4 Wheel Drive/SUVs/93 ford escort

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Expert: - 11/21/2004


Question
my 93 escort wont start I canged the starter about 3months ago ran fine now it wont start turn key idiot ligts come on no start no clicking nothing battery is good could it be a relay or ?

Answer
Joe,

Double check the  battery under a load.  Many batteries can show 12 volts, but may drop in voltage drastically when under a load.  Try turning on the lights, and see if they are bright, and see if the battery voltage drops when the lights are on.  Idiot lights don't draw a lot of energy, so a bad battery will still light them up.  If the battery seems to be low, then I would make sure that your alternator is working properly.

I have seen new batteries, starters, and solenoids go bad, so that is a possibility.  Other than that, some cars have an ignition fuse, or fuseable link that can go bad.  If these items seem to check out ok, then the other item that can cause this would be a bad ignition switch.

Carl

4 Wheel Drive/SUVs

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Carl Brandt

Expertise

Will discuss suspensions, lifts, lockers along with tire suggestions. Trail ratings and possible requirements needed for specific type of trails. Safety equipment and what you should carry with you. Certified off-road instructor. I am not a mechanic, and 4-Wheeling is a hobby, so if I can't answer a technical question it is due to my mechanical knowledge being related to vehicles that I have owned, or have worked on. I do not have manuals on all vehicles.

Experience

40 plus years of 4 wheeling in a variety of vehicles. At the present time, my major off-road rig is a 94 Jeep Wrangler with a spring over and a 1 1/2" suspension lift. This gives me a total lift of 7" or so. I have lockers front and rear. I have removed the track bars, and sway bar for maximum articulation. I am running a stock 2.5 ltr 4 cylinder with a Jacobs ignition along with a cold air high flow filter. It has 4.56:1 gears with a Dodge NV4500 transmission along with a 3.8:1 Atlas II transfer case. This gives me a final ratio of 105:1 in low gear/low range. Other vehicles I own, are a 96 Ford F-250 with a 6" lift, posi rear end, 36" Hummer tires, 5 speed with a fuel injected 460 ci engine, an 87 Samurai with an 8" lift, Ford 9" rear end with a spool, Chevy Dana 44 front end with an electric locker, 5.88 gears, 16% reduction in high range and a 6.5:1 low range with 35" Baja Claws, and a stock 2003 Grand Cherokee Overland. Trails I have run are the Rubicon (10 times), Dusey Ershim, Fordyce Creek trail, McGrew trail, several trails in Moab, Utah along with local monthly runs.

Organizations
Lost Coast 4x4's Cal 4-Wheel Corva UFWDA Blue Ribbon Coalition

Education/Credentials
Certified off-road instructor - Certificates in engineering/electronics

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