When you started it before did you have any issues getting it started before? Crankshaft bolt size is a 21mm, also, I agree with those that say it could be a loose ground or bad starter. I had a starter go out on me in my 01 and it had similar symptoms. I've also had ground issues from my 00 at one point, fixed that up nicely. However looking at your situation, it could very well be the starter. The starter might've seized up a little from sitting, however your motor should be fine. My car sat for maybe 3months or more once and still started right up lol. Also, when you turn the motor by hand, put the car in neutral and disconnect the negative battery cable to disable the starter system.

 

Thanks for the size of socket I need.. 21MM.

The starting of it did not indicate anything wrong.. started up like a champ every time.

I'm just checking it out to make sure the motor isn't seized.. it's a simple check, just need the right socket size. The car does have 100K+ on it, so you never know.

I finally got it in the garage, so I can put it up on stands and get underneath the sucker too and double check voltage at the starter and even take the starter out and take it to get it tested.

I'm 90-% sure the starter just died.

 

Yeah, the bolt is a 21mm, just be sure to disconnect the negative terminal and put it in neutral, I'd do the same just to be absolutely positive it isn't a seized motor. And yeah, it sounds like the starter, like I said my stang sat for 3months or more with literally no maintenance, no moving, nothing, and cranked right back up and started fine. I'm sure it's the starter... ORRR starter solenoid, either or, a parts store can tell you in a matter of a minute which one it is, or if it's both.

 

Okay,
I had the starter checked, and it spun up just fine.
I had the battery load tested, and it tested fine.
I used the 21MM and the engine turned just fine.

I tested pin 85 where the starter relay is, to ground, and when I turn the ignition key to start, I get zero volts. From what I understand, this should have volts when the ignition key goes to start.

Thoughts on what to check?

Ignition Switch?
Neutral Safety Switch?

 

Hello, I'm stuck, as I can't find a reference to some of the item's i'm supposed to check.

According to a service manual, I am supposed to check for voltage between the digital TR sensor C110, pin 10, circuit 32 (RD/LB) and ground while holding the key in START position.

I have no idea where to find TR Sensor C110, Pin 10 in circuit 32.

Is it under where the pedals are? In that mess of stuff near the fuse box? Is it under the hood? on the transmission? In the center console?

Thank you in advance!

 

You could test that power is getting to the starter solenoid.
-remove solenoid lead
- attach VOM, 1 lead to gnd and other to solenoid lead.
- turn key to start and take reading on meter.,should be about 12.6V

No indication would point to bad key cylinder or defective/broken wire to solenoid.
Proper voltage would indicate faulty starter.

Try this ; tun on headlights; turn key to start. Did the lights dim a lot?
yes-defective starter.
no-defective starter solenoid

andale!

 

The whole for pin 85 or pin 86 should have power when you turn the key to the Start position. I don’t remember which one. The whole for pin 30 should have power all the time. The whole for pin 87 should be connected to ground and the whole for pin 87a should be dead. If you are confident in what you’re doing, you can put the key in the On position and use a jumper wire to jump the whole for pin 30 & pin 87. If it starts right up then the problem is in the ignition circuit. If it doesn’t then you either don’t have power at pin 30 or don’t have ground on pin 87 or a bad starter or starter solenoid. Do this at your own risk though. If you jump the wrong pin holes you could easily fry some electronics or blow a fuse if your lucky.


Good tips, except you don’t want to remove the solenoid lead. You want it attached to the solenoid when you test it. You should also get within 0.5 volts of battery voltage. So if your battery is at 12.6, you can get 12.1 volts at the solenoid and be OK. This is called a voltage drop test.


Or a bad starter relay


Or faulty starter solenoid


Not exactly. The lights could dim for a lot of different reasons, including but not limited to, a short in the starter circuit.

 

I didn't get any volts at the starter relay, pin 85, so I'm guessing there's no need to check for voltage at the starter solenoid, if I'm not getting power further up the chain (starter relay). Or, am I missing something here in my logic? Thanks for the suggestion.

The starter, starter relay work, as I took it to an autoparts store and it spun up just fine.

Regarding jumping the relay pins to see if it will start, I have no problem, running a jumper from Pin 30 to 87 from where I've removed the starter relay, as long as those are the two the need to be "jumped", and I'm not gonna fry anything. I know I could jump it there, just wasn't sure which pins.

 

Okay, so when I measure voltage across Pin 30 and 87, I get 12.5 volts.

When I applied the jumper from pin 30 to 87, the starter cranked... without the key in the ignition, without it in Start mode.

So, something appears to not be engaging the starter relay in the fuse box under the hood?

What's left?
Ignition Switch
Digital Transmission Switch
PCM

 

okay, where are the emoticons that show someone beating their head against a wall, slapping their face or holding the sign "stupid".

So, one of the first things I did was check all the fuses to make sure they were okay... and they were.... so long as the fuse was IN THE FREAKING FUSE BOX.

Fuse #6 under the console was gone..that was it. A missing freaking fuse. Where is the fuse? I have no idea.

the cover was off, as my son couldn't figure how to put it back on, after he replaced a blown cigar lighter fuse.... maybe it fell out, he kicked it out, whatever, last time he drove it.

Maybe a kid pranked it, and took the fuse (although the car was locked)....

Well, I learned a lot about trouble shooting, and wasted hours of my time.

Thank you all the assisted on this forum. Hopefully my futility in tracking this down will help someone in the future.

On to another problem... vibrations and drive shaft movement. Video too!