2002 Grand Marquis starter relay

[mercurygm88]

I don't know why I'm having so much trouble finding this information. Can anyone tell me where the starter relay is on an '02 Grand Marquis? I've been told it's in the main fuse box under the hood, that it's in the relay box behind that with two relays, that it's on the driver fender, and that it's on the firewall. Obviously it's only in one of those places. I'm thinking it's in the little box with two relays behind the main fuse box under the hood, but I don't know which of the two it is. And does anyone know the test procedure for the wires to and from the relay?

I was driving it daily and the weather got nice so I let it sit for two weeks while I drove the Mark VI. Now it won't start. The starter is less than a year old but I'm pretty sure I'm not even getting power to the starter, haven't actually put a multimeter on it yet. I know that when I replaced the starter I blew a 30 amp fuse in the main fuse box under the hood that had something to do with the starting circuit and had to replace it but that fuse is good now.

[sly]

First, check to make sure that none of the wires fell off the starter. If all of that is good, then check the fuses in the under hood fuse box. The two relays to the side are for the radiator fan. When I get home, I'll try to remember to look up the relay location in my service manuals. Hopefully this isn't a PATS failure.

[mercurygm88]

First, check to make sure that none of the wires fell off the starter. If all of that is good, then check the fuses in the under hood fuse box. The two relays to the side are for the radiator fan. When I get home, I'll try to remember to look up the relay location in my service manuals. Hopefully this isn't a PATS failure.

I didn't think of the PATS system. A buddy of mine had a PATS failure on one of his TC Limo's. It would crank but the injectors wouldn't fire, he ended up leaving the battery unhooked for awhile and it cured itself, I haven't tried it yet. It's sitting in my side yard so I can't exactly get under it to check the wires, already checked the fuses.

[sly]

Right... PATS won't keep the starter from turning, just stops the injectors from firing.

Relay center box 2 is where the starter relay is. This is the small two pot one next to the under hood fuse box. It is the smaller relay of the two. The larger one is for the radiator fan. It uses the normally closed for low speed and normally open for high speed. Single relay for the two speed fan.

[mercurygm88]

I tried swapping the starter relay out with a known good relay, still nothing. Does anyone know how to test to see if power is getting to the relay and then past the relay?

[sly]

The pin that is perpendicular (pin 30 on a relay diagram) to the other two right down the middle should be the one from the fuse box (positive). That should read 12V at all times. If the relay is clicking, the coil part is working. Next, the top pin (87 on a relay diagram) should have continuity to the small wire on the starter. Ohm out the relay pin to ground. If you read open, that wire came loose, is broken, or the starter solenoid is the problem.