1985 F150 302 EFI - I just finished a rebuild of my engine. She's clean, got new parts, and is painted Ford blue.

I wanted to crank the engine with the coil not connected just to listen to it to ensure it sounds right - not to start it, but just to crank it. I connected the battery and I fried the starter solenoid, a result of reconnecting the alternator wires incorrectly. Yes, I know, pretty stupid move.

Anyway, it's now wired correctly and I replaced the starter solenoid. Hooked up the battery. Tried to crank it. When I turn the ignition I get one very brief sound like the starter is trying to engage, then nothing. All dash lights go out and there's no power.

If I turn the ignition switch off and on again, all dash lights come back on and I am able to ry again, but with the same results. The battery is new and charged.

Missing ground possibly? When I fried the solenoid, could I have fried the starter too? The alternator?

Any help is appreciated.

 

You have a poor connection somewhere. Get someone to help you and take your meter and take some readings on the battery, battery cables, starter solenoid cables and the ground cables. But the key to taking these readings is doing it with the key sprung to start, so you will need a helper.

You need to take readings when the key is sprung to start and the system is in failure mode, otherwise you will never find it.