I have a 1983 f-250 with the 351w. when I try to turn the engine over I hear a click and that's it doesn't try to turn over at all. I have checked for spark and fuel those are good, the battery it is good too so I tried to replace the starter solenoid and still nothing. I am able to pop start it and able to jump the starter solenoid and it will start. Have any ideas as to why this is?

 

so to clarify, you turn the key and you just hear a click and the solenoid will not supply power to the starter? Look at the old solenoid and the new one, see if the I and the S (small post terminals on the front) are in the same location, if they are swapped, you have to swap your connectors as well.

 

Also how old is the starter? and what caused you to change the starter solenoid? How did the truck end up where you changed the solenoid? Did it just not start? And your battery has a minimum of 12V

 

Bad ground?

 

yes that's exactly what happens. ill have to go check the terminals.
I replaced the solenoid because one day I hopped in my truck to start it, I didn't hold the key long enough so it didn't start then I went to start it again and nothing just heard the click. I figured it was the solenoid because I still had power to all my light/radio ext. I put a volt reader to my battery and the battery was still good 12.5v. the starter is bran new.

 

I also put a volt reader on either terminal of the solenoid and had someone try to start it when I was reading the volts, it dropped the volts to 0. could it posably be a short somewhere?

 

did you test this on the new or old solenoid? Also take a look at your 6-8" fusible link that runs to the "I" post, if that is bubbled up or burn it'll need to get fixed.


Also to confirm only the large ring terminals (sides) you have ONLY one wire from the solenoid to the starter and everything else on the other large ring terminal correct? Have you tried running a ground from the starter body to the frame, sounds silly I know, but if you possibly have missing grounds at the firewall and around the truck something might have wiggled loose. Remember we are trying to eliminate variables.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-no-power.html


there is a diagram in this thread and a pic

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/8...ing-noise.html


read this one, a lot of good info

 

ok ill have to go through and check that out. yes that's correct I only have one wire going to the starter.


thanks for the links ill have to read into those

 

One thing to check, I see snow on your avatar, that equals salt which equals rust. If the area, where you are mounting your solenoid is crusty and rusted it needs to be cleaned for a proper ground

 

If it happens to be an Automatic, then it might be the Neutral Safety Switch


more info here


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-solenoid.html

 

oh and I tested both the old and new solenoid. Yes get a lot of snow up here once im off work ill have to look into all the info you have given me.
its a stick shift, forgot to put it in neutral this morning when I went to go jump the solenoid. (That was scary) also me jumping the solenoid is that bad for the truck in anyway?

 

Well it is if you leave it in gear