Batrtery or starter?

Crap! My 1998 Explorer won't start. - YouTube

? 2:58


www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ign5HPR9_0

Jul 7, 2012 - Uploaded by byersm66

Turns out the starter relay (not solenoid like I said) was fin. ...1996 Ford F-150 No Start with ScannerDanner-EricTheCarGuy - Duration: 26:19.

You have the symptoms of a defective starter solenoid, the large contacts inside the starter solenoid get eroded over time and finally start to not make connection, that is the click and the no start, in most cases you can get it started by repeated attempts, but in the end it will strand you. The starter solenoid can be rebuilt for about $10 and an hour of your time to remove the starter from the truck.

Why didn't the mechanic continue on & resolve the issue?

You don't have the experience to do so, as your here

No one can tell you what is wrong without the vehicle to test,
common sense

May need this:

So your fuel pump is working, it could be that your starter is not. Check your starter.

If you turn your head lights on and they are dull, the battery is flat or dead.If not may be a starter motor issue.

to check your starter, locate the starter, this should be on the side of the transmission and eng. there should be 2 wires going to it, 1 small wire (signal from your ignition switch) and one big one(power from your battery). use something metal to connect the 2 together. if it starts cranking over you know your starter is good.
Or you could just take it out and take it too your local auto parts store, most can bench test them.

Someone should be able to chime in but ford has microchip keys, i'm not sure if the computer shuts fuel off or stop ignition signal.

Try the ignition switch to see if it is bad or, you might have put the starter in a bind when you replaced it, take a socket and a ratchet and find the size you need to turn the engine from the pulley. If the engine will not turn, the starter has it in a bind against the flywheel.

no this is either caused by a defective starter solenoid (on starter) or a defective positive battery (red) cable, both are common on this year of explorer.

this is usually a sign of a bad starter when you turn the key and will not turn over but not sure why it died when stopping!