New to the Forum but an Original ST Owner

[67Rally]

Hey folks, I have been a happy, contented ST owner since December 26., 2001 and my baby was going strong until Sunday. With 213K miles, things were going great until this began to happen when attempting to start. Turning the key to the on position, I can hear the fuel pump turn on as it normally does. I turn the key to start and this happens:

Instrument light and click show

This noise seems to emanate from the driver's side of the vehicle forward of the footwell.

Sound below

Where do I start my search for the cause?

 

[Tylerxp2]

Hey folks, I have been a happy, contented ST owner since December 26., 2001 and my baby was going strong until Sunday. With 213K miles, things were going great until this began to happen when attempting to start. Turning the key to the on position, I can hear the fuel pump turn on as it normally does. I turn the key to start and this happens:

Instrument light and click show

This noise seems to emanate from the driver's side of the vehicle forward of the footwell.

Sound below

Where do I start my search for the cause?

I would say start with the charging system first. Mine did that when I realized my battery was 7 years old. Be sure Alternator is well also.
Hope that helps.

 

[DILLARD000]

Looks like a dead battery.
Put VoltMeter on your battery, should be
12.4v or higher engine off,
13.5v or higher engine running & alternator charging.
Be sure your Battery & Alternator terminals are clean & tight.
If 5yr+ old battery is always suspect.
Other wise, could be a bad relay

 

[67Rally]

Thanks for the feedback. The battery voltage was at 13.2 and it was only 6mos old. What we found out was that the battery (an Interstate) was bad and it wasn't putting out enough CCAs and so, the solenoid and starter fried as a result. All of the terminals are always clean and tidy and in full contact. After replacing the starter and battery, the charging system is running properly and with good CCAs.

To add insult to injury, one of the lines of the steering rack split dumping all of the power steering fluid (this, I learned after the fact). The power steering pump emptied and seized cooking the serpentine belt while I was driving on the freeway. I had no idea that anything happened until my battery started draining. Then I looked and saw the temp was climbing rapidly. I pulled off the freeway and just as I got to the roadside, something let go (the thermostat housing) and I started dumping fluid. That was a fun day last week.

 

[DILLARD000]

Wow what a mess!
Don't buy Interstate batteries. Have an Everstart/Walmart 810cca in mine. Its now 6yrs old & still seems strong. Biggest that would fit tray & clear hood.

 

[67Rally]

I got almost 10 years out of the original battery.

 

[DILLARD000]

The is the 3rd Battery in 21yrs on this 2001 ExST (factory birth date late 2000)
so I expect in the next year I'll need a new one.

Installed an onboard mini-charger with a chassis type male 120v plug under the front bumper;
a short extension 120v cord with anchored landyard to an outlet on my work bench;
as I back out of the garage away from the work bench, extension cord "automaticly" unplugs itself
& a SprungLid covers the chassis plug under the bumper protecting it from grime\debris.
Gets below zero here routinely 3 months out of the year, & I drive the truck once a week,
so this helps keep battery ready to go.
Wifes car gets used more often, so I don't worry a dead battery so much there.