69stangcoupe

ok about 3 weeks ago my car wouldn't start. it made a noise like it was going to start then it got quieter and began winding down it sounded like. then i try to start it again and it makes a wierd noise and the engine doesn't turn over at all. it just makes this kind of clicky noise so i figure its the starter. so i take it to a shop and they take off the starter and test it and they said the "bendix" in the starter was locked up. never heard of that before. so they fix that and it starts. ok good. then about 2 days later it does the same thing. so then i think the alternator isn't working properly. i take it to napa and get it checked. they say it is good. they said try the voltage regulator. its like 20$ so i just get a new one. put it on and voila' it starts up again. then a week later it does the same exact thing!! but this time it lasted longer so i must have done something right. the voltage regulator is new, new solenoid, alternator is fine...... i get the battery charged and it starts up fine. i start it everyday for about 8 days and then it makes the weird noise again. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM!!!!!

P Zero

Youve got a bad battery that isnt holding a charge. Take the battery out and take it to sears. They have Midtronics load testers. Itll charge the battery up if it needs to then itll put a series of loads on it like youre trying to start the car. Thats the only true way of testing a battery.

Also, one more thing. On any older Ford that doesnt want to start heres what you need to do. First disconnect the battery, clean the terminals on the battery and the cable ends. Even if its not corroded that doesnt mean it has a good connection. It should almost be shiny. Then follow the wires, 1 goes to the solenoid the other goes to the block. Clean those cable ends and the terminal on the solenoid. On the ground clean the cable end and the clean the block where it grounds to. Then remove the solenoid, clean the back of it (thats the ground for it).
That right there will usually get any old ford to start.
-P.

66GTKFB

Something is draining your battery; a clock, stereo memory, a light under the hood or in the trunk, or a short in a power lead somewhere.One thing to try, with every thing off, doors closed, etc, in a dark area remove one of the battery leads and, while keeping an eye on the lead very close, touch it to the terminal. If you seea spark, something is draining your battery.
Jim
One more thing, clean all the battery connections and the ground strap from the engine to the firewall.

69stangcoupe

ya i bought the battery from sears and just had it checked the last time it died and they said it was good. they did put it on that machine thing

jlg2002

Actually, if the car will start, take the whole car to SEARS and have them do an electrical system test. It will save the second guessing on what to cahnge next. otherwise, Pzero has good advice.

P Zero

Did they load test the alternator? Go to a shop and ask them if they have a VAT-40 machine. If they do take your car up there and have them load test the alt. If it dies as soon as they apply load to it, its bad and needs to be replaced.

Also, did they remove the battery from your car and test it? Or did they test it in the car? The hand held deals arent accurate. I used to work at a Sears auto center so I know there are 2 different ones.
-P.

69stangcoupe

i took the battery out of the car and brought it up there and they put it on a machine and it took 45 minutes to do. then they told me it was good. ALSO, i just went out and cleaned all the terminals and the ground to the engine and it was pretty dirty. it didnt start after that so i jumped it and it finally started. i ran it for a couple of minutes, turned it off, and then tried to restart it and it did the same thing. im stumped

toolwench

How is the wiring loom that goes from the main harness to the alternator. I had a situation where the ground wire from my alternator to the block had fried. Car started and ran fine until the battery wore all the way out. Alternator was fine. Battery held a charge. Everything was fine except for that one wire. I replaced the harness (about $30), jumped the battery to get the car started and it has been fine ever since.

Perhaps yours has corroded or something and you chased the corrosion by buying all the other new parts that helped, but only until the corrosion (or whatever) got bad enough again to increase the resistance through that wire.

JamesW

Sounds like the cabling to me too. Rather than taking off the battery in a dark place and doing an 'arc' test... I'd suggest getting a meter or test light and clamping one end to the + battery cable and touching the probe to ground. If it registers or lights, then you've got a short somewhere in the system. Start troubleshooting by going to the fusebox and removing each fuse individually to see if you can find the leak circuit...

Soaring

Sounds like you may have something not turning off when you turn the key to off. I went out to the mail box the other day, and saw that Ol' Yeller's brake lights were on. After replacing the brake light switch she is a happy camper again. Maybe a glove box light? Like JamesW said, do the pull the fuse trick.