I just recently bought an 88 f250 and have been driving it around. Yesterday I went out to try and start the truck and the starter solenoid started chattering. Since then I have had the battery tested and it tested good. I also took a battery out of my moms car that had more cold cranking amps and tried it. I still got the same result. My girlfriends dad said that it could then be my starter or my starter solenoid. I tested the solenoid by bypassing the solenoid with a screwdriver still did not start. So i thought it may be the solenoid. I replaced the solenoid and still have the same chattering in the solenoid. I then took the starter to get tested and it tested good. So i replaced the wire from the + battery terminal to the solenoid and the wire from the solenoid to the starter. I am still getting the same chattering at the solenoid. I have been reading threw the Haynes manual and trying to find forums with the same type of incident but haven't found anything. Can someone please help me

 

welcome to FTE.
take the ground wire off the block, clean it and the block real good and put it back on tight.
i bet it will start.
if the battery, positive cable and starter are good, the only thing left is the ground wire.

 

Are you talking about the battery ground or starter ground

 

battery ground cable

 

I see what your talking about mine is actually pretty nasty looking so I believe that I'm going to replace it. Now does the cable have to be grounded to the block?

 

it should go to the block, then another wire goes to the cab, and a third sometimes goes either from block to frame or cab to frame.

 

Sure enough I replaced the ground wore and she fired right up. But now she is idling as high as 3500 rpm. I believe it to be the idle control sensor. But I'm gojng to mess with the idle screw first. Thank you tjc transport.

 

before messing with anything, see if it will idle down. also check the throttle return spring is hooked up.

 

If it's EFI, Hold on there, DON'T mess with the idle screw... All it is for is to keep the butterflies from binding when closed... Your idle air control is messed up, Or (most likely) you have a vacuum leak...

 

I think it's a vacuum leak I'm going to check my vacuum lines tomorrow after I get off tonight and if I can't find a vacuum leak I'm going to check and see if anyone carries an idle air control valve

 

The IAC might just need a good cleaning.

 

I'll try that before I go buy a 66 dollar part. What can I use to clean it?

 

the only thing left is the ground wire.

 

I got it running. And yes it wa the ground wire