I started my '97 7.3L this morning and drove it to the gas station to fuel up. I shut it off while fueling up. When I got in to fire it up to leave, it wouldn't turn over. It would go through all the motions, and then when I turned the key it just clicked and nothing happened. I tried it in Park and Neutral, and it just wouldn't turn over. Batteries seemed good, even tried to jump it and it just wouldn't turn over. I towed it back to the house and left it for the day in the driveway. I just went out and tried it, and it turned over and fired up. It seemed a bit rough starting and smoked a lot, but she started. I was thinking it was the starter, but am more confused now. Has anyone seen or heard of anything like this before. I got to figure out what happened, I guide and can't have this happen up on the mountain. Thanks for any help,
Eric

 

yep - happens to me all the time - and just yesterday actually. unhook your battery grounds, climb under the passenger side and put a wrench (5/8" I think, though it probably should be metric) on the big starter lug. you may find its loose. if so, tighten it up and you should be good to go. if you find its rather corroded (like mine) a good cleaning is probably in order - or you can just wait for it to happen again in a few weeks/months, like I do :-)

for some reason mine always loosens up on me, then the truck does exactly what you're saying. maybe i'm just a wimp when it comes to tightening it, but I never like to really crank on electrical connections.

if this doesn't do it for you, i'd go ahead and check your grounds from the block to the batteries as well.

if you're getting a good solid click from the starter relay AND the solenoid on the starter, the problem is that the starter can't get enough current to actually turn over - the usual culprit is a bad connection somewhere between it and the batteries on either the hot or ground leg of the circuit.

of course, it could be a bad starter/solenoid as well, but its worth checking all the connections first.

good luck!

 

Check your NSS, may be out of alignment just a hair, and when you had it towed you had the shifter handle moved a little bit so it might have moved the NSS and had it aligned so it will start.