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Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start!


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victormd
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:03 PM

Post #1 of 26 (4332 views)
post icon Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Hello,

I have a 1987 Crown Victoria LTD, and just replaced the heater core in the car. Got everything back in, but now I can't get it to start. The car clicks one time right when you first try to start it, but doesn't click repeatedly like you would expect it to if the battery was dead. Also, the lights and radio all work fine, so again, doesn't seem to indicate the battery is dead. Any ideas on what I can check to find out why it's not working, or ideas as to what might be causing it to not work. We did remove all the dashboard trimming and dropped the steering column in order to get to the heater core, so it's possible something was disturbed then, but visually we cannot see anything that has been broken or disconnected. Any help would be greatly appreciated!


Sidom
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:09 PM

Post #2 of 26 (4325 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Did you have the battery tested & also clean the terminals????

Also on kick panels on both sides there are grounds that go to the body.....Pull the covers & make sure all the ground wires got hooked back up....


(This post was edited by Sidom on Dec 15, 2012, 2:09 PM)


victormd
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:10 PM

Post #3 of 26 (4318 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Just checked the battery and terminals, that's all good. Now, we never unhooked those ground wires, so it sounds like I need to find and check those, make sure I didnt pull one of them loose?


Sidom
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:13 PM

Post #4 of 26 (4314 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

I would really have the battery tested before I started digging too deep into this.........


victormd
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:17 PM

Post #5 of 26 (4308 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

My question there is that the battery was working fine before I replaced the heater core, so out of curiousity, what would or could have happened in the process of replacing the heater core that would have caused the battery to not work? I charged the battery, and tried to start it again, but it's still not working?


Discretesignals
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:19 PM

Post #6 of 26 (4297 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Does this have an aftermarket alarm system?





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victormd
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:20 PM

Post #7 of 26 (4293 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Nope no alarm system, or anything aftermarket that we know of besides maybe the tape deck


Discretesignals
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:22 PM

Post #8 of 26 (4279 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Do you have power at the starter solenoid? The small wire on the S terminal should have 12 volts when you turn the ignition to start.





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(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Dec 15, 2012, 2:22 PM)


victormd
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:23 PM

Post #9 of 26 (4274 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Will a networking multimeter work for measuring that?


Sidom
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:26 PM

Post #10 of 26 (4262 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

More than likely the battery is fine BUT over the years.....If I could get back all the lost hours I wasted diag'ing circuits I looked past the battery because it was either new or worked fine before the repairs, I'd be a young man again....

So, your battery is probably ok so the next step is for you to pull the kick panels & verify the body grounds are intact, the look under the dash on both sides & under the hood and visually make sure everything is hooked up. Then check all the fuses. After all this, if it still won't start, we have to go back to square one and play it like we have no history on the car, pull up a wiring diagram and start tracing down the circuit.....

It really sux to be way into the wiring diagram part of the diagnosis & then have a tire installer go put a new battey in the car & it starts.........Cool


(This post was edited by Sidom on Dec 15, 2012, 2:27 PM)


Discretesignals
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:28 PM

Post #11 of 26 (4252 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Well you could always jump the solenoid relay S terminal to battery and see if the starter works. That would eliminate the starter motor, cables, and the battery.

If your meter measures DC voltage in the 20 volt range, it will work.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.


victormd
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:30 PM

Post #12 of 26 (4248 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Ok - sound advice - Thank you =) I have the kick panels mostly off still, what exactly am I looking for with the ground wires? I can't seem to find a good picture of what wires I'm looking for?


victormd
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:31 PM

Post #13 of 26 (4244 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Yeah, this is not the meter I was thinking of. =) So it won't work. How exactly do you jump the solenoid? I've seen this mentioned on other threads, but don't know how to do it.


Discretesignals
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:38 PM

Post #14 of 26 (4221 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Make sure the transmission is in park and the ignition is turned off. Not fun having your car driving across the street or into your garage without you in it.

There are two little pins. The pin you want is the one that has the red/light blue wire attached to it.








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(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Dec 15, 2012, 2:40 PM)


victormd
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:43 PM

Post #15 of 26 (4213 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Ok - thank you for the picture - do I need to disconnect any wires or cables first, or just do it as it is? (Not trying to sound dumb, just not familiar with the electrical workings of the car)


Discretesignals
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:50 PM

Post #16 of 26 (4204 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

watch this video..then you'll understand

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSrHs87TEKQ





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Dec 15, 2012, 2:50 PM)


victormd
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Dec 15, 2012, 2:52 PM

Post #17 of 26 (4198 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

yay! I love videos! =) Thank you! Give me a few minutes, I'll go give this a try!


victormd
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Dec 15, 2012, 10:04 PM

Post #18 of 26 (4154 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Hello - still waiting to get a voltometer to check some of this stuff but I am also wondering if I might have done something to the neutral safety switch and if so how would I go about checking or fixing that?


nickwarner
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Dec 16, 2012, 8:23 AM

Post #19 of 26 (4139 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Find out what you've got at that solenoid first. Its eas to overthink things but follow the tests in order and you will get to the problem. You need to get that voltmeter. Even a cheap one from the parts store will do. It doesn't need to be a $400 Fluke meter.


victormd
User

Dec 16, 2012, 11:07 AM

Post #20 of 26 (4129 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

I am picking one up from my wifes grandfather today, will check back in with what I've found. Thanks!


victormd
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Dec 16, 2012, 6:08 PM

Post #21 of 26 (4119 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Ok - so tested it, getting teh 12 volts, also when jumping the starter the engine cranks, but still nothing when we turn the key. What does that mean, and/or what are my best next steps?


victormd
User

Dec 16, 2012, 6:11 PM

Post #22 of 26 (4114 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Scratch that - now it appears to be working - will let it run and let it sit and see if that continues. Thanks for all the help! Couldnt have done it without you guys! This site rocks!


victormd
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Dec 19, 2012, 11:52 AM

Post #23 of 26 (4083 views)
post icon Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Ok, so now I have to jump the car through the solenoid every time I need to start it. So, is that the solenoid that needs to be replaced?


Hammer Time
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Dec 19, 2012, 12:49 PM

Post #24 of 26 (4074 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

No it's not the solenoid. You need to test the rest of the circuit.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
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Dec 20, 2012, 11:34 AM

Post #25 of 26 (4061 views)
Re: Help Please! 1987 Crown Vic - Replaced Heater Core, Now Car Won't Start! Sign In

Pretty sure that "S" wire to start it is just a push on connector. They get tired and usually you can just pinch the opening and they make a better connection. Single click earlier on sounds more like lousy battery cable ends. Not just looks, they have to be cleaned or tossed if they aren't good.

One thing that might have brought this all on is if a hood light was left on during all that work for a heater core the battery took a hit??

T






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