yeah if it's still cranking when the key is out it's the fender mounted relay/solenoid -time for a new one -mine does it once in a while

 

I can check the ignition switch, but when I disconnected it from the solenoid it didn't disengage the solenoid. Only when I disconnected the battery did it stop. And I think I'm seeing what you mean about cheap "quality" parts. I just bought a multimeter from autozone, and it's missing the negative test lead so I can't run any tests until I hop on my bike and ride all the way back up there again. Yarg!

 

Hey jr32560,
I was afraid somebody would say that. That's the problem, it IS new. I just put it in this afternoon, and those two times were the first two times I ever used it... (sigh)

 

Yep, it's your solenoid, no need to test the ignition switch. Whenever the solenoid sticks, just give it a few karate chops with the side of your hand to release it. That's much quicker and easier than disconnecting the battery. It always worked for me anyway.

 

Sounds like at starter relay at the inner fender to me too,it's the only way it can by pass the key.One thing to remember is to not crank hard on a low battery,as the amperage draw is tremendous and can stick a starter relay or solenoid contacts together and is bad for the starter motor also.That low voltage problem is a real pain.The voltage regulator should be an internal one in the alternator.Finding the problem can be like a needle in a haystack,after you have done all the normal checks.Good luck,hope you find it soon.

 

hahaha.....

yes its funny i went threw 4 soleniods before i got one that didnt stick

sad part is they was all new and the expensive ones....

so i got a cheap one and it worked perfectly..... the about 2 months ago i was changing the battery cable cause it was coroded and when tightening the cable on it the side split out of it so i had to go get another one ..... *sigh* but oreillys had one and it works like it should....

just a run of bad parts i guess

 

 

Well I took the other solenoid back in and just stuck with my old one. Two things I noticed immediately:
1. "Pop" noise and spark are gone(suggesting my solenoid is fine).
2. In my first post I mentioned a trip to dallas where the problem was particularly prominent. I just realized this issue probably started then. I was driving and then when everything was about to give out on me, I stopped the truck and looked under the hood(This was shortly after I changed the starter, solenoid, battery, and cables) thinking I could fix it. Turned out to be that I put in the starter power cable(aka. switch to starter cable) the wrong way and it was touching the exhaust manifold. I needn't try to explain the heat coming from that thing especially after such a long trip, and, as expected, it burned straight through the cable coating and into the cable itself. I think this very well may have been when all my problems started. I remember simply moving the wire away and giving it time to cool, then the truck started right up, and I never thought of it again.
I changed out all my cables the other day, including the burnt one. Now my whole system seems to be coming back together. Full power and everything. Except it's just slightly less than what I need at the starter, but I think that may have to do with the fact that I went back to oem wire gage on the switch-to-starter wire, but it used to be one size bigger. The ground wire, and the battery-to-switch wire, are both still one size thicker, I just couldn't find a 2 gage switch-to-starter cable.
So while it is starting to seem like it's getting better, dare I say fixed even, still it's not quite yet enough to start the engine. I just don't seem to have enough at the starter yet, maybe due to the thinner wire, maybe due to a starter that's just "had it"...

Do you think it's safe to say the burnt cable is linked to this in some way too? And, either way, where do I go from here?

 

or he could go to oreillys and get a new motorcraft solenoid for 25.99 plus tax with a LLW

 

Knowing it's history,you may have put the hurts to your starter that may have been borderline anyway.You see,when you put low voltage to an electric motor it creates a huge amperage draw and causes the motor to burn out or very near it.When that solenoid stuck on either the voltage got low or your starter was already bad and drawing a lot of amperage and now the starter is probably toast,and that may be why you can't get it to turn over like it should.If you pull it and take it to an AutoZone they may be able to check it out.If you have an OEM wire on there,that should be adequate to do the job.If you keep trying it,you may ruin the Relay that you put back on.That burnt cable would have been a huge short circuit if you tried starting the engine in that condition,as that is the only time it would be energized.

 

i agree. go on ebay and look for a ford mean grean gear reduction starter and be done with starters tho. mines saved me a few times i lost clutch pressure and had to stop and start in gear a few times up a hill. granny gear really helped too but still hope you get this damn thing fixed and over with dude! let us knoW!

 

My 1999 250 super duty is doing the same but drains the battery within minutes. The truck runs fine until I lose power to the tachometer. Then starts to stumble. And kills the battery.