Hey folks -

Ran my 77 on it's furthest trip away from the house the other day. Drove about 60 miles north of the house. Everything was fine all the way up, it shut off just fine too. Now it won't start, it doesn't even turn over. I tried to jump it, no change. I can feel the selenoid pop when I try to start it and see the alternator move about 1/4" as it tries to turn over. I've tapped on the starter while my pal turned the key over and over...nothing.

We loaded it on the trailer and hauled it back to the shop. I left it in gear when we rolled it off the trailer hoping to get past any dead spot and still nothing.

I think the starter may just be hung up, but wanted to see if anyone had any other thoughts. It's a 77 F150 with a 400, new in the last year MSD ingnition/coil. New battery and the starter itself doesn't look too old, but was on the truck when I bought it.

Thanks!

 

It could be the starter. I had mine hang up once and had the same symptoms. I had to loosen the starter and then it loosened up.

 

Try to crank the motor by hand with a breaker bar if you can I would say starter.

 

Disconnect your coil and remove your spark plugs, then try to spin the engine over. It's possible that you have hydrolock.

 

Hydrolocking (FYI to the original poster) is when either fuel or water leaks so heavily into the cylinders that they can't compress. This is a major major maaaajor problem, but it has some maaaaajor symptoms that go along with it. I highly doubt your engine just randomly completely failed. How long did it sit before you tried to restart it?

 

Had my starter lock up. I couldn't even turn her over with the plugs out. Dropped the starter then she turned right over. Sometimes dead starters do that.

 

Jumper your solenoid my bronco does that once in a long while, jumper it and works like a charm for another long *** time

 

Melbatoast: you took the thoughts out of my head, I think it may be the eaiest way, if you can't turn it buy hand with the crank bolt, I'd try pulling the plugs and then turn it over.

I agree I highly doubt it failed out of no where like that... I have had a starter do that, and it wouldn't even slightly turn it over while tapping on it..
Luckly that truck was a stick... And I just got a few guys to help push start it

 

I kinda doubt this is the issue as well but it does suddenly happen to some people and it's better to check for it than bend a rod.

 

automatic? nuetral saftey switch?

 

Change the starter mine did the same thing, Tapped but did nothing!

 

Neutral safety switch is a good call..... Have you ever had to really slam it into Park to get it to either physically park or start?

 

I doubt it's the NSS, a NSS cuts juice to the starter solenoid, the OP said he can hear the solenoid click and see the alternator move when he attempts to start, i agree with the starter being at fault.

 

Seriously, there is no way you would or could drive your truck 60 miles and be partially or fully hydro locked. Further more I can't see how any water unless you had a spark plug nearly out could get into any of your cylinders unless you were driving in monsoon conditions or threw a river for the whole 60 miles. The starter has taken a dump on you or had a fault. I can see nothercrash thinking and all, but judging by the pics of your truck I don't believe you go very long at all with out driving it, also even if it sat for awhile or a long time, as long as your hood was still on the truck water would have a hard time getting into the cylinders. Even living somewhere with super high humidity like Louisiana for instance, the truck would have to sit years before you would have enough condensation to hydro lock up your 400. If you have headers plan on replacing your starter 1 to 3 times a year unless you run a mini starter and wrap it along with your headers. I run a 390 and I was going threw starters (new starters, not reman) every three months. I realize a 400 and my 390 are two different animals, but the principal of heat and starters failing is still the same. My best advice if you are running headers, spend the 2 or 3 hundred on a mini and wrap everything, you will have far less starter issues.

 

Thanks everyone for the replies. I am confident it is only the starter, the heat from the headers makes sense, thanks highboy. It can't be the NSS, if wouldn't make any noise or movement if it was. I did roll if off the trailer in D (auto) which would do the same as using a breaker bar. There is no way it's hydrolocked, it purrs like a kitten - really like a pissed off lion - is stored inside and driven about once a week at a minimum. It ran like a champ and shut off without any sputter. Minutes later it didn't start. I rewired all of the ignition stuff, including the NSS when I put all of the MSD stuff on, all my connections are good, soldered and shrink wrapped. We'll see...

I did buy a new starter, but I have a wrecked shoulder that needs to get fixed first, so unless anyone is offering a hand, it'll be a bit before we discover the culprit.

Thanks again fellas!