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1980 - 1986 Bullnose F100, F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Early Eighties Bullnose Ford Truck

STARTER PROBLEMS

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Old May 23, 2011 | 09:07 AM
  #1  
RAY1986F150's Avatar
RAY1986F150
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From: Vine Grove KY
STARTER PROBLEMS

Okay guys, I just rebuilt the motor and transmission in my truck. i have been busy reintalling everything.

The old motor started just fine. Now that I have the new motor in I attempted to engage the starter and nothing happened. I charged the battery. Nothing. When I turn the key, nothing happens.

I took the nuetral safety switch off and realigned the thing using the drill bit through the hole procedure outlined in my Haynes manual. Nothing happened. I shifted to nuetral and nothing.

I did just reinstall the engine wiring harness with the new motor. So, maybe I didn't hook something up right? Im a chevy guy and I noticed how easy the starter was to install on this f150. There is only one wire going to the starter, right? A large cable coming from the starter relay?

There was one wire on the harness that I could not figure out where it went. It is a single wire (gray or white) included in the pigtail going down to the alternator. Its just sort of hanging out there. Not really sure where it goes.

You guys have any clues as to the starter not engaging? Thanks
 
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Old May 23, 2011 | 11:37 AM
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RAY1986F150
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From: Vine Grove KY
ANYONE GOT ANYTHING?
 
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Old May 23, 2011 | 11:52 AM
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From: Lost
Have you tried jumping across the solenoid on the fender? Use a screwdriver to jump across the large terminal that the battery cable (battery side) attaches to, with the small post closer to that same large post.
Silly question, but do you have a small wire attached to that forward small post on the solenoid?

As for the gray or white wire at the alt, sounds like the wire used to power the electric choke on the carb.
 
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Old May 23, 2011 | 12:06 PM
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Is everything else working on it just fine? What motor do you have? Will it turn over if you bypass the ignition switch through the solenoid?
 
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Old May 23, 2011 | 12:43 PM
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RAY1986F150
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From: Vine Grove KY
I will try these things out later when I get home. Its a 302 EFI. I have some pictures I took of the starter solenoid I will post later this evening. I also have a picture of that lonely gray wire. I might need to clean up my negative battery cable to block connection. I painted the block and could have too much paint in the threads cuasing no electrical current to ground the block. I will update you all later tonight. Thanks
 
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Old May 23, 2011 | 05:58 PM
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Do you have the smog stuff still?
 
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Old May 23, 2011 | 07:05 PM
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RAY1986F150
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Originally Posted by Alcaeus
Do you have the smog stuff still?
No, I took all the smog stuff off. I do still have the EGR Valve installed.

 
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Old May 23, 2011 | 07:11 PM
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From: Vine Grove KY
Here are some pictures of that random gray wire, and one of the starter solenoid on the inner fender.
<a target="_blank" href="http://img847.imageshack.us/i/dsc1644.jpg/"><img src="http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/4640/dsc1644.th.jpg" border="0"/></a><br>
<a target="_blank" href="http://img171.imageshack.us/i/dsc1642p.jpg/"><img src="http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/5025/dsc1642p.th.jpg" border="0"/></a><br>
 
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Old May 23, 2011 | 08:10 PM
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IF I remember correctly that wire was not connected to anything before I went duraspark II. I could be wrong.

Have you tried jumping between the positive and neg side of the solenoid yet?
 
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Old May 23, 2011 | 10:24 PM
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From: Vine Grove KY
Originally Posted by Alcaeus
IF I remember correctly that wire was not connected to anything before I went duraspark II. I could be wrong.

Have you tried jumping between the positive and neg side of the solenoid yet?
Forgive me, I am new to Fords. What is duraspark II? I have not had a chance to try jumping the solenoid, the weather has been severe all afternoon.

 
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Old May 23, 2011 | 10:34 PM
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From: Vine Grove KY
Okay, I had a break in the rain so I went out and jumped the solenoid, the starter started to engage. I must still have the neutral safety switch misaligned. I highly doubt my ignition switch suddenly went bad between swapping the motor and trans. The new motor and trans does sit in the truck slightly different because of new mounts. So maybe I need to mess with adjusting the transmission linkage, maybe its out just enough to keep the safety switch from contacting.

 
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Old May 24, 2011 | 10:10 AM
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Duraspark II is the wiring and ignition system prior to your setup.

You can retrofit a duraspark II system onto a system that is computer controlled to get rid of all the extra garbage.

If you are in neutral and your key is on you should be able to start your truck by jumping the solenoid with or without the neutral switch bugging out from what I understand.
 
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Old May 24, 2011 | 10:25 AM
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RAY1986F150
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When I get home I will take the transmission to steering column linkage loose and make sure the tranmission is really going into park when I put it there. I bet that switch is just off by a hair. I will let you know later tonight.

 
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Old May 24, 2011 | 10:43 AM
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From: Lost
Also, try pushing the shift lever up as you try to crank it with the key. It could just not be fully locking into park at the column.
 
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Old May 24, 2011 | 10:35 PM
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RAY1986F150
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Okay, I did manage to get the truck started tonight. However I had to dodge all the tornados and didn't have time to work on that safety switch. Truck sounds good with open headers!!
 
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