Truck was dead- 2001 F250 V10... Has a starter relay (solinoid) behind battery... put a new relay in there- no go- cleaner terminals... then I put key in start and shorted the 2 terminals in the relay and she cranked right up. That would mean the starter is still good correct?? something in the ignition system?

 

I had a '99' with the 5.4 and it did the same thing. It started around 190K miles but it would only do it on occasion. A mechanic said it was in the key ignition and had to be changed out. For the cost it would have been it was easier to just jump it with the wire. An inconvenience I was willing to live with.