randomly will not start

So the starter turns the engine over normal speed?Or is it doing something else?

Is the security light on solid or flashing when this happens?

security light? The red letters that say theft is solid. According to another response on a page I can't seem to find now it said to listen for fuel pump turning on. I have been doing so and everytime I hear something engage that I assume is the pump when I turn the key to the on position. It just happened again and now I could not get it to start even after waiting a while. Also when I place key in on position I'm not hearing the sound I assume is the pump. It turned on for a second then died and could not restart. Could that be a fuel pump symptom? Is it a fuse? Relay? How can I tell? I appreciate any help. Thanks!

The reason it wont start is because the theft light is on.What is the 8Th digit of your vin?

I considered this being an issue as I've encountered something like that before due to other keys on my key ring. Now I have it on it's own. I thought though it had to be flashing if that was the cause. Honestly this car seems to be too high tech for me, lol. The 8th digit is a letter You. If it were the anti theft system would that cause a. Intermittent problem not consistent and b. To start up and then die within a second?

Yes to both questions problems with the security system can be very intermintant.

ok so now I guess a. What does the 8th digit of the vin have to do with it and b. What steps can I take to fix it?

The 8th digit of the vin tells me what engine incase i need to know that.The first step is see what codes you have that way we will have a trouble tree to start with.The codes were looking for start with the letter B followed by a four digit number.

I have checked codes like check engine light. All I've gotten is EGR valve but that's been there for a little while. Don't think it's the cause though I could be wrong. As far as I know those are the only codes I can read. Now weird thing I read about rolling it for a bit and it can reset the system somehow. I don't know but I've tried it all 3 times and it has worked. This last time I paid more attention and heard a click like the wheels or something then tried and car turned on. Now this could be unrelated. Just thought I'd include any info that could pertain. Now just to rule out pump itself: if that was bad then wouldn't car also be susceptible to shutting down while driving? Which it doesn't do. Ok thank you

The egr valve has nothing to do with the theft light on and a no start.Also if the theft light is on there is no need to check the fuel pump because the car has been disabled we know this because the theft light is on.So you have relearned the theft in the past and that has gotten the car to start in the past?

Yes I read a post from someone somewhere and like I said it mentioned rolling. So i put car in nuetral and roll back then forward. It could be a simple coincidence, but the 3 times this has happened in the last couple weeks it has worked. After rolling i try again and voila car turns on. Today I will be testing fuses to see if theres a bad one somewhere. Other than that I don't know where to look. wires somewhere? I've read you can't disable the PAS II. I've also noticed that when car is off and locked and security system set it will at random let out a few beeps. Though no one or anything is toouching the vehicle. Could that be related. I feel like there's a short somewhere. It's my assumption the system is connected to the vehicles battery so i don't see it being a low battery unless there is another one somewhere I don't know about. I haven't had battery checked recently but 2 months ago had Les Schwab check it and they said it was good. Getting really lost on where to go from here. With as much as I drive this is a huge inconvenience and loss of assurance.

So when the car doesnt start it cranks but wont start?Or no crank no start?

It cranks and everything sounds like it should, but won't start. I also do not hear the fuel pump turn on when i put key in on position like I normally can when it does start. This not engaging is why it doesn't start I'm assuming. When I do hear it turn on car starts no problem. So essentially I'm trying to figure out what could be causing it to not engage all the time. So far it's happened 3 times about once every 5 days. Aside from those times it works just fine.

So everytime it does start and you dont hear the fuel pump come on the theft light is on solid at that time?Also when it does start the theft doesnt come on solid?

Wow, there seems to be a lot of Taurus questions on here. I know you guys will help me.

FACTS:
-Battery fully charged
-While helper turns ignition key to crank, I got under the car and checked the solenoid to starter braided wire with a multimeter. 12 volts.
-While helper turns ignition key to crank, starter makes a loud repetitive clicking sound.
-While helper turns ignition key to crank, while the clicking noise is happening, the serpentine belt and accesories move very very very very slowly.

Could the engine be suffering from hydraulic lock? Could it be something that causes the ignition not to fire? Wouldn't starter still turn motor just as easy if no ignition present? Thank you guys in advance.

It sounds like the starter is shot. Make sure the main power cable from the battery to the starter has 12 volts at the starter at all times. Next check the smaller wire on the starter solenoid for the presence of 12 volts while cranking. If 12 volts is present on both wires, you have a bad starter/solenoid.

What if I take the starter off and power it through the solenoid just as it normally would and it spins pretty good and fast? Could the starter be weak due to an internal problem? Also, just because the battery has 12 volts, and the starter clicks, does that completely rule out the battery?

The starter motor overrunning clutch could be slipping-

Hydro-locking-remove all the sparkplugs and crank the engine over is the engine cranking freely-

If you do not know how to remove and test your starter yourself, you can take it off and many popular parts stores will do it for you.

Take along the battery too....they'll check it for free too!

If your cylinders aren't full of water (sorta worst case scenario)

Try the things i suggest in this link....do this before you start snatching out the battery and starter

Http://www.2carpros.com/questions/1996-chevrolet-tahoe-wont-start-sounds-dead-battery-jumpbox-get-same-reults

The pic in the bottom of the link also yielded 12 volts when it was tested at the solenoid.....there was just no amps making it thru the corroded crimp. Sorta like getting a hypodermic size stream of water, when a fire hydrant's stream is needed

Return with some good news

The medic

Hey, i cleaned all the connections from starter to battery. It done the same clicking. So I took the starter out from the top and connected all the wires back. Then I case grounded it. I had my helper turn the ignition to crank and the starter gear engaged then spun like a top. But before the gear spun, the clutch clicked about a dozen times, shouldn't it just move once then spin. In other words, it took about 3 seconds before it started turning. That clicking sound we been hearing is definately the overrunning clutch. Is that normal, is my starter good?

That test is irrelevant because there is no load on the starter. It will typically draw about 250 amps to get started, then once it is spinning, it acts like a generator and develops "back EMF" just like a generator develops a voltage. There is no way to measure that current but we DO see the effect it has when it opposes battery current. That causes battery current to immediately drop to around 150 amps.

When you do this testing off the engine, the starter motor is free to spin way faster than normal so it develops a lot more voltage, (that back electromotive force) and current goes down even more. Big old heavy V-8 starters will draw less than 50 amps under those conditions and appear to work fine. That's why the only way to accurately test a starter is on the engine with a load. For a better explanation with sad drawings, see:

http://randysrepairshop.net/starter-systems.html

At the bottom is a link to Ford starter system diagnostics. There are four different systems they used over the years. One of the things you might especially look for is a corroded cable at the solenoid, battery and starter. The strands of wire corrode away under the end of the insulation where you can't see it.

Another good test with this type of problem in a high-current circuit is the "voltage drop" test. It works better than measuring voltage at various places in the circuit because when the starter is kicking in and out rapidly like yours is doing, the voltage AT a point in the circuit is bouncing around wildly due to those voltage drops ACROSS a point and digital voltmeters do not average out the fluctuating voltage to make it readable. Here's a link to explain voltage drop readings and why they work better at finding this problem:

http://randysrepairshop.net/voltage-drop-tests-in-a-high-current-circuit.html

Wow, you won't believe this. A friend told me to put the starter back on and jump the car with another vehicle. It fired right up. But after it fired, it cut right off unless you kept the throttle mashed. Could a battery that's not holding current cause the car to cut off after start. In other words it has enough cranking amps, but it's not keeping the car firing at idle. Then again, that sounds kind of like the emmission system has a fault(s).

Yes. Perform 2 tests:
1:Starter draw. This tests how many amps the starter requires to spin.
2: Battery load test. This tests if the battery is capable of supplying the type of current needed to start the vehicle, and if so, at what voltage. You need to know the cold cranking amps rating of the battery. It should be printed in the label somewhere.

Just for giggles

Completely remove your battery and have it tested at an auto parts store, their machines do a thorough job....12 v on a voltmeter does not load test your battery, so your home test may not be good enough!

If you feel you can't do that.... At least disconnect your battery for 10 minutes then hook it back up....this may reset your computer when it senses a full 12 volts

In my pic below---this '85 cj 7 had a new battery in it, it would not crank, unless it was jumped

This connection was at the battery----the other ends of the wires may be this way also....be thorough! Even loosening and "scooching" the connectors around may make better connections

The medic