Hi all! I've been getting my 1966 f100 to run in 10-mile increments for a while and it's a ton of fun. Current problem is that it cut out and won't start- turns over real slow and just wont catch- and this little guy started smoking and melting the wires (see pic). I cleaned the ignition coil contacts because they were having some problems before and were rusty upon inspection this time and that helped a little but still doesn't start really.

Could anyone tell me what this is and what I need to make sure I buy the correct replacement? I've learned fuel system pretty well but still at zero on electrical- is this a starter or starter solenoid? And is there something ELSE down the chain that is making this happen that I should replace too?

I'm not sure if the starter (or whatever that thing is) is particular to the truck (1966 f100) or the motor, which is a ford 302 somebody put in it. Bonus question- how do I find the year of the motor and maybe a little more specific info about it? I included a pic of the label on the valve cover but it doesn't really say; hoping somebody can use that to deduce more info. Thanks!!!!!

 

Welcome to FTE
where in NC are you? There is a NC chapter https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum88/ bunch of nice guys.
They try and have a dinner once a month. I have only made 1, had a great time, only because of my job hours and cant make them.

Now your issue. That is a starter solenoid and I am going to say is not the real problem.
See the large cable to the right up near the top? See how it is shinny? It got hot and started to melt and again not from the solenoid.
What I would do first is measure how long they are. If you have to pull all the battery cables to measure them.
Then hit a good parts store or Tractor Supply and find new ones. Just watch out as they have some skinny cheap one mixed in with the thicker ones.
You want thicker the better think 2 gauge cable so Tractor Supply may be the better store.

Make sure when installing where they connect is nice and clean.
Battery + to the solenoid with all the small wires cleaned up.
From solenoid to starter.
From battery -- to a good clean spot on the motor.
You will also want to run a cable from motor to frame, again good clean spot.
Would not hurt to run a 10 to 8 gauge wire from the motor to the fire wall or frame to body.

If that does not fix the slow cranking, batter fully charged, then could be the starter. Could pull it and have it tested I guess?
But I also ways replace the battery cables on anything new to me and never had any issues of it cranking / starting.

When you have it cranking cut open them old cables to see what the insides look like. Bet not pretty.
Dave ----

 

Ok so just to be clear:

Replace
1. the main red wire from battery to solenoid
2. Solenoid to Starter (is that the melted one in the pic?)
3. Battery to Motor (is this the negative battery cable?)
4. Motor to Frame

Thanks for the NC info! Im in Durham and will look in to this.

 

that tag on the valve cover is the emissions tag, look at it closer, it should have the year on it.

 

 

I looked at your emissions tag and it says the 302 family of engines. If you look on the bottom of the decal there is a part number that appears to read D84E-9C485-AB. It is partly obscured by grease. "D" is the decade code for the 70's and the "8" is the exact year so you have a 78 motor according to the valve cover. The decade letter codes apply to all Ford parts:

A= 40's
B= 50's
C= 60's
D= 70's
E= 80's
F= 90's
evreything newer is too new for me lol.

 

Yes to all 4.
I am sure with a fully charged battery and if the starter is good it should crank at normal speed and start if everything else is good.

There was just a post in the 80-86 area where a user was having an issue that the solenoid would stick and the motor would keep on cranking.
He changed the solenoid like 3 times with no fix. He replaced the solenoid to starter cable and the issue has been fixed for 4 days now.
The thinking is the resistance of that cable was too high and because of that the amps were higher and would weld the contacts together in the solenoid and keep it cranking.

The slow cranking and the melted cable at 1 end on yours is a sign of high resistance of the cables.
You could do a voltage drop test to find what cable but it is easier to just replace them all and start fresh.

Durham not far from me. I work out of Apex and pull cement from out of 4 plants in Durham.
Yea check out the NC Chapter area and say hi great guys.
Dave ----

 

I would add one comment regarding the melted wire... When attempting to get it started, if you crank long enough to drain the battery, as you mentioned it was cranking slowly, there can be a tremendous amount of heat generated in that cable from the starter relay (solenoid) to the starter. This can be caused by corroded contacts on the starter or relay or a poor ground for the starter.

Before you crank with the new cables, be sure the contacts are clean and that the starter body has a good ground to the engine.

 

The ID number on the decal is just for the decal, it does not ID what the engine is from.

To properly ID what the engine is, the OP needs to find the casting number on the engine block and its casting date code.

 

If I were to bet, I'd say the info on that tag would change every year as the emissions changed, so I'd bet that code would also be the year of the engine within 12 months. so a '78 code would more than likely be between '77-'79.

 

Which is why I said according to the valve cover.

 

The tag clearly says 302

 

Yes, but what is the 302 from? Ford/Merc Passenger Car, F100/150 or a Lincoln Versailles?

If from a Versailles, the block casting number prefix is D8VE

 

This last is far more important that you would think, AND is likely missing due to the engine swap. Many people don't think it's important and don't put it back.
Cosmo