No Crank in this cold weather

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Joe Davis

Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2001
Messages
22
Reaction score
5
Location
Lamar, MO
Hello,

Sorry if this has been discussed but I did a search and couldn’t find the result I wanted so I thought I would try you guys.

Longtime member but have not been here in a while. I have a 2001 Sport Trac 4x4 six cylinder. Never had a problem with it starting in the cold weather but here in the Midwest we’ve had negative degree temperatures the last two days. Yesterday morning my truck would not start. I turn the key and all the dash lights will come on but when I try to start it I would not to get a click or anything. The battery is fairly new and I went through all the things I found on the Internet such as tapping the starter and leaving the key on for several minutes and letting the fuel pump warm up but none of that worked. Yesterday, around noon, when it warmed up to a balmy 10°, the truck started up and ran just fine. But this morning it’s doing the exact same thing and I don’t believe it’s going to warm up here in Southwest Missouri for several days.

I don’t think I’ve ever had the starter replaced and if I have it’s been many years.

Any help would be appreciated
 
When temps start dropping below zero, machines & their parts start doing strange things.
Guessing a starter connection\relay has become loose with age & shrinks enough in cold to go open circuit.
I'd start in the fuse\relay box under the hood, pulling & replugging each relay & fuse one a time.
Clean & tightened connections were possible.
If you don't have luxury of a warm garage to park in at night,
an OnBoardBatteryCharger &\or BlockHeater plugged into an outlet, will help in subzero weather.
A WorkLamp\75wBulb left on under the hood is a ShadeTree\RedNeck version of a BlockHeater,
just keep it away from anything plastic\rubber\flammable.
Keep a can of starter fluid handy to spray into the intake air accordian tube for such cold mornings.
Be aware field mice love to make a nest in a warm engine & chew on various things in the fall+winter.
 
Last edited:
Hello,

Sorry if this has been discussed but I did a search and couldn’t find the result I wanted so I thought I would try you guys.

Longtime member but have not been here in a while. I have a 2001 Sport Trac 4x4 six cylinder. Never had a problem with it starting in the cold weather but here in the Midwest we’ve had negative degree temperatures the last two days. Yesterday morning my truck would not start. I turn the key and all the dash lights will come on but when I try to start it I would not to get a click or anything. The battery is fairly new and I went through all the things I found on the Internet such as tapping the starter and leaving the key on for several minutes and letting the fuel pump warm up but none of that worked. Yesterday, around noon, when it warmed up to a balmy 10°, the truck started up and ran just fine. But this morning it’s doing the exact same thing and I don’t believe it’s going to warm up here in Southwest Missouri for several days.

I don’t think I’ve ever had the starter replaced and if I have it’s been many years.

Any help would be appreciated
I'd say you need a block heater. Pretty sure they still make them for the dipstick tube. Leave it on overnight. Try and insulate the hood with moving blankets If you have some laying around.
Just keeping it simple...
 
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