" I guess the solenoid got stuck while sitting."
My Ranger does that after sitting a few days. Motorcraft battery 2013 vintage.
Also sometimes cranks few seconds then clicks.
Tap on starter, tap on solenoid- no change.
Get out the jump cables or a jump box. Zoom, no recharging needed.
Next no crank session the other day (clicking), checked battery voltage. 12.4 not great but ok.
This time, connected only the black ground jumper cable to engine just for kicks.
Zoom.
No battery charging occurred or was needed. Restarts return to normal.
Most times, starts like new and will crank strong over a longer time span if needed.
So the other day went out and purchased a generic 4g 24" ground cable for 5 bucks.
Neatly routed and connected to battery - and a bolt on a/c compressor mount. Is a good known ground.
Will know more as time goes on (sound familiar?).
New battery is on the agenda anyway. Current one will be spare. Using a pos wmart one as core.
Battery and/or grounds suspect.
Am going to add more ground cables to the Ranger frame and body. Old vehicles and rust scenario.
Already added additional ground cables to the Mustang and its been starting/charging fine, no electrical weirdness.
Hard part is determining not only if there is an electrical gremlin or more but where it is. Ranger here has one (or more).
Sometimes the ign timing goes wacko driving during warm up. Tach gets jumpy.
Temperature related. Never happens in summer. Prob a sensor.
Turn the HVAC blower on. Or if on, turn off. Engine smooths out. WTH??? Or multi restarts to allow PCM to find a strategy.
Once warmed up and past its fits, good for the rest of the day. And after tach dies to zero.
I know i may be delayed somewhere soon down the road if tach works on cold start. No tach, good to go.
Never does it when at the dealer or shop of course.
Will follow up with report when corrected.
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