1994 Ford Explorer wont start. Smoking engine

Tiny
LEBONRAE
  • MEMBER
  • 1994 FORD EXPLORER
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • MANUAL
  • 135,000 MILES
Tested the battery, starter, and starter cylenoid. Those all work. Wont start just makes clicking sound, was able to push start. Today we put in bigger battery to see if that was the problem, same clicking but then it started smoking under the power steering unit, grey smoke with a faint smell of gas but mostly burned rubber smell? Help!
Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 AT 4:08 PM

6 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,176 POSTS
It sounds like the power wire from the battery to the starter. Check that and let me know what you find.
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Thursday, August 20th, 2009 AT 12:23 AM
Tiny
LEBONRAE
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
OK I did that and still just clicking. I figured out where the smoking was coming from though. I fried my fuel line! Im replacing the starter this weekend and hopefully that will make her start, but my concern is why is it frying the fuel line everytime I try to crank her over? Im on my second fuel line!
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Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 AT 6:10 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,176 POSTS
Is it a steel fuel line? Has the positive battery cable rubbed through and shorting?

Before replacing the starter, either have a helper turn the key to the start position while you check for power to the smaller wire at the starter. If you are getting 12+ volts, the starter is most likely bad. However, you could remove the starter and have it bench tested at a parts store. Most do it for free.
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Tuesday, August 25th, 2009 AT 11:00 PM
Tiny
LEBONRAE
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Had the starter tested and im replacing it. The fuel lines are steel, and when touching the a/c compressor it fries it. But when its not touching anything and I try to crank it over it gets so hot you cant touch it? During all of this I replaced all the battery cables and terminals. I even talked to the ford dealership mechanics and they looked at me like I was retarted and said they had no clue why the fuel lines are frying.
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Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 AT 1:16 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 110,176 POSTS
This one has me confused. The only thing that I can think of would be if there was a short on the line itself that caused it to heat up. Have you checked all the way to the tank where the sending unit receives power?
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Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 AT 1:43 PM
Tiny
LEBONRAE
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Not yet, was gonna check that today. My question is does the fuel line need to be grounded? Or is the sending unit already grounded to the frame? This is a new fuel line that I just fried again. So im assuming there isnt a short in that line itself. The thing thats confusing me is its just the one fuel line thats getting hot, all the others are just fine? Im not sure if this makes a diff. Or not but its a steel braided fuel line.
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Wednesday, August 26th, 2009 AT 3:14 PM

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