Hey guys...just wanted to see if u could help with what I hope is a small issue.

I have a 93 f350 Dually 7.3 non turbo. Just replaced the engine and I'm having starting issues. It has new batteries and a week old starter from Oriellys on it. But sometimes when I try to start it she just clicks. I have to turn the key about 3 or 4 Times after the wts light goes off before it will turn over but then it will fire up just fine. I doubt that it's the starter.

But whatdo you think is it a bad starter or could it be something else?

 

Where does the click come from, under the truck or towards the front? If towards the front, would be the starter relay, under the truck would be the starter celinoid. It wouldn't be the first time a starter was bad out of the box.

 

My bet is bad cables and connections.

Even if they look good, they might not be. Take a utility knife and cut 2" along the cable insulation away from each battery terminal. If the copper inside is corroded, then you need to replace the cable. If not, wrap it up well with some electrical tape where you cut it.

-Matt

 

Replace the starter solenoid on the fender, if that doesnt do it, check the ignition switch (doubtful), if not either of those, i suspect bad starter solenoid on the starter.

 

Could also be a bad ground somewhere, or a faulty neutral safety switch if your truck is an automatic.

-Matt

 

Quite possible, but i would rule out the clutch / neutral safety switch. The clicking implies that the solenoid is getting power, but either not enough to close the loop, or there is not enough juice in the loop when closed to crank the starter. As you say ground, i realize i failed to mention it could be a connection problem at the battery, and / or ground. However he says once it does go it starts fine, also noting the new batteries, i can hopefully assume the posts and clamps were cleaned. This tells me, that the solenoid points are burnt/ corroded and are not making good contact (either solenoid) or the ignition switch is bad, loose, corroded, or otherwise not sending full juice to the solenoid. Something else, make sure the small "engage" wire on the solenoid is clean and making good connection on both solenoids.

The fender mounted solenoid is dirt cheap and easy to replace, however if you prefer to test first, i can think of two fast / easy ways to do it. 1) use a screw driver to jump it from the large batter powered post to the small solenoid engage wire. Verify that even when jumping (at that location) the starter does not always crank the engine. 2) when the truck fails to start with key engaged, have someone on hand to persuade the solenoid with a few taps, say from the handle of a hammer or something. The jarring should entice it to crank.

Even if those should prove that the fender solenoid is working, it could still be the solenoid on the starter, especially if it is a rebuilt unit.

 

Thanks for the advice..... Farmert to answer your question, the click sounds like its comming from the starter. It feels like the starter is trying to engage but is not getting enough juice. Then all of a sudden it's starts up on the 1st or second revolution after it starts turning like it just got hit with a lightning bolt.

 

I also bet on the fender mount solenoid. I have also had bad connections cause your problem

 

check battery connection for clean and tight.
check ground connection at block for clean and tight.
if it still does it check connections at starter. if it still does it it is most likely the solenoid on the starter.
if it was the fender mount starter relay, you would hear the click from there. since you hear the clicking from the starter that tells me the fender mount relay is working.

 

Here's the latest on the current issue. Checked all the connections, cleaned and tightened all terminals, cleaned and tightened both ground connections at the block, tightened lines on silonoids. After still having the same problems I then bought a new fender mounted silonoid. Truck ran great for 2 days. But this afternoon it would not turn over. I know that I said I heard a click but it's really been much more than that. It always feels and sounds like the starter is hitting the flywheel but won't turn it. But I've always been able to start it by jumping it at the fender mounted silonoid. But today that didn't work either. I drove it around all morning. Started it about 4 times today. Once at the silonoid. But at about three it would not start either way. I figured it must be the starter. I pulled it off to return it. But just for kicks I tried turning the flywheel after putting the touch in neutral and it won't budge. I'm very confused. Any help would be appreciated

 

if you want to test the starter you could just run a positive and negative to it and see if it spins up but strap it down or something because these have alot of torque. how did the block look where the grounds connect? i just took a wire wheel to mine last week because there was like paint flaking off, now there all clean and it starts way better

 

Looks like my problem wasn't a starting issue at all. I examined the truck a little closer. Found oil in the radiator and water mixed with oil in the oil pan. Radiator war also like 2 gallons low but never over heated. I figure that maybe my oil cooler went bad. Motor seems to be locked up. Took a breaker bar to it and she won't budge. I removed all the injectors and glow plugs and belt and I still can't get it to move. I removed the valve cover gaskets and the top of them were covered in a greyish water/ oil gel. And rust was on everything. Now I'm just trying to deal with the obvious.

 

I'll bet it was hydrolocking.

 

I would bet the same thing....thats definitly not something you wanna see on a new engine.