I have a '91 F150. Pretty much from the day I bought it, I've had occasional problems starting it. I thought it was the battery. Changing the battery didn't help. You know the drill, you change one part, then the next, and so on down the line. The starter is the only part of the ignition system I haven't changed.

It has new plugs, new battery, new solenoid, new coil, new distributor cap and rotor, new alternator (some of this was just general tune-up stuff). So I'm pretty sure it's the starter, but I thought I'd ask around in case there's something else I missed.

The first summer I owned it, it would just not turn over. Absolutely nothing as if the battery were completely flat. I left it where it was, came back in the evening and it started, no problem. It did that to me a couple of times. No sound at all, but if I came back to it, there was nothing wrong.

Since then (and since swapping out parts here and there) it gives me problems, but acts like the battery is low. It turns, but slowly. Usually, if I keep the key turned, it catches and runs. But it doesn't do it all the time.

It will start reliably for me when I get in it in the morning to go to work. Same for coming home at the end of shift. If I have to stop and go (say like when shopping and parking at multiple stores), it starts to get ornery. Moreover, it only seems to do it during warm weather (never have troubles when it's cold out).

My wife took it on a longer trip yesterday, my dad and uncle needed to borrow it. It was giving them so much trouble they had to jump start it once and they kept it running when they could.

Does that sound like a starter to you?

 

Sounds like battery cables or where they are connected.
Make sure the NEG cable from the battery goes to the engine block and not just to the frame. Also make sure you have a good body ground from the NEG post to the body and not the frame.

 

I had that same gremlin in a truck I got 6 weeks ago. The first time it happened I changed the starter, I have another truck that acted the same and left me stranded once.

Anyway, the truck did the same thing the next day, and for several days after, but only after it had been running for at least 30 minutes. Like has been said, check the grounds. I unhooked the negative lead from the battery where it attached to the frame and connected it directly to the block and the problem went away.

 

Really? Interesting. If that's the case, you'll save me a bit money.

My negative battery cable goes to the Fuel injector cover on the engine. There's a small support bar connected there as well, and it runs down between the exhaust header.

I have another negative cable on the truck. The previous owners put a new one in and left the old. It dissapears somewhere under the engine (I haven't crawled under yet to see where). The ground lead on the Neg post goes to the crossmember up by the radiator.

I'm trying to get it to a reliable state so I can trade/sell it and get something cooler and/or more fuel efficient. Can't keep feeding that beast at these prices.

 

Check those cables, but it may still be the starter.

My buddy has a 2000-something Dodge Dakota with a hemi. He had similar issues a couple weeks ago. He changed alternator, thinking it wasn't charging his battery. Still had same issue. Changed battery. Same issue. I personally checked all the cables, and everything was nice and secure and pretty darn clean. I finally hopped in the driver's seat and turned the key, I could feel the starter trying to turn the engine, but as though it didn't have the torque. He replaced the starter, and problem went away. I wasn't able to look at the old starter, but I have a feeling the coilings were burnt out.

 

Old trick to test the starter is to have someone turn the key while another person gently taps the starter with a hammer. Unless it's completely dead, it'll usually get the engine to turn over. My guess also goes toward a poor ground. Electrical resistance increases with heat, which is one thing to keep in mind. Be sure the positive cable is routed away from exhaust parts. Granted, the starting systems are slightly different, but the GMC Syclone and Typhoon were known for hot no-starts due to "the purple wire" going to the solenoid getting heated up by the downpipe and causing high resistance. Mine did it a few times.

We had a 94 E150 5.8 come in to work with a similar problem. tried a battery, tried a started, ended up being a loose and dirty ground connection to the block. Can never have too many ground connections.

 

My supervisor (he's a car guy) says that slow starters mean the positive cable is the culprit. Does that sound right to you?

I looked at my positive lead, and it was a bit loose on the solenoid. But I also have three yellow wires going to that post on the solenoid. Anyone know what those might be? (The truck used to belong to the highway department, so it's not out of the question that some of their "extra equipment" modifications are still in place.)

 

Okay, today my negative battery cable started smoking while I was trying to start it up. This is getting dangerous, now.

 

Sounds like a bad negative battery cable. Replace it and make sure it runs to the engine block and another wire (10GA) to the body (not the frame).

 

I had very similar problems. I replaced both cables and ran another cable from the ground plug straight to the starter. No more grounding problems.

Pull out a set of jumper cables and click one onto the starter, and the other onto the negative post of your battery then try to start it. If it starts no problem then you have identified your culprit.

 

Well, today my brother came over to help me decide if it was the starter or not.
We cleaned contacts all over the place, wired both negative battery cables together so it's grounded in at least two places (the previous owners put in a new neg cable, left the old).

All the wires on the solenoid were loose, cleaned and tightened them. Cleaned and tightened the battery terminals.

Gave the thing several test starts, some right on top of each other, and others after warming the truck, and still more after letting it sit a while. It started every time, though the last start was difficult, but not due to the starter, seems I may have a fuel issue, too.

This all sounds good. Except I'll have several days where things seem to work ok. Will have to drive it a week or so before I declare the problem fixed. If it is fixed, I can finally put it up for sale (which I couldn't do in good conscience knowing the next guy would have trouble starting it more than once...)