That is what I was thinking but I pulled out the jumper cables and tried to jump the car with the darling wife's explorer.  Same result.. 'click'..

You may also have a bad contactor in the solenoid.  I would also check both cables at the battery posts.  You can get a surface corrosion that can break contact from one start to the next.  Last, make sure that you cable down to the starter has not loosened.  You could put a test light on the starter side of the solenoid and see if it lights when you hear the click.  Lots of possible problems.  Another useful old school technique involves a hammer and a piece of 2x4.  Smack the starter a few times and you may get it to rotate of of a possible bad section of the commutator.  If the hammer works, you probably need a new starter or you could buy a dedicated hammer and 2x4 for the occasional times you'll need it.

Last edited by GPatrick (5/28/2013 8:41 PM)

rmousir wrote:

Is there a way to trouble shoot this so I can tell for sure? 

I thought jumping the battery with the jumper cables would be sufficient to rule out a bad battery. 

I dotn't think that using a jumper battery will work if the battery in the car won't accept a charge.  You would have to take the battery completely out, and put your wifes battery in the car.

if you have a meter check the battery with the volt meter.

Usually the clicking sound is the solenoid trying to pull down the contacts but doesnt have enough power to keep them down so it goes up and down repeatedly creating the clicking sound.  If you think you have a good battery, and suspect the solenoid, then you can bypass it, by using just the postive side of the jumper cables from bat positive to the large terminal on the solenoid that has the wire leading to the starter.   but i would start with your battery first, then solenoid, then starter last.

Every battery failure I have had in the last ten years resulted in a battery that instantly died and would not accept a jump.  I think the failure mode for batteries is different now than it was years ago.  To get the higher advertised cranking amps, they place a larger (but thinner) quantity of the plates in there.  When one breaks off and falls against the one next to it, it shorts out and there is nothing you can do but replace it.  It might still even show 12 volts on a voltmeter, but not when under load.

When I was on the bash trip last year, my battery failed and I replaced solenoids, etc.  On the way home, it died completely and I had to push start the car.

before you spend a dime on new parts get a test loight and make sur you are getting electrical current at the stud on the starter.
Ford starters are notorious for poor conductivity at the starter. You may get a reading on the cable at the starter but no juice actually going into the starter.
If the test light does not work there go backwards on the wioreing to see where it stops.

rmousir wrote:

OK.. checked the battery.  12.56 amps according to my reading.  So one done.  I will pull the starter and check it out.  found a great video on youtube that I think I can follow.  More to come.

 Clicking means the solenoid is not drawing enough current to keep the solenoid activated.  You do not check a battery by checking the voltage it is putting out.  You must do a load test on it.  So that tells me you have NOT checked the battery.  You can go to any auto parts store and they will check it for you.  It will still read 12 volts or more even if it is totally shot as far as starting your car.

The clicking solenoid is the classic symptom, along with a no-crank condition.

MustangSteve wrote:

When I was on the bash trip last year, my battery failed and I replaced solenoids, etc.  On the way home, it died completely and I had to push start the car.

MS, I was just wondering what it finally ended up being on your car. I remember you having a heck of a fight at Glen's house with it.  Seems like someone else there had problems with a horse too!!

terry wrote:

MustangSteve wrote:

When I was on the bash trip last year, my battery failed and I replaced solenoids, etc.  On the way home, it died completely and I had to push start the car.

MS, I was just wondering what it finally ended up being on your car. I remember you having a heck of a fight at Glen's house with it.  Seems like someone else there had problems with a horse too!!

 Battery was bad.  Swapped it for a free replacement OPTIMA (was within 2 years of new) and it has been fine ever since.  Well, at last until I pulled the engine...  I have had the battery on a tender since Thanksgiving.

I have learned from having Mustangs since 1974.  If the solenoid just clicks, it is 9 time out of ten time for a new battery.  As suggested also, check the simple stuff first, like the wire!

Glad you got it working and only had to buy one part! Way to goooo!!!!