Had the truck 4 months now, driven it twice: radiator blew up on me on the way home from the dealership I bought it from and then from the shop where I took it to get a rounded off bolt extracted (long story, wasn't my fault believe it or not) now she doesn't wanna start even though she drove home just fine from the shop.

The following day she was trying to crank over, but wouldn't start, battery gauge was steadily falling when I tried to start her, so I replaced the battery (the other battery tested fine). After replacing the battery, she wouldn't crank over at all. I pulled off the alternator and starter both and took them up to AutoZone, both tested out fine. Guy at AutoZone suggested I try changing the Starter Switch, I've also thought about changing the Glow Plugs and Glow Plug Controller as well since they probably need to be done anyhow. Any other ideas?

I will also mention that my dash flickers (probably a chewed up wire from the rat that lived in the truck when it was on the previous owner's farm for those 2 years it just sat), my windshield wipers DO NOT work (could just be the wiper motor, but I'm open to any other suggestions), nor does my heating and AC work, speedo jumps, temp gauge is stuck/inop, and the windows don't roll up. Yeah, I got a long way to go with this thing .

The good news: it's a 7.3 4x4 with a 5 spd and a flatbed and I figured for 2300 that was a pretty good deal even with the flaws

I would also like to inquire as to how hard it is to swap out the front TTB for a F-350 Dana 60 axle from a similar year truck. God knows I'd love a kingpin from a '78-'79 but those are hard to find and the guys that do have them probably want your firstborn for them, so I'm ok with an '80-'96.

 

batteries get replaced in pairs. the old one will kill the new one.
plug it in and see if it will start.
also pull the fuel filter off and see if it is full or half empty.
if not full you need a return line kit.
if it starts after being plugged in for 2-3 hour the glow plugs are not working.

 

Also for your wipers. Check the switch itself. I had mine go out before. Was simple to swap

 

Let's be clear on the terminology here;

"Cranking over" means when you turn the key the starter engages and turns the engine over for the starting process. (The phrase "turning over" also means the same thing.)

"Starting" means just that, the engine has started and you have released the key and the starter has disengaged.

If an engine will not 'crank over' it is: (one or more)

1) Low or dead battery (batteries)
2) Bad cables and/or connections
3) Bad starter relay
4) Bad starter
5) Faulty ignition switch
6) Wiring problem between ignition switch and relay.


If an engine will 'crank over' but does not start it is: (one or more)

1) No fuel***
3) Air intrusion
4) Faulty glow plug system.

***No fuel could be no fuel in the tanks, faulty fuel tank switch, bad lift pump, bad IP, plugged fuel filter, or cone of failure failure.

This of course assumes the engine has enough compression to run and has no serious internal failures.


It can also be noted that the alternator and voltage regulator have nothing to do with an engine starting or running. All they do is keep the batteries charged while the engine is running.

You can take your alternator and regulator out, throw them in the trash, (or give them to your local tweaker so he can recycle the copper and make $3.), and your truck will still start and run just fine.

 

I'm having a helluva time finding the block heater on this thing...I Pm'd Tom and he said it should be somewhere near my passenger side battery. Cannot find it to save my life

 

That's where the cord should be, but it could be moved or missing.

Look at the freeze plug above the starter, that's where the heater is. If there's a cord there just follow it to the end. If there's no cord an you see the prongs at the plug your cord is missing.

 

Here's what the heater and cord look like,

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-6-9-7-3-L-IDI-Diesel-1000w-Engine-Block-Heater-83-94-F250-F350-Excursion-/160697330480?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item256a4eab30&vxp=mtr
If your cord is missing, but heater's still there the cord is available by itself.

 

Soon as you posted this one I ran outside (because I had just re-installed my starter prior to my last reply), traced the wire and viola, there she was in the grill. Just plugged her in, gonna give her a bump in 2 hours and see if she'll fire up or not. At that point, I suppose I'll know for sure it's my glow plugs.

Thanks alot Chevy_Eater! and you as well tjc transport!

 

Alright then, status update. Had my block heater plugged in for 3 hours. At the 2nd hour I tried starting it with and without the block heater connected, wouldn't turn over. Tried again on the 3rd hour, still wouldn't turn over.

Same as before (forget to mention it though) getting the check engine light (that could be any number of things, need a good code reader), battery light, and the Water in Fuel light is coming on even though the truck was running fine before all this madness started. I didn't get a Wait To Start light at all, but it was working before so I don't know if that means the glow plug controller is failing to engage or not. I tested both batteries with my voltmeter, both still putting out 12V so I don't believe the new battery killed my old one.

I'd already purchased an ignition switch prior to my inquiry about the block heater so tomorrow I'll install that and see if that fixes things. I don’t think it’s the starter relay because it looks fairly new (like changed within the last year kind of new). As I mentioned earlier, I had the starter tested so I know that’s not the case. The cables, wires, and connections on the batteries, relay, and starter seem to be fine.

 

So just to clarify, by not turning over, you mean the starter is NOT spinning the engine?

When you turn the key, do you hear anything? low/dead batteries/bad connections will usually let the solenoid on the starter 'click' once as it tries to turn. If you aren't hearing that click, something between the key and the starter is off.

On the fender solenoid, you should be able to jump it with a screwdriver or a wrench to see if it works. Go from the small terminal on the top to the one the wire from the battery is connected to. MAKE SURE THE TRANSMISSION IS IN NEUTRAL AND THE PARKING BRAKE IS ON FIRST!!! (don't want you running yourself over...)
If it turns over, check the wiring from the ignition switch to the fender solenoid, and/or replace the ignition switch.

If jumping the fender solenoid doesn't cause the starter to engage, jump straight across the two large terminals (bypassing it altogether). If that doesn't work, the wiring from the solenoid to the starter, or batteries to starter have a problem.

The check engine light, battery light, water in fuel light and maybe a few others should come on when you first turn the key as a test of the bulbs, thats standard on most vehicles these days I think. The check engine light will stay on if the key is on because there is no oil pressure in the engine (because its not running...), this is normal, don't worry about it.

Depending on how warm you got the engine with the block heater, its possible the wait to start light wouldn't turn on.

If when you're doing these tests, or right at the beginning, you keep getting just the click from the starter relay, its also possible the engine somehow locked up. You can manually spin over the engine with a socket on the crankshaft. I believe its a 15/16" socket. (again transmission in neutral with parking brake on)

Oh, the block heater being physically plugged in or not plugged in will have no effect on actually starting the engine when you go to start it. You just want to remember to unplug it before you drive away. The idea is to use it to preheat the engine so its easier to start.

Report back what you find.

 

save you money on the code reader, there is no codes to read on the trucks because there is no computer.
there are only two things that will set off the CEL, high engine temps sender, and low oil pressure sender.

check the cord for the block heater with a multi meter. there are two ways to do it, either with power or without.

i like the without power way, i set the meter to ohms and test each wire. short or zero ohms is good, open or no reading is no good.
then i cut the plug off and test again. 99% of the time it is a bad plug.

 

Just a heads up, kingpins soldiered on later than that. Mine has a kingpin front 60.

 

kingpin D60 would be model year 86 to 91.
before 86 was IFS only, 92 and later was ball joints.

 

Good news and bad news. Changed the glow plugs and the ignition switch, she started cranking over but still wouldn't start. I could plug her in with the block heater and she'd start and run fine throughout the days, still a little hard to start sometimes but I tried to start her every hour on the hour just to make my life easier.

Put a new set of tires on the old girl, came time to change the glow plug controller. Well...made an EXTREMELY stupid mistake. I matched up all the wires on the old glow plug to the knew except one of the large yellow wires and ended up plugging it into the bus bar which promptly fried my batteries after I started it...yeah I felt like a *******. On a good note it did start and run great, so I know the GPC was the problem solver.

Anyway, yaked out the batteries and my glow plug controller. GPC and one of the batteries was still under warranty so I swapped those out, got the other battery charged up and put them back in. Now, for some damn reason my start relay wire wants to arc and spark as I'm trying to hook my batteries back up.

I made damn sure to follow the wiring diagram this time, so my GPC is definitely plugged in correctly. Even a numbskull like me can't screw up the batteries, so what gives? Any ideas?





This is the wiring diagram I used





Starter Relay wire. She's pretty mangled looking, but she worked just fine before is what I don't get





Proof my passenger battery is installed correctly





Proof my driverside battery is installed correctly

 

i would disconnect the power wires to the controller and see if the relay still sparks when connected.
it sounds to me like the fender mount started relay may be stuck in the closed position.