Help urgent - starter issues
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Joined: Oct 2013
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Help urgent - starter issues
I don't post often, I usually learn from following other threads, but I'm stumped.
Came out yesterday morning, truck won't start, just clicks, assume battery is shot, has a 2004 sticker on a "7 year" battery. It was in the truck when I bought it 5-6 weeks ago. Replaced battery, still same issue, just clicks, won't turn over. Assume starter. Picked up used from Ford guy here in town. Put all back together, went to reconnect battery. WANTS TO TURN OVER. Keys are not in the ignition. Went back underneath, disconnect wire from ignition, just hot wire on starter and bolt back in, reconnect battery, back to square one, clicks but no turn over. Do I have a bad solenoid or ignition switch?
Am I missing something here?
95 F-150 302 4x4
Came out yesterday morning, truck won't start, just clicks, assume battery is shot, has a 2004 sticker on a "7 year" battery. It was in the truck when I bought it 5-6 weeks ago. Replaced battery, still same issue, just clicks, won't turn over. Assume starter. Picked up used from Ford guy here in town. Put all back together, went to reconnect battery. WANTS TO TURN OVER. Keys are not in the ignition. Went back underneath, disconnect wire from ignition, just hot wire on starter and bolt back in, reconnect battery, back to square one, clicks but no turn over. Do I have a bad solenoid or ignition switch?
Am I missing something here?
95 F-150 302 4x4
5th Wheeling
Joined: Mar 2014
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The starter would have been my guess if the battery is good. Did you have the original starter tested?
Something else to look at is the battery cables. Corrosion at the battery terminals will prevent enough power from getting through to engage the starter. I assume you would have seen this if you replaced the battery first... But maybe not.
Something else to look at is the battery cables. Corrosion at the battery terminals will prevent enough power from getting through to engage the starter. I assume you would have seen this if you replaced the battery first... But maybe not.
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So now I'm just lost. Called my Ford guy where I got the starter. He thought the same I was thinking. The only thing left is the solenoid Ford has mounted on the pass fender. Took old one out, and BOTH starters to O'reilly to be tested. Old starter I took out, no good, used starter OK, no way to test solenoid. Picked one up while I was there. Put all back together. Same issue, as soon as I touch negative terminal to battery it WANTS TO TURN OVER. Keys are not in the truck. What am I missing here?
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Just a hunch, but unhook all the alternator connections and then hook the cables back up and see what happens
Thanx eaker,
I get what you are thinking, reset the ecm. Tried this and still no different. I would think the battery being disconnected for so long would do the same.
So put key in to "run" position, touched battery enough to turn over then left negative off battery with engine running. Was at least able to get in to driveway and off street. Can't drive this way, will have to try other ideas when weather gets better. (40 and rain right now)
BTW, yes the starter did disengage when I took terminal off battery post.
Thanx eaker,
I get what you are thinking, reset the ecm. Tried this and still no different. I would think the battery being disconnected for so long would do the same.
So put key in to "run" position, touched battery enough to turn over then left negative off battery with engine running. Was at least able to get in to driveway and off street. Can't drive this way, will have to try other ideas when weather gets better. (40 and rain right now)
BTW, yes the starter did disengage when I took terminal off battery post.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2013
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From: South Central,MO
Not what I meant. Sometimes a malfunctioning alternator will backfeed thru the wire that excites it and cause the starter relay to stay engaged which will make the starter continue to run. ECM doesn't have any control over the starter.
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
you may have wires hooked up wrong.
and don't run the engine with the battery disconnected, that is a very good way to burn up the alternator.
check all ground connections to make sure they are clean and tight.
then check positive connections for clean and tight.
all wires on the fender mount starter relay go to the terminal toward the battery except for the one going to the starter wand the small trigger wire from the ignition switch.
and don't run the engine with the battery disconnected, that is a very good way to burn up the alternator.
check all ground connections to make sure they are clean and tight.
then check positive connections for clean and tight.
all wires on the fender mount starter relay go to the terminal toward the battery except for the one going to the starter wand the small trigger wire from the ignition switch.
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Still trying to sort this out. Never thought just swapping a starter would be such a P I T A.
So I just climbed out from underneath. Had been sliding under from drivers side. (yeah the starter is on the pass side). My goal is to replace the hot lead to the starter, it appears to be the weak link, probably should have just done it right away in the first place. Anyway, I'm sliding out the pass side this time and halfway out I'm looking straight at what appears to be a ground cable between the frame and cab that is rusted off on one end and obviously not grounding ANYTHING. Is this a bad ground causing some of my problems? I am obviously electrically challenged.
So I just climbed out from underneath. Had been sliding under from drivers side. (yeah the starter is on the pass side). My goal is to replace the hot lead to the starter, it appears to be the weak link, probably should have just done it right away in the first place. Anyway, I'm sliding out the pass side this time and halfway out I'm looking straight at what appears to be a ground cable between the frame and cab that is rusted off on one end and obviously not grounding ANYTHING. Is this a bad ground causing some of my problems? I am obviously electrically challenged.
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Easton,Ks
Anyway, I'm sliding out the pass side this time and halfway out I'm looking straight at what appears to be a ground cable between the frame and cab that is rusted off on one end and obviously not grounding ANYTHING. Is this a bad ground causing some of my problems? I am obviously electrically challenged.
The alternator can not cause it either.
Sounds like you have the small wire going to the starter on the wrong side of the starter relay. It does not go on the battery side. The large hot (+) cable goes to the starter solenoid that is located on top of the starter.
The large ground cable from the battery goes to the engine block and may have a crimp bolted to the frame for trailer brakes and lights. But if you do not pull a trailer or use the frame for a ground for after market items the frame does not have to be grounded.
The small ground wire from the NEG post goes to the body of the truck (not the frame).
The push on wire goes to small stud on the starter relay on the fender and all the fuse links go on the battery side of the starter relay.
If you still have the problem and it is wired right replace the starter relay with one from a Ford dealer as the ones from auto part stores do not work very well.
Fleet Owner
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From: Easton,Ks
This is not possible.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2013
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From: South Central,MO
I've had it happen twice. The first time was on a John Deere tractor with a Motorolla alternator. That one ran the starter long enough that with the engine running it melted the starter drive and turned the starter into a big generator. Neither starter nor alternator nor battery survived that. All the wiring and anything else electrical was pretty much shot too. The second time was on my 90 in my sig. Started it up one cold morning and it just didn't sound right. Popped the hood and I could tell the starter was still running. Went to pull the cable and it quit running. Done a quick inspection and found a melter wire on the alt. Fixed the wire and when I hooked it back up the starter took off. Unhooked the wire and everything was ok. Swapped the alt with another one and everything was fine. Was it something else and just coincidence?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Easton,Ks
eakermeld,
They are two non related circuits. The alternator output goes right to the battery.
The OP has a 1995 F-series truck.
The only wire that activates the starter relay is the wire from the Ignition switch.
Sounds like your starter relay was stuck closed as happens with a low battery.
Low battery = high current = stuck contacts.
They are two non related circuits. The alternator output goes right to the battery.
The OP has a 1995 F-series truck.
The only wire that activates the starter relay is the wire from the Ignition switch.
Sounds like your starter relay was stuck closed as happens with a low battery.
Low battery = high current = stuck contacts.