So just rebuilt the fuel bowl on my 02 Excursion, 7.3L replacing all the orings in the kit from diesel orings. When initially starting it up just cranked for 10 seconds ran then died after a few seconds of running. Double checked that all fittings were tight and then upon trying to re-start just cranked continually. Tried this about 5 times of just cranking and eventually it started, might be normal for having just changed fuel bowl?!

Drove it around (20 minutes) seemed to drive ok and was just making sure all air was out of any lines. Got back, turned it off and then tried to re-start and it cranked no start. THEN no crank at all.... tried to turn the ignition to start and no nada, not even a crank. All power accessories are on being lights, gauges everything is working just no crank at all... I scanned for codes and no showed up.

However, similar thing happened a few weeks ago, pulled into the store did some shopping, came out to start it and crank and no start, then no crank at all, again no nada, not even an attempt to crank? after several attempts at trying to start no crank at all?? Walked away for a bit (45 minutes) came back and still no crank at all, at that point had a friend with a diesel attach jumper cables and it fired right up? Have not had any starting problems in the last few weeks. Had the batteries tested the next day and both checked out fine with more than the advertised CCA on the batteries, separated the batteries and tested individually and both checked out good.

Kinda stumped, starter going bad?

 

I would start with testing batteries,then clean all the connections.& then test starter when you get no crank condition with fully charged batteries.

 

Copy that, yeah like I said I had the batteries tested a few weeks ago when this initially happened and they tested good. I had replaced the alternator as it had gone bad a week prior to that so had my batteries tested to make sure I had not done damage to the batteries after running for 20 or so miles with a bad alternator.

Was just out there checking starter fuses, switched started relay with a known good relay, still no nada, no crank at all. I am here at work dead in the water waiting for a buddie to get here to try again and jump the Ex see if that works?.... To be continued

 

Real quickly, I found this video in another related thread: '

I heard the relay click, then went to that wire he disconnected and did that and sure enough the starter cranked right away, and cranked and cranked!! Went inside the Ex, put the key in ignition turned it to on and sure enough the rig fired up buy jumping that wire directly to positive terminal on the battery.... I then reconnected the wires, and held up the Column shift as high as it would go into park, and it fired right up!! Kinda a good feeling, and it fired up a few more time w/o holding it into park.

So...nice that it started, but what exactly does this tell me? The neutral safety switch is bad?

 

So, does my 02 Ex not have a starter solenoid like this gentleman mentioned? I am simply just seeking knowledge at this point to "see how things worked". What was the wire I was able to disconnect and jump the starter with if no solenoid?

Anyone, anyone...voodoo economics..

 

Anything past 2002 does not have a starter solenoid mounted on the inner fender which is why you have the wire you referenced earlier. The only solenoid is on the starter itself.

Does your shifter have a lot of slop in it? If it does, there are two torx screws that attach the shifter cable to the bottom of the steering cable that loosen up over time and cause the scenario you describe. Lay on your back and look at the lower end of the steering column nearer the floor and you should see the two of them. There is a writeup on here somewhere with pics. If ican find it, i will add it.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-selector.html

 

Hey Carltonwebb, just back into town from Mexico and saw this last post you made! Sure enough yes, I located the 2 Torx screws you speak of, and they are pretty darn loose, boy this problem became even more simple than I had ever imagined, and here I was ready to throw a new starter and Neutral Safety Switch at the problem, glad I sat back and punted. The dead giveway was jumping it directly at the starter like the video showed. But it started no problems when I held the gear selector up in park, thanks for the input. I am tempted to put some lock tight on it when I tighten it back up?

 

Yep, I did!