I own a 1997 Ford F-350 XLT, with about 84k miles on it. Yesterday, my battery light pinged on. The batteries are brand new, and I checked them and they have power. As a just in case, I removed the alternator, and had it tested, to find out it is also running fine. I cleaned out the connectors, cleaned the battery connectors, and put it all back together, but it still won't start. I also checked the fuses in the Power Distribution Box, but it was fine as well.

The engine tries to turn, you can hear it crank and try to start as normal, but will not turn over. Would this be a starter issue, or is there something about the alternator that I may have missed?

 

Sounds like a starter issue.

 

Or cable/ connection...or starter solenoid..or starter..or a battery dropping out under a load...

 

I would recommend you start by checking all the battery and ground connections, as well as the connections at the starter. That's step one.

Step 2 (or, arguably step 1) could be to LOAD test the batteries INDIVIDUALLY. Simply testing them with a volt meter or test light isn't enough to guarantee that they're working like they should. The batteries need to have a load on them to determine whether they are holding energy like they should. This needs to be done with the batteries isolated (not hooked together). Any auto parts store should eb able to do this for you if you carry the batteries in there.

Step 3 would be to jump the terminals on the starter relay (on the inside of the passenger side fender well) with a big screwdriver or something. Make sure the truck is in park since it may crank the motor when you do. If that makes it crank, then the relay is likely bad.

If all the rest of these things check out, then I'd say it's a safe bet that your starter is bad.

The alternator doesn't have anything to do with starting the truck, it just supplies power to recharge the batteries once the truck is running. Even if it is bad, the truck should start and run on battery power (until the batteries are dead).

Check those things out and get back to us.

 

I agree with DIY in that order. Just repaired a VW Beetle with a very similar problem. The batteries load tested good, pull the starter, it tested good. Ended up being corrosion on the ground where it connects to block. We should have checked that first. Wasted a lot of time. We did however clean the starter up real good where it bolts to block.

 

^^^^^ This is one reason that removing components for bench testing is of limited troubleshooting/diagnostic value. Testing the components in isolation leaves out everything in between - wiring, grounds, connections, etc.

That, plus the generic component tests done at the FLAPS do not necessarily simulate the "real world" loads those components face when they're installed. Esp. when the tests are done "by the book" by an inexperienced tester. It may "pass" according to the machine, but again, that says little. Not to sound age-ist, but I've noticed that younger guys at the FLAPS will put your starter, alternator, etc. on the tester, run it briefly, see an "OK" light or "PASSED" display, and hand it back to you saying it's fine. The guys who look like they've been there a while don't just depend on the machine, they depend on their ears as well. Had this happen with a starter on my Saturn. It "passed" on the tester at AZ, but an older employee said it didn't sound right. Tested it 2-3 more times, and it started getting marginal. We compared it with a new one on the tester, and it was night and day.

BTW, the "battery" light just uses the battery as an icon. It's really an indicator of some failure of the charging system. (An icon of a little alternator wouldn't mean much to most people, so they used a battery.) It's possible that you've had a charging problem for a while, and that the batteries have now discharged from running the truck on the batteries without charging them, as described above. Weak batteries will often show "okay" voltage with no load, so as said, def. LOAD test the batteries.

When you tried to start it most recently, was it turning slower than usual? A lot slower? Did it get slower and slower as you held the key?

 

When I turn the key it doesn't get slower, it just won't turn over. I'll check all those things first then, because I really don't want to pull that starter out.....

 

Just to clarify, "turn over" refers to the starter turning the engine, whether it actually starts or not. So if it's cranking (turning over) at close to a normal speed, your batteries and starter may be fine, and you may have some other underlying electrical problem. Or poss. multiple problems which may be related. Do you get the WTS light when you turn the key to RUN? Does the tach move when you try to start it?

 

I pulled the starter, and had it tested. Sure enough, both the starter itself and the solenoid were both out of commission. Replaced them both and she starts up fine. Thanks everyone.

 

Nice! Did you have it rebuilt or get a new one?

 

Good deal. Glad you're up and running.

 

I went ahead and just bought a new one. I hoped it might be lighter or easier to put in. Couldn't have been more wrong.

One thing I don't think I noticed until now though, when you turn the truck to "on," does the battery light stay on until the truck is started, or is it supposed to go off? I guess I'm being a lot more observant since it broke than I have been and never noticed that

 

Battery light stays ON until truck is started and alternator is turning

 

Alright, cool. Thanks for the help everyone.