Does anybody have a start system schematic for a 97 Ford E-350 w/ 5.4? I jumped across the start solenoid behind the battery and can get the van to start but it won't start with the ignition switch. I checked for voltage at the small terminal (in the wire boot ) and it doen't look like I am getting any voltage there. I don't know if it runs through a relay before there or if it is ECM controlled. When I turn the ignition switch it doesn't click, just makes the radio cut out, and I can here some relays clicking somewhere. Lights don't dim, and battery has good voltage. Just need to know where the juice in the wire is supposed to come from.

 

Check the fuse panel on right hand side under the hood! make sure all is good there before going farther.

 

Okay, here is what I found.

Removed ignition start switch, under column, and moved lever and tested white/pink wire for voltage-tested good

Removed battery and removed starter solenoid to bench test-tested good

Looked over diagram I found in the Haynes manual and traced circuit through neutral safety switch- decide to check it out, but first let me put the solenoid back, battery back and ignition start switch back.

As I set my worklight down on the floor to reinstall the ignition start swith, I see a red 10A mini fuse laying on the carpet. Getting out my fuse diagram, I go through the layout and figure out it is from position 34, the Start Circuit/Neutral safety switch fuse.

I stick the fuse back in the panel, and it falls out again, I proceed to give the tabs on the fuse a little bend to try to get it to grab in the terminals in the fuse box, no luck. I take some solder and build up the thickness of the tabs and reinstall the fuse, success, it stays in position.

Reinstall ignition start switch and turn the ignition tumbler, success

 

Good find!

 

That is a good find and I had something similar myself----was aggravating needless to say.

What I did was use a magnifying glass to get a better look at the fuse box terminals and noticed they were spread too far apart---most likely by the previous owner. Using a small pick or scribe it was easy to "close up" the terminals making the fuse fit snug and have good contact.

Inserting the smaller blade-type fuses incorrectly or at the wrong angle can cause the block terminals to be spread apart like described----these days I'm a bit more careful.

Thanks for the tech tip!