Truck is a 1995 F-250 with the 7L, 150K miles. Alt and battery were both removed and tested, found to be fine. Symptoms are the following:

-Truck runs great, when it starts
-Sometimes truck won't start...turn the key and nothing, no solenoid click, just the lights on the dash dim/go out as normal, but silence otherwise
-awhile ago sometimes the radio would spontaneously revert to one station (600 AM) as if there was some unintended current path
-There seems to be a big current draw when the key is engaged, noticed the battery will gurgle a little sometimes
-Tried to start the truck tonight to move it closer to the garage to get underneath, it started and ran great for 3 secs, then cut out
-now key won't return all the way back, and so cannot be removed. its not in the "on" position tho, so there is no power drain
-headlamps, interior lights etc work fine if turned on

I thought may the internal windings of the alt failed or the reg pack went south, but it tested fine and will run sometimes showing proper charging on the dash guage--if lucky (until now it seems), so I suppose the alt is fine. Battery showed over 800 cca when tested, and will crank it over fine when it did start, and woudn't seem to be the source of a start...no-start...start intermittent prob.

I checked the grounds in the engine bay (are they all up top), and re-fit most of them.

The wires in the engine bay look fine, no chafes or whatnot that would give a grounding prob. There is a bluish/green wire that comes out of the block next to the battery on the fender though that looks like the insulation mightve gotten hot at some point and exposed the wire, though its not touching anything. The insulation isn't melted to the wire, just looks like it was sliced lenghth-wise then peeled open.

Given the new problem of not being able to return the ignition all the way back to remove the key, is it possible the ignition switch is totally grounding things out when in the on/start position? Never had that one before, only a 'no-joy' situation when the key is turned. Given age/mileage though, maybe not unexpected.

Not sure if the starter can be ruled out, but wouldn't think it would fail intermittently like this.

Would appreciate any and all help! Thanks in advance!!
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Your original problem sounds like a connection problem on one of your large cables, or one of the large cables has a bad spot that is corroded inside.

1. Check the ends on the battery. Hopefully you do not have a homemade type end on it that is corroded.
2. Check the ends on the starter relay(solenoid) on the pass side fender. Take them off and bend them around and make sure they are not "crunchy".

3. Check the end at the starter, and most importantly above all the rest, check the negative battery cable end that bolts down low on the side of the engine block.

Your second problem sounds like a problem with the linkage in the column. There is a gear and a rack, and piece that likes to break inside if you have a tilt column. The actual ignition switch is mounted down on top of the column, underneath the dash.

 

Thanks Dave! I'm going to head out and give the points you mentioned a much closer look. The cables etc looked OK at the ends etc, and when not looking too too closely, but who knows what lurks under the plastic harness sheathing, and I didn't check the block end of the neg cable. I'll post back what I find out, if anything.... And OK on the column, I read where there is some sort of linkage that gives way, but just assumed that the switch was at the lock barrel....

 

Piece #14 is the one that breaks all the time.

For an experiment, take the short little shroud pieces off the column that are near the cluster. As you move the keyswitch(if it will move) you should see a rod trying to move that is located on top of the column underneath the covers. As you turn the key, take some pliers and "help" the rod downward toward the cluster, and see if the truck will crank.

 

Hi Dave,
I got a new neg cable from Napa this afternoon and refit it. Kindof a PIA at the block end, but nothing some colorful language didn't overcome.... I'm having the one fused wire that comes out of the Alternator harness replaced at an electrics shop tomorrow, looks like it got awfully hot sometime from corrosion or as a ground path. Either way, it broke as I removed it to replace the neg cable. Hoping the neg cable will sort things out--as far as starting goes. Will tackle the steering column afterward. The neg cable I removed was original, and didn't look so bad, but did have a couple cracks in the insulation up near the battery end near the post clamp. I can imagine its possible the wiring inside was work hardened and broken or something from making the little bend there, and/or R/R from the battery over time. Figured its most likely the neg cable, but if not, looks like the Pos cable might be next, or check out the starter end to see what it looks like.

Best,

AD

 

Dave, just getting back to you for an update...:

-I replaced the neg battery cable altogether, tho the existing one didn't look so bad. Upon doing that, no joy.
-Think I mentioned I had the alternator tested, and was fine.
-Today I took out the starter and had it tested, fine
-Buffed up the pos. ends at the starter and replaced it, no start
-Decided to check the last and simplest, jumped the solenoid--started when jumped. Turned it off and restarted at the key several times and it started up. So perhaps it was the solenoid failing intermittently? For some reason I thought when they failed--they failed permanently.... Since they are cheap enough, I'll just replace it and hope that's it.

Do let me know if you think the solenoid could fail intermittently, or if that is unlikely, and I'm really just in a good part of the 'cycle' :/

Thanks again!

Adam

 

My 80 had a intermittent start once, and it turned out to be a corroded connection on the little elbow that connected to the starter solenoid small terminal. I cut it off and crimped a ring terminal on it and used a nut to hold it on.

Whatever you do, do not throw away your old solenoid(starter relay). The new ones do not have a good track record, and like to stick on. If you find yourself running out and pulling the battery cable to get it to stop cranking, then you are among the others who have fell victim to the rash of new sub standard solenoids they sell now.

 

I'm a little surprised by the failure mode if it is indeed the solenoid, but what the hell....electrics can be a tad tricky. If the switch somehow is loose inside or something and occasionally grounds out, maybe that's the cause? Either way, I think I somewhat ruled everything else out. Well, we'll see! And sure, I'll throw the old solenoid in the tool cabinet! The stuff from China drives me nuts. Get this one:

I have a couple Italian cars. Sprang a leak in a fuel hose between the tank and filter. I ordered the hose, but forgot to order a new filter as long I was going to be in there.... So I rolled the dice and went to the local AutoZ...e. It was something like $27 and made in China. So was ready to take my lumps and install it. Still had the parts Italian car catalogue open and saw where the one from Italy was HALF the price! So I'm thinking that supposedly we have a simple item coming from the "cheap manufacturing" place that costs TWICE as much as the one from the "expensive manufacturing country." Makes NO sense--someone is getting reamed, and that day it wasn't me. I returned the one from the parts place, ordered the one from Italy, and it was definitely a step up in finish as well.

 

Oh, forgot to mention, the fuseable link from the alternator harness at the solenoid was blown for a while apparently. I had it repaired. So maybe the solenoid is the culprit after all if it was the cause of the fuse to blow....?