I have a 1992 F-150 with the 5.0 V8 and automatic transmission and about 187K miles. I've owned it about a year and half. Every once and a while it wouldn't start when the key was turned. Everything would seem normal, but when I turned the key to the "Start" position, nothing happened. All the dash lights would stay on, but the digital odometer would go blank. There was no ticking from the starter.

I replaced the battery terminal connectors and that seemed to cure it for several months. But then it started happening again. The truck is a not my daily driver and it's not unusual for it to sit for a couple of weeks or more without being driven. I could tell the battery was getting weak, and thought that might the cause of the no-start, so I put a new battery in it yesterday. It started right up several times and all seemed golden.

Then it did it again, and now no matter what I do, it will not start. I removed the battery terminals and cleaned them, I also cleaned the wires that go into the terminals and applied dielectric grease to the wires and the terminals. It made no difference. I used a voltmeter to check the battery output at the posts and it's 12.4V. Then, I put the positive lead for the voltmeter on the wire (NOT the battery terminal) and put the negative on a ground (the body of the alternator) and got the same reading. So I know I have a good connection from the battery to the truck's electrical system.

What else could be causing the no-start? Is there a toubleshooting procedure to locate the offender? I really don't want to just start randomly throwing parts at it.

I should note that shortly after I bought it, I replaced the ignition cylinder because it could be started without the key. Now the replacement cylinder can also turn without the key (after barely 1,000 miles of use). The key will turn all the way to the Start position without any problem, so I'm not suspicious of the cylinder. But I wanted to point it out anyway, just in case.

Any tips, suggestions, or advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm really starting to lose my patience with this thing and want to get it fixed before I do something impulsive that I may later regret!

 

Welcome to FTE!

Measuring high current connections must be done under load. Getting 12.x volts doesn't tell much in that regard.

Cables (all of them) are 20+ years old now and should be replaced. You may get by for now with cleaning them up. Everybody knows to clean connections at the battery, the engine block connection and body/frame connections are just as important.

 

I would start checking your steering column components for your no start issues.

 

Thank you for the suggestions! I found the problem (at least this time), but feel kind of dumb about it.

I found a video on YouTube for troubleshooting and replacing the solenoid, which seemed like a logical place to start. Toward the end of the segment of the video about troubleshooting, the narrator made an almost offhand comment that no juice going to the "S" terminal on the solenoid could mean a problem with the PNP switch or that the vehicle simply isn't in Park.

It reminded me of a Volvo I owned many years ago that had a faulty PNP switch (which I eventually replaced). I learned that when it acted up I could wiggle the shift lever and sometimes that would let me start it. Other times, I could shift to neutral and be able to start it. So I figured I'd give that a try to see what happens.

That's when I noticed that even though the transmission was in Park, the indicator was between the "P" and the "R" - I had backed it into the parking spot. I put a little pressure on the shift lever to move the indicator all the way over to "P" and lo and behold, it started right up! I shut it off and tried again, and again it started right up.

So now I'm wondering if all this time the problem has been that the shift lever wasn't quite all the way into the Park position?

 

Yes! Rob- I had the same problem with my 89! The column shift indicator doesn't work, and it was sitting in reverse but on a flat drive way that I had no way of telling... I was thinking it was the upper actuator arm (which do break), but it was just not in Park! Hope that was all your problem was

 

Yeah I bet that was your problem the entire time.