Ok, here goes. I have a 1987 F250 6.9 n/a automatic extended cab pickup. I think I know the answer but would like to get a few second opinions. I turn on the key and wait for the WTS light to go out. I turn the key and nothing happens. I can hear the glo plugs cycling but the engine never turns over. I think I have a bad ignition switch which I was going to R&R a few months ago but never did. I had the same thing happen last year but put graphite in the ignition switch and it started every time till the last few days. Today I made it home and now nothing. I don't want to keep trying the switch and burn up the glo plugs.

 

Wiggle the shifter while holding the key in the start position it might be the neutral saftey switch

 

I wiggled the shifter in park and neutral. Nothing. Where is the neutral saftey switch?
I found where I posted back in 2009 with the same question. I guess it was farther back than I thought. I have the steps to replacing the actuator so I"m back in business, tomorrow. I"m glad I had everything bought for mothers day or I"d be in deep doo-doo.

 

NSS is on the left side of the trans. And 2x on the mom day stuff!

 

Jump the solinoid on the passanger side fender. At least tell you if its the starter or something between the key and the solinoid.

 

It sounds like your ignition switch is either bad or contact is not being made with it. Try cycling the key and see if it starts. If it starts with the key eventually, I would say it is one of the above issues.

 

Thanks 96extracab, I was wondering if that was a possiblity. That'll be the first order of business tomorrow

 

I cycled the key more times than I wanted to just to get home and nothing. I was afraid of killing the glo plugs.

 

you can check the neutral safety switch if you have a 12 volt tester. or you could just unplug the switch and jumper the wires. thats what my dad had to do... twice... original one died and then the napa one died

 

Which wires on the selnoid do I jump? I did this on a 77 gaser but there weren't this many wires.

 

What i ended up doing is pulling the wire of the other side of the selonoid (the one that goes to the starter) and touching it to the positive post of the battery.

 

there is a tiny little plug that goes on one of the small terminals of the celonoid tak that off and use a screwdriver to jump from the battery side of the celonoid to the tiny terminal

EDIT: i will try to take a picture in a few minutes here

 

<a href="http://s1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_20110508_084023.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1214.photobucket.com/albums/cc484/Alex_Neils/IMG_20110508_084023.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

shove the screwdriver forward to make contact with the positive side of the cylinoid

 

make sure you have rubber gloves on or the screwdriver has a rubber handle, just so you dont get shocked like i did.

 

Yeah the DC current has a different feel to it hey Aune?