Starter/ New Wiring Harness/ Tail Lights Woes
#1
Starter/ New Wiring Harness/ Tail Lights Woes
I need to take a step back, maybe I'm missing something obvious.
I have a 1971 F-100 flareside with a 352FE. In the last six months or so I've rebuilt the transmission, engine, converted to power brakes and installed a new wiring harness.
I've had the wiring harness connected to the engine components and have been able to successfully run the engine for about a month. Last week I finally got the brake system ironed out enough to get it out of the garage and around the area on a couple short runs to test the brakes.
I had the tail light power lines run, but not connected at the time. After my last drive, I literally connected four wires on the tail lights and now it won't start.
What it does:
-"ON" key position - MSD and electric fuel pump work as expected.
-"START" key position - starter solenoid clicks, but nothing from the starter. No fuses blow, no sparks. Just a loud click from the starter solenoid.
Stats:
Battery - 1.5 years old, reading 13+ volts
Starter solenoid - year old
Wiring harness - all brand new. I've checked all fuses and pulled all all unconnected wires under the dash to make sure they're not touching anything.
Starter wire - new, heat, wrapped, checked both ends and plenty tight connections
Starter - three months old, has always worked like a charm.
So, any ideas of what I'm missing, what I should test or where I should go from here?
Thanks!
-Clif
I have a 1971 F-100 flareside with a 352FE. In the last six months or so I've rebuilt the transmission, engine, converted to power brakes and installed a new wiring harness.
I've had the wiring harness connected to the engine components and have been able to successfully run the engine for about a month. Last week I finally got the brake system ironed out enough to get it out of the garage and around the area on a couple short runs to test the brakes.
I had the tail light power lines run, but not connected at the time. After my last drive, I literally connected four wires on the tail lights and now it won't start.
What it does:
-"ON" key position - MSD and electric fuel pump work as expected.
-"START" key position - starter solenoid clicks, but nothing from the starter. No fuses blow, no sparks. Just a loud click from the starter solenoid.
Stats:
Battery - 1.5 years old, reading 13+ volts
Starter solenoid - year old
Wiring harness - all brand new. I've checked all fuses and pulled all all unconnected wires under the dash to make sure they're not touching anything.
Starter wire - new, heat, wrapped, checked both ends and plenty tight connections
Starter - three months old, has always worked like a charm.
So, any ideas of what I'm missing, what I should test or where I should go from here?
Thanks!
-Clif
#2
#3
#5
Is it a new starter or newly rebuilt? Try banging on the starter with a hammer on the case, and then try to start. If you are very careful - park brake set, wheels chocked, in park or neutral etc, you could have an assistant turn the key to start while you throw a few love taps on it at the same time. Don't break anything, but don't be shy either. A bad starter will usually respond to this at least a couple times.
#7
Wherever you can get a hammer to the starter.
- Safely bypass the solenoid relay by jumping across the two large posts
- Check the connection where the negative cable from the battery goes to the block.
-Make sure the mating surface between the starter and bell housing is clean.
- Make sure the battery is in fact good. Use one from a know good vehicle
- Safely bypass the solenoid relay by jumping across the two large posts
- Check the connection where the negative cable from the battery goes to the block.
-Make sure the mating surface between the starter and bell housing is clean.
- Make sure the battery is in fact good. Use one from a know good vehicle
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#9
Sounds like the bendix is engaging but the starter is not turning. If the hammer tapping doesn't free things up, then you can "bench" test it by taking the starter off the engine and hook up the wires ( you'll have to put a temporary ground wire on the starter case) and have someone turn the key and see if the bendix engages, and the starter spins. Be careful that starter will jump out of your hands.
#10
Well...
I took the battery in and had it tested - ok.
Really cleaned the battery connectors - no difference
Checked starter wire, checked engine grounds, checked battery to alternator wire - all good
Jumped solenoid - no noise from starter
Banged on starter a bit with a hammer - no difference
It's really leaning towards a bad starter. That's really disappointing. It's a royal pain to get to with my headers and I replaced the one in there (with a re-man) while I had the transmission and bell housing completely out. l replaced it so I wouldn't have to fuss with it again.
-sigh-
I took the battery in and had it tested - ok.
Really cleaned the battery connectors - no difference
Checked starter wire, checked engine grounds, checked battery to alternator wire - all good
Jumped solenoid - no noise from starter
Banged on starter a bit with a hammer - no difference
It's really leaning towards a bad starter. That's really disappointing. It's a royal pain to get to with my headers and I replaced the one in there (with a re-man) while I had the transmission and bell housing completely out. l replaced it so I wouldn't have to fuss with it again.
-sigh-
#11
Well...
I took the battery in and had it tested - ok.
Really cleaned the battery connectors - no difference
Checked starter wire, checked engine grounds, checked battery to alternator wire - all good
Jumped solenoid - no noise from starter
Banged on starter a bit with a hammer - no difference
It's really leaning towards a bad starter. That's really disappointing. It's a royal pain to get to with my headers and I replaced the one in there (with a re-man) while I had the transmission and bell housing completely out. l replaced it so I wouldn't have to fuss with it again.
-sigh-
I took the battery in and had it tested - ok.
Really cleaned the battery connectors - no difference
Checked starter wire, checked engine grounds, checked battery to alternator wire - all good
Jumped solenoid - no noise from starter
Banged on starter a bit with a hammer - no difference
It's really leaning towards a bad starter. That's really disappointing. It's a royal pain to get to with my headers and I replaced the one in there (with a re-man) while I had the transmission and bell housing completely out. l replaced it so I wouldn't have to fuss with it again.
-sigh-
1st, the solenoid.
Hook up a volt meter to the starter's side solenoid post and a clean ground. Have a Buddy turn the key to "start". Are you getting full battery voltage there? If not replace the solenoid. If so then do the same thing with the volt meter connected to the starter's terminal. Get full battery voltage there? If not replace the starter cable. If you do (and the battery to block ground cable is CLEAN,metal to metal, and tight on both ends)
then take your "spray and pray" reman starter back for another one of better quality. I call them "spray and pray" because the reman company will:
1. take a core apart,clean it, and diagnose what was the Immediate problem with it.
2. fix the immediate problem.
3. "spray" paint it to look good.
4. sell it to John Q. Public and "pray" he sells the vehicle before they have to warranty (again) it.
#12
Well, a new starter arrived from Summit. The reman one I got I haven't really had it long enough from Autozone to be stuck with it. So, I'm pulling that one out and returning it. From there, heat-wrap and install the smaller-form new (actually new) starter and give it a go.
With the long tube headers, the oem starter is a really tight fit. To tight even for a heat-wrap blanket. Sitting on baking concrete in the Texas heat pinned in tight with headers I suppose didn't help.
With the long tube headers, the oem starter is a really tight fit. To tight even for a heat-wrap blanket. Sitting on baking concrete in the Texas heat pinned in tight with headers I suppose didn't help.
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