Help urgent - starter issues
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New User
Joined: Oct 2013
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Yeah, still messin with this thing. Couldn't find the ground. Called an old friend who took it all back apart. The used starter I had put in had a bad ground even though it tested good at O'reilly. Started but sounded real weak, like the original did, which did test bad. Yesterday the light on the dash came on even the gauge still read normal. It gave up and would barely turn over. Assumed alternator, ran over to O'REILLY, it failed. Installed alt and new (reman) starter. Turns over, a little weak, but a lot better than anythin I've heard before. But WONT START. So now I have new battery, alternator, solenoid and starter. Turns over but won't start. When I turn the key I can hear the fuel pump. What's left, I'm thinking Powertrain Control Relay???
Tell me again why I bought this truck.................
Tell me again why I bought this truck.................
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 23,667
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From: Easton,Ks
If you can hear the fuel pumps run for one second when you turn on the key then the PCM Power relay is OK along with the fuel pump relay being OK also.
If the fuel pumps are running all the time the key is on then I would say you have a bad PCM Computer as the timer is not running in it.
If the fuel pumps are running all the time the key is on then I would say you have a bad PCM Computer as the timer is not running in it.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: southern maryland
you need amperage and voltage readings and you need to see if you have power down at the starter. the armature in the starter housing takes the positive output of the battery and transfers it through the B+ armature to the brushes and out to ground. see if you are getting proper voltage at the starter during a crank. even thought it now turns over a big electrical current drain could cause a lot of issues even dealing with the starter
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From: southern maryland
Read threw the whole thread could not find if you are an automatic or standard. if you have a standard see if it will roll start even though it cranks. you should check for fuel pressure spark and the charging system is a big thing you can buy a lot of alternators but their is more to it than just the alternator. is the light a battery charge light mil i assume it is battery since you said gauge.
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Read threw the whole thread could not find if you are an automatic or standard. if you have a standard see if it will roll start even though it cranks. you should check for fuel pressure spark and the charging system is a big thing you can buy a lot of alternators but their is more to it than just the alternator. is the light a battery charge light mil i assume it is battery since you said gauge.
It is automatic, and yes it was a battery charge light, it does also have the gauge on the dash.
It is automatic, and yes it was a battery charge light, it does also have the gauge on the dash.
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Joined: Mar 2014
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From: southern maryland
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Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2014
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From: Rosedale, Md
I am no expert but usually when the solenoid clicks like that it is either a weak battery, bad ground or a bad solenoid. Use a screw driver and short the two post on the solenoid and see if the starter cranks. If it does, you need a new solenoid. To check the battery use a volt meter on the battery while cranking the starter. If voltage drops significantly you probably have a dead cell in the battery. Check the ground cable leading from the battery. Make sure it has a clean connection to the frame or engine block. Another way to check the solenoid is to use a jumper from the positive side of the battery directly to the starter pole on the solenoid. this will supply 12 volts directly to the starter.
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: southern maryland
that would be assuming that the starter solenoid has what it needs to function. i may be mis counting he is on his third starter motor which as an electrical mechanical starter mounted solenoid and the engine turns over but will not start so unless the parts store sold him the wrong starter or it is a bum unit then it sounds like he has some type of power delivery depending on what his version of it cranks better is. will the truck start off of jumper cables. and you may have burned out the link for your starting and charging system after all this cranking.
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New User
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Yes, this is the third starter. First one was bad, second one was used, not sure how old, didn't trust that it was going to last very long, third one is reman put in today. Did not try to jump today as battery was at full charge already
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Easton,Ks
Reread post #10 in this thread above fro the cranking part and make sure the battery ground cable goes to the engine block. The frame does not have to be grounded just the engine block.
The frame only needs a ground if you pull a trailer and most ground cables have a center crimp clamp for that.
For the running part please answer post #18 above.
The frame only needs a ground if you pull a trailer and most ground cables have a center crimp clamp for that.
For the running part please answer post #18 above.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
What is the cranking RPM? Does it zip good eg put a tach on it. Check that too.
It helps to wash the block and starter down with solvent where the starter body installs because that's the ground connection. The self-help section has those short battery ground connections that work fine. If they are 20+ years outside they will need cleaned to work for sure.... If it isn't installed.. Should be one strap at a starter bolt and a cable or strap to frame. On older fords this is part of the headlight connection too, indirectly.
The thing about missing or corroded, or loose, etc ground straps, electricity will try to find another way and can do bad things to hidden parts. Might not cause a no start but needs fixing. Pickups draw from 500 to 900 amperes on startup!!
Sent from my iPhone using IB AutoGroup
It helps to wash the block and starter down with solvent where the starter body installs because that's the ground connection. The self-help section has those short battery ground connections that work fine. If they are 20+ years outside they will need cleaned to work for sure.... If it isn't installed.. Should be one strap at a starter bolt and a cable or strap to frame. On older fords this is part of the headlight connection too, indirectly.
The thing about missing or corroded, or loose, etc ground straps, electricity will try to find another way and can do bad things to hidden parts. Might not cause a no start but needs fixing. Pickups draw from 500 to 900 amperes on startup!!
Sent from my iPhone using IB AutoGroup
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New User
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W O W
Of all the things. Tedster and Subford you both were headed in the right direction. My old friend was on the same track. Ground wire to block was burnt. He was going to pull out alt to test thinking I had gotten a bad one. We had discussed a while back about removing the AC. So while its apart he got the bracket to change this out. When he removed the belt, found compressor pulley seized up solid. This was the start of all of the issues. As the pulley got tighter, put bigger strain on alternator and ground connections. When it did seize up had to be when the charging light came on, gauge still showed output, but was eating itself up and burning ground. When we replaced alt and starter, still sounded "weak" because we were trying to crank with one pulley locked up. New grounds, new pulley (w/o compressor) don't care about AC anyway.
AMAZING.
The way this starts now you'd think this thing had a new battery, alternator, solenoid, and starter. And it appears this all began with a compressor pulley going bad. If only we had pulled the AC sooner.
Of all the things. Tedster and Subford you both were headed in the right direction. My old friend was on the same track. Ground wire to block was burnt. He was going to pull out alt to test thinking I had gotten a bad one. We had discussed a while back about removing the AC. So while its apart he got the bracket to change this out. When he removed the belt, found compressor pulley seized up solid. This was the start of all of the issues. As the pulley got tighter, put bigger strain on alternator and ground connections. When it did seize up had to be when the charging light came on, gauge still showed output, but was eating itself up and burning ground. When we replaced alt and starter, still sounded "weak" because we were trying to crank with one pulley locked up. New grounds, new pulley (w/o compressor) don't care about AC anyway.
AMAZING.
The way this starts now you'd think this thing had a new battery, alternator, solenoid, and starter. And it appears this all began with a compressor pulley going bad. If only we had pulled the AC sooner.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 19,311
Likes: 97
From: Waterloo, Iowa
Thanks for the update! That'd do it, wouldn't it?, lol. That's what probably roasted the cable. Was this the battery cable to block itself?
For future reference this might be discovered sooner if the starter current draw during cranking is checked. The amount of energy drawn upon a battery for starting is amazing, even when things are working right but it had to be off the chart with a seized compressor.
Sent from my iPhone using IB AutoGroup
For future reference this might be discovered sooner if the starter current draw during cranking is checked. The amount of energy drawn upon a battery for starting is amazing, even when things are working right but it had to be off the chart with a seized compressor.
Sent from my iPhone using IB AutoGroup