Solved Can a bad fuel pump cause a no start or engine turn over, one click at starter?

[Exproblems]

Just as the title suggests, does anyone know if a bad fuel pump will cause a no start, no engine turn over and just one click sound coming from the starter? Basically, will a bad fuel pump keep the starter from trying to start the engine? Should the starter still turn over the engine even with a bad fuel pump? Thanks!

 

[BrooklynBay]

The starter has nothing to do with the fuel pump. The only thing in common is the ignition switch supplying voltage to the both of them. Technically, the ignition switch isn't supplying the voltage to the starter. It's only supplying voltage to the starter relay to close the circuit for the starter. The supply voltage for the starter is directly off of the battery through the starter relay. Follow the thick electrical cables.

 

[Exproblems]

The starter has nothing to do with the fuel pump. The only thing in common is the ignition switch supplying voltage to the both of them. Technically, the ignition switch isn't supplying the voltage to the starter. It's only supplying voltage to the starter relay to close the circuit for the starter. The supply voltage for the starter is directly off of the battery through the starter relay. Follow the thick electrical cables.

Okay, thanks for the info!

 

[2Trux]

Put a voltmeter on the power and ground at the starter and see what the voltage is when you try to start it. If it looks good take the starter off the engine leaving the power cable connected. Ground the case of the starter and hit the key again to see if it runs. Hold on tight because the starter will jerk hard if it runs.

If it doesn't work disconnect the starter and bench test it to see if it's bad.
If it did work check to see if the engine will turn. (Socket on crank pulley)

If the voltage drops at the starter when the key is turned there could be a wiring issue. (Probably a bad or corroded wire.)

 

[Exproblems]

Put a voltmeter on the power and ground at the starter and see what the voltage is when you try to start it. If it looks good take the starter off the engine leaving the power cable connected. Ground the case of the starter and hit the key again to see if it runs. Hold on tight because the starter will jerk hard if it runs.

If it doesn't work disconnect the starter and bench test it to see if it's bad.
If it did work check to see if the engine will turn. (Socket on crank pulley)

If the voltage drops at the starter when the key is turned there could be a wiring issue. (Probably a bad or corroded wire.)

The vehicle is now at my mechanics shop. My starter is only a year old and I have a Lifetime warranty on it. One thing I noticed when I turned the key to start it, was I held the key in the "Start" position for 3-4 seconds while looking at the dash Battery gauge and the battery gauge needle dropped to the low side as I held the key to the "on" position. Is this the same thing as in your last suggestion above, "where voltage drops at the Starter when the key is turned to the "on" position"? The longer I held the key to "on', the more the needle dropped to the low side of the gauge. My battery is only a week old. Thanks "2Trux' for the help and suggestions!

 

[Exproblems]

UpDate: Problem Solved!

Just as the title suggests, does anyone know if a bad fuel pump will cause a no start, no engine turn over and just one click sound coming from the starter? Basically, will a bad fuel pump keep the starter from trying to start the engine? Should the starter still turn over the engine even with a bad fuel pump? Thanks!

Update; Problem solved: I just picked up my Explorer from my mechanics shop. Turns out nothing is physically wrong with my Explorer. All systems, components and wiring is good. Here is what happened, my Starter actuator arm "Froze in place" from going thru the car wash the day before. Temps the morning of the car wash were from -6 F at my house to -13 F at the Doctors office 2 miles away. When I went thru the car wash, temp was 20 F and sunny outside. I took the vehicle home after the car wash and shut it off for the day. Water from the water jets that shoot up from under the car while going thru the car wash, got water into the Starter thru the "weep hole" and froze solid once I shut the car off for the day. This caused the starter actuator arm to not shoot out and engage the flywheel when I went to start the engine the next morning. The frozen actuator arm caused a big power draw, which in turn caused the PCU to shut off power to other electrical functions so they wouldn't be damaged by the power over load. The relay cut out power to the fuel pump. This explains why the fuel pump wouldn't energize when the ignition was turned to the "on" position. My mechanic said once my truck was sitting in his warm shop for a few hours, it thawed out and he found water dripping from the starter weep hole. So he placed an electric heater under the starter for a while and let it dry out. When he went to start the vehicle after doing this, it fired right up. He then tested the starter and it is working fine, he also tested the Alternator and it was putting out great voltage he said and my new battery is just fine. He also checked out all the wiring to the starter and that was fine. My Positive terminal was completely new, not spliced in with new connector terminals as I first thought. So all is good and it cost me $90.00 Labor (1 hr) with the tax. Moral of the story is, stay the hell out of Automatic car washes on very cold days. Thanks for all who offered help with this!

 

[Bobmbx]

My first winter in Minnesota (1995), I went through a car wash when it was really cold. Drove straight home. When I got there, the doors on the truck (a real Bronco!) were frozen solid. Took me ~30 mins to get out.

Live and learn.

 

[Exproblems]

My first winter in Minnesota (1995), I went through a car wash when it was really cold. Drove straight home. When I got there, the doors on the truck (a real Bronco!) were frozen solid. Took me ~30 mins to get out.

Live and learn.

Yeah I've had to yank a few frozen doors open in my time, especially after it warms to 35 degrees and rains, then flash freezes the same night. Hate when that happens. This was the first time a car wash caused my Starter to freeze up in 37 years of driving.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Thanks for the update! Your thread is now marked solved in green letters.