They had that ground unhooked for a reason. I'm not sure of the reason, but for a reason. If hooking it up caused your issue then perhaps the other end of that ground goes somewhere it is not supposed to go.
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In looking at this picture of your solenoid, it looks like your positive battery cable is connected on with a large black cable that goes into the fender well. Does that black cable go to the starter, or is that the black cable you bolted onto the timing cover to ground?
In looking at this picture of your solenoid, it looks like your positive battery cable is connected on with a large black cable that goes into the fender well. Does that black cable go to the starter, or is that the black cable you bolted onto the timing cover to ground?
It must go to the starter, because I never touched that one. I’ll take a look and see if I can figure out where it goes.
I understand. I'm not sure exactly where it goes, but it's not the one I played with. It was definitely the negative battery cable that I bolted up. I tried starting it again, and it seemed ok. Could I have a bad solenoid and the fact that it's happening after I hooked up the ground just be a coincidence?
I'm also having a hell of a time reading the dipstick for some reason. Sometimes it looks like it's right at the max level, and sometimes it looks like it's way higher than that. Since the car was on an incline when I drained it, I don't think I got all of the oil out, and since I (stupidly) emptied the whole 5qt jug into it, I'm pretty sure there's too much in there even after draining a little bit. The oil sticks to the dipstick in such a way that it's hard to tell what's an accurate reading and what's just residual oil from the dipstick tube. The oil pressure gauge reads a little bit higher than it did before.
Did you drain both drain plugs? There are two. Also, a stuck (forward) ignition switch could also have caused the starter to stay engaged.
Chris
Chris
What starter are you using? One has only the cable from the solenoid to a bolt on the side of the starter, the other looks more like a gm starter ( 
) with a smaller wire along with the positive cable.
) with a smaller wire along with the positive cable.
Decided there’s not much point in me trying to fix this any more today, going to wait until this Sunday to drain the oil and then I guess I’ll have to wait until this pandemic is over to take it in to a shop and have them look at the electrical problems, and who knows how long that’s going to take. I was going to drive it to work tomorrow since the weather is supposed to be nice and the traffic is clear, but obviously even if I hadn’t botched the oil job I wouldn’t have been able to drive it for long because of the botched wiring job, which I apparently botched even more.
Ugh.
Ugh.
What starter are you using? One has only the cable from the solenoid to a bolt on the side of the starter, the other looks more like a gm starter (
I have no idea, I'll check tomorrow.
This has been my face for the past month, and it made me laugh. Thank you sir.(
Can an ignition switch stick so bad that you remove the key and it still keeps cranking? I'm honestly asking because I find that hard to believe.
My previous statements were based on the assumption that that cable was the ground. If it isn't there is some weird stuff going on that needs to be sorted out.
Again, I would start at the solenoid and start tracing wires. Look up some wiring diagrams and make sure things are going to the right spot.
As for the dip stick. I read all the time where people complain about how they are not accurate. If you didnt drain both dumps then you mad a mistake. Not the end of the world. I would drain all the oil out into a clean pan. Look at it and judge how contaminated it is. If it looks basically like good clean oil put 5 quarts of it back in the car. If its looks dirty toss it and get fresh oil. I definitely would not put a new filter on it. Get 5 quarts of oil put it in the car and go. The next time you change the oil after you put the new filter on it and fire it up. Pull the dipstick and check it. Mark the stick where the oil level is. From that point forward you will know when it's full and when it isn't.
If you get all the oil out and you put 5 quarts in then that's all thats in the car.
Keep learning the car and I think it's great you are figuring this stuff out. Most people dont anymore.
My previous statements were based on the assumption that that cable was the ground. If it isn't there is some weird stuff going on that needs to be sorted out.
Again, I would start at the solenoid and start tracing wires. Look up some wiring diagrams and make sure things are going to the right spot.
As for the dip stick. I read all the time where people complain about how they are not accurate. If you didnt drain both dumps then you mad a mistake. Not the end of the world. I would drain all the oil out into a clean pan. Look at it and judge how contaminated it is. If it looks basically like good clean oil put 5 quarts of it back in the car. If its looks dirty toss it and get fresh oil. I definitely would not put a new filter on it. Get 5 quarts of oil put it in the car and go. The next time you change the oil after you put the new filter on it and fire it up. Pull the dipstick and check it. Mark the stick where the oil level is. From that point forward you will know when it's full and when it isn't.
If you get all the oil out and you put 5 quarts in then that's all thats in the car.
Keep learning the car and I think it's great you are figuring this stuff out. Most people dont anymore.
- Mar 7, 2002
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Yes, but on this particular car it's more common for the starter solenoid to stick, usually after shorting internally due to not being grounded correctly. (Both can happen on a fox though.)
I did do both dumps. Draining was super easy and I think that made me a little too confident. I also think changing the oil on ramps was one of the reasons I didn't get all of the oil out, but on the other hand, isn't that how most people do it? Not everybody has a lift, and I can't imagine it would make sense to put both ends of the car on jack stands just for an oil change.
Should I have left the rear plug out while I drained the front plug to act as a vent and let the oil flow easier? Also, are you supposed to wait until it stops dripping completely or can you move on once it stops flowing continuously?
This is a little back to basics, but are you cleaning the dipstick off completely, then putting it back in..... remove it and checking oil?
When I did home oil changes I drove it up on the ramps and then jacked up the rear till about level. I'm not under the rear so I didn't put jack stands under the rear.
I don't remember what year you have but I put 5 quarts in with a new filter, run the engine for a few minutes and the oil will show above the full mark. I waited till the engine was cold and I marked the stick where the oil level was.
I don't remember what year you have but I put 5 quarts in with a new filter, run the engine for a few minutes and the oil will show above the full mark. I waited till the engine was cold and I marked the stick where the oil level was.
If you drained both drain plugs (even on ramps) changed the filter and put 5 new quarts in your oil change is good...no matter what your dipstick is telling you.
Yes I am, and don’t worry, I’m all about basics here.
The oil on the dipstick seems to darken at the max fill line, and the motor seems to run fine, although it idles a little lower. There was a small chunk of what looked like burned oil at the end of the dipstick when I pulled it out though. I guess it could have been sludge or residue flushed out from the previous oil. I’m still not going to drive it until I can drain the oil again and know for sure. With how black and syrupy the old oil was, it could probably use a flush anyway.
It sounds like your oil change was done correctly. You cant get 100% of the old oil out of a car during an oil change. I pull the plug/plugs and let the pan drain until it's just a string of oil coming out or its just dripping. If I've got other stuff to do I'll let it sit there and drip until I get back to it. When you take your car to an oil change shop they don't do anything special to get the oil out and they change your oil in minutes not hours.
It's best if your oil is warm. Hot is not bad either, but you have to be careful not to burn yourself.
Just to give you piece of mind drain the oil back out and measure it as well as inspect it for contamination. Put 5 quarts back in and call it a day. Like I said before, the next time you change your oil take the opportunity to mark you dipstick so that you have a true full mark.
The oil being a little low or a little high isn't that big of a deal. It will not cause the idle to change. Nor will it grenade your engine. You have to put a lot of extra oil in a 5.0 to get it to start getting into the rotating assembly of the engine.
People change the oil in their cars all the time using drive on ramps. I've done it my whole life. Actually I used jack stands, but its the same principle. You dont have to jack up the rear of the car. You can if you want. It only helps.
It's best if your oil is warm. Hot is not bad either, but you have to be careful not to burn yourself.
Just to give you piece of mind drain the oil back out and measure it as well as inspect it for contamination. Put 5 quarts back in and call it a day. Like I said before, the next time you change your oil take the opportunity to mark you dipstick so that you have a true full mark.
The oil being a little low or a little high isn't that big of a deal. It will not cause the idle to change. Nor will it grenade your engine. You have to put a lot of extra oil in a 5.0 to get it to start getting into the rotating assembly of the engine.
People change the oil in their cars all the time using drive on ramps. I've done it my whole life. Actually I used jack stands, but its the same principle. You dont have to jack up the rear of the car. You can if you want. It only helps.
- Jul 12, 2017
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I can squeeze under the car without lifting up the front to loosen and drain the oil with my drain pan. I don't think lifting it up is necessary, I can reach both drain plugs and I have a drain pan that slide under the car easy enough. Put 5 quarts in it, check the dipstick a few times, mark your dipstick with a file and ride on. You wont get ALL the oil out.
Boostedpimp
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
Not sure if 86 is effected but I know 87-89 and possibly 90-93's had an issue where the max line on the dipstick was wrong. I have in the past completely drained engine oil, added the five qts and let sit for extended period of time. Pull dipstick and mark or scratch a line where the oil is and used that to go by for future oil changes.
* found a post about here as well
* found a post about here as well
Boostedpimp
Dirt-Old 20+Year Member
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