter out until you disconnect the wires.

[Scorcher000]

I have the same prob with my Yellow top deep cell battery. My alternator went and the car running off the battery for 2 weeks killed it, though I didn't know it I had it charged up and placed it in my car, go to start, click click click, WTF. pop the stock bat in and head to my mech to properly charge this thing over the weekend. the test and load on the battery shows excellent. Pop the yellow top in and oncce again click click click. Took it to the manufacture, battery is cooked inside won't hold charge. So try another battery in there JUST to make sure, learn from my F ups.
Hopefully your luck will change too.

[Flofocus]

click click click is the same noise my car made when I had to recharge the bat. I really doubt its your starter.

[oldeguy]

After removing the starter, and let me say, it isn't that much fun to do, it turns out that the battery was defective. After putting in a new battery, testing the starter, and hooking everything up, it turns out that the alternator bearings are shot. I need to take some electrical courses :rolleyes: So, tomorrow, it's off with the old, and on with the new. :D :blink: <_< :( :angry: :unsure: :D

[reldridge]

So both a bad battery and alternator? Wow... :D

Oh Focus gods, please take it easy on oldeguy for awhile, he's had enough lately! :lol:

[Flofocus]

Flofocus,Jul 25 2008, 12:35 PM Wrote:I really doubt its your starter.
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:P

[silvermist]

I was going to say it might be your alternator. the easy way to test I hard is the jump the car and see if it starts. if it does it is either the battery or the alternator. then flip on your lights, stereo and anything else you can think of. if everything goesout then it is your alternator. ( it a trick I learned from a tow truck driver whenmy firebird died. ) he proved it to me by boosting the car and when I turned on the headlights ( it was dark out) the car died because the headlights eat up the juice left in the battery and since the alternator wasn't charging there was no more juice being added.

the batery is just really used to start the car and run assesories ( i.e powerwindows mirrors, etc.) and the alternator basicly runs everything that is on via the battery. ( stereo, headlights, etc) and the battery is also used for quick draws of current or surges of current.

so when the alt dies the battery drains.