1997 Fleetwood Bounder (ford) not starting

If the starter makes a click, but does not turn over, it sounds like a bad battery. Try this. You have been charging the battery for a long time. Now load test it. Take off all the chargers, and then read the voltage. It should be 12.5 - 12.9 volts. Higher is better. Now turn on the headlights for about 5 minutes and check the voltage again. It should not have dropped more than 0.2 volts. If it drops by 2 volts, it indicates a shorted cell in the battery.

You might also have a bad cell in the coach battery as well. Check the voltage there the same way, but turn on 5 - 7 inside lights to put a load on the coach battery (with the charger off, or unplugged).

Normally even with a bad engine battery, hitting the 'AUX' start button will bring on the powerful coach batteries (about 220 amp hours of capacity) to help the factory size 85 - 100 amp hour 12 volt battery. You probably have a problem with both battery banks.

Good luck!

Fred.

enblethen wrote:
If the chassis battery goes into the battery control center, try cycling the battery disconnect switch.
The rig is suppose to be able to run with the battery disconnect in the off postion. Double check for another cable off chassis battery.

You are giving out bad info here. The '97 (actually the '97 BCC) will prevent the rig from starting if the chassis battery switch is OFF. That (switch override) feature was not added until much later on CB-115 rev. D. Once started, however, the chassis disconnect will NOT turn the batteries off - This prevents the accidental loss of power while underway, in the event someone accidentally turned the switch OFF.

OnaQuest wrote:
Okay, one (1) click means the starter relay (actually a small solenoid) is picking, but probably has bad internal contacts, and is not passing voltage on down to the starter solenoid. Two clicks and/or dimming of the lights would mean the problem is closer down toward the starter.

The solenoid you are looking for is located inside the dog house cover. Remove the cover and look on the dog house inner wall just forward of where your right foot would be if you were sitting with your foot on the accelerator. It can be a buggar to reach painlessly, but it's there.

You will know it when you see it, cause it looks just like any old start relay you've seen on Ford fender wells for years.

It may work if you give it a good wrap with a mallet, or you may have to replace or repair it.

Here is a simple diagram of the Ford start circuits. The relay that we are discussing is the small one on the right side of the page.

Unless this relay picks (and closes the contacts) the solenoid down on the starter will not be activated.

Hey THANK YOU! I will go look since I still have daylight.

Ok, I do turn those switched to on before I try to start it and to off when I give up... I tried the aux start button, it made no difference. I tried the battery button and it reads "good".

Is it like a old VW where you can tap the starter with a hammer???? ;)

Okay, one (1) click means the starter relay (actually a small solenoid) is picking, but probably has bad internal contacts, and is not passing voltage on down to the starter solenoid. Two clicks and/or dimming of the lights would mean the problem is closer down toward the starter.

The solenoid you are looking for is located inside the dog house cover. Remove the cover and look on the dog house inner wall just forward of where your right foot would be if you were sitting with your foot on the accelerator. It can be a buggar to reach painlessly, but it's there.

You will know it when you see it, cause it looks just like any old start relay you've seen on Ford fender wells for years.

It may work if you give it a good wrap with a mallet, or you may have to replace or repair it.

Here is a simple diagram of the Ford start circuits. The relay that we are discussing is the small one on the right side of the page.

Unless this relay picks (and closes the contacts) the solenoid down on the starter will not be activated.

There should be battery disconnect switches. Fleetwood normally puts them above the entre door. push bottom to turn off, then push on top to turn on.
When you turn the ignition switch to on, the dash indicator, red lights, should come on.
On the dash you should have a switch marked "aux start", Push and hold that in on the top. This should connect the coach batteries to the chassis battery to give more starting power.

Sounda like you need an auto mechanic to look at it for you. Gassers are just like old cars, most any decent mechanic can troubleshoot them. I would start with a voltmeter to see if any power to starter relay.

How do I cycle the battery disconnect switch?

all the cables are tight but tomorrow I will see if I can get them off and clean em.

I will update after that.

Thank you all :)

1. Make really sure the cables to the battery are clean and tight. Take a pair of pliers and grab hold of a cable and try to turn it left to right and right to left. If they are loose clean them up and tighten. If the cables and terminals are not shiny than they are not clean. After that move on to other trouble shooting.

Clean the battery terminals, sounds like it has volts just won't handle the amp load of starting.