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'96 Mustang GT starts randomly

Hi all,

I've read over a lot of the posts about the Mustang 96/97 generation cars not starting & there is some great information there! Some of those postings have very similar symptoms as my car, but let me explain my particular situation in detail in case it rings a bell with any of you.

Basically, my car starts about 7/10 times. When it starts, it's perfect - meaning the engine sparks right up, no coughing or choking. vrroooomm! When it DOESN'T start. The car is not completely dead. I turn the key & all the indicator lights shine bright as day...turn the key to ignition & no click. Try a couple more times...and vrrroooomm - back in business. It's not only just a cold start problem. It'll start sometimes fine first thing in the morning. Doesn't seems to matter how deep or shallow i position the cluctch on start (trying to eliminate the clutch switch as the culprit). I've read a couple of your posts about checking the alarm system...that's one thing i haven't really investigated. I have a '96 5sp Mustang GT Conv. with the stock Ford alarm system. Where should I begin to look? To tell you the truth, if i can just cut a wire & forget about the alarm altogether, i'm fine with that...as longer as the car will start on a consistent basis (i trust my neighbors). Anyone have any comments?

thanks in advance!!!

-grant.

Reply to
Grant H.
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I know this sounds too simple but check the cables to the starter and at the starter cylinoid make sure all are tight and free of corrosion you would be suprised to see how often this is over looked. I had a late model bronco that did the same thing it was a loose pos. cable to the starter.

Reply to
Groucho

Check the starter solenoid wire. I had a similar problem, the wire was making intermittent connections because the blade terminal was corroded.

Don't forget the dielectric grease.

Jim S. '82 Mutant

Reply to
Jim S.

Also, could be the solenoid itself going bad.

I used to rebuild starters and what happens with the solenoid is that because the plate and terminals internally are made out of copper, they are rather soft. Over time, everytime you crank your car up, the center plate that gets pulled back, engages your starter, and makes the connection for the motor, puts indentations into the terminals that it connects to. Over time, these indentations can get so deep, that it can't always properly make contact anymore. So if the wiring is good, a new solenoid might be the answer.

Stephan

1986 Pontiac Fiero SE 2.8L V6 Automatic 215 70R17 Yokohoma ES 100 Front 235 70R17 Yokohoma ES 100 Rear
Reply to
Stephan Rose

Your ignition module is getting ready to fail.

Reply to
Mr. Ford

Mr. Ford opined in news:Vt9ad.16027$ snipped-for-privacy@tornado.tampabay.rr.com:

What a load of crap... wtf does the ignition module have to do with failure to crank?

Even if it was a spark issue, your "advice" doesnt hold up

Stick to what you know

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

grant snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Grant H.) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

Do your accessories (i.e. radio) turn off when you try to crank? (the times when nothing happens)...if so, maybe the ignition switch (on the column, to avoid confusion) is the culprit.

The alarm module should be in the trunk, behind the drivers side trim. (Thats were it is in a '97) Disconnect the connectors and that'll take the alarm out of the equation.

Reply to
Jim

Jim wrote in news:Xns957E8691C27A5Jim@24.93.43.119:

Let me re-state my thought...if the radio does NOT turn off during a failed starting attempt, then maybe the ignition switch might be faulty.

I hope that makes a little more sense.

Reply to
Jim

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