What now? 99 Windstar....

I am having a couple of things going on with my van. One... sometimes there is a hesitation at start up when this hesitation happens I can see a flash of light coming from the front not sure if it is the headlights or what. I notice it because I park in the garage, I see the light bounce off the wall. Also at this start hesitation all the dash gages swing way over to the right than return to their normal positions. On about 3 occasions when the van hesitates to start I hear a pop sound coming from under the hood on the lift drivers side. I don't have this problem every day but it is getting more frequent. I've mentioned this on the forum before and was suggested to check some of the relays but can't find the post plus in that post I didn't mention about the pop sound so woundered if the relays still apply.
Also, my theft light flashes like crazy at start up, than slows the flashing down but continues to flash will I drive. I believe it use to stop flashing once I started driving and it never flashed so fast before.
Any suggestions on what things to look at. Keep in mind I am not a mechanic just a van owner trying to troubleshoot some things before taking it to the mechanic and paying him his time to troubleshoot. If it is something I could fix I will try first.
I have learned so much from this forum and have saved tons of money with the knowledge I get equipped with before going to the mechanic!

You may need to check the battery to make sure something not grounding the cables.. If the pos batt cable is loose and corroded this may cause this too happen... Your alternator may be a falt as well..Only other thing would be a short in the wiring...

You may need to check the battery to make sure something not grounding the cables.. If the pos batt cable is loose and corroded this may cause this too happen... Your alternator may be a falt as well..Only other thing would be a short in the wiring...
We had one instance when the van wouldn't start at all. Just a click noise. We got a jump, it started right up. It has been starting with no problems the majority of the time with the exception of an average of once a week, usually when my van hasn't been driven the day before. It will start but has that slight hesitation but not usually having the pop sound I mentioned in my original post. Anway when we got the jump we went to a mechanic who tested the alternator and battery and all look really good. Which surprised me since we have not put a new battery in the van since we bought it 4 years ago. They tested the batteray and alternator with a hand held device of some kind, at other garages when I have had to have a battery and alternator tested they rolled out a large cart. Is there differnt types of decives that test with some being more accurate? Maybe I should have the alternator re-tested some where else?

I agree with Gary, it sounds like you may have a loose of corroded cable, either at the battery itself or in/under the power box next to the battery.

The guy at the garage just used a handheld voltmeter to check the output of the alternator and the charge on the battery, which apparently were fine. If you have a shoddy connection, though, you could be in for more trouble.

Well I am still having the problem as described in the first post of this thread.
The battery terminals are very clean looking. I did open up the caps on the battery....How far up should there be water? I see water in there and they are all at various levels but on the low side. Would that be causing my problem? The battery is a 'maintance' free battery and is over 4 years old. When hooked up to a voltmeter the battery was fully charged and the alternator tested fine.
One time this weekend when starting the headlights flashed on, the horn honked and the gages swung all the way over to the right. This only happens with the first start of the day the rest of the day the van starts up normally.
I may have to just take it to the Ford dealer but would like to have an idea of possible problems first.
Thanks!

Be sure to check the cables on the starter motor. Its located on the front of the engine and any flashes there would be easy to see.

Be sure to check the cables on the starter motor. Its located on the front of the engine and any flashes there would be easy to see.
No flashes from the starter motor, but the headlights flash on when the van is started there is also a pop sound on the drivers side. On one occasion when it does this the horn blows too. It is odd.

I don't have my diagram book close by, but there are about 4 "SSP" relays in the system that have no purpose that I see other than to shed load if the system voltage gets below some threshold ... keeping the PCM alive (I'm guessing as to their purpose). Its possible one of these relays is getting a bit flakey (like me!).

If you have the glovebox manual, you will find these relays identified.

There is only one answer, Your van is possesed. But the gauges go all the way up on startup in my van too since new. I dunno if it is made to do that.