My 1980 f100 won’t start, practically everything in the ignition system is new. I’ve bought a new starter and solenoid as well. Turn the key and nothing not even starter engaging but if I bridge the solenoid terminals then it cranks her. Wondering what it could be at this point anything will help. Thnx
edit: I also have power throughout the cab and to all lights and horn. Not battery as that’s new as well.

 

Is this a automatic or manual truck? If it's a automatic, play with the shifter while holding the key over, there may be something wrong with the neutral safety. If this truck used to be a automatic, and someone just swapped it to a manual, you need to find the red/blue wires underneath the truck that used to go to the neutral safety switch, and twist them together. That should then send power from the key to the starter relay on the fender.

 

Wyatt, welcome to FTE

Ok so I read this as the motor will not crank right?
Not starting is the motor cranks but will not start / run.
What brought on that you replaced "practically everything in the ignition system is new. I’ve bought a new starter and solenoid as well. Not battery as that’s new as well."
Just trying to see why you did what you did so we can point you in the right direction.
What motor & transmission does the truck have?

We will get this cranking and then running again
Dave ----

 

Was it having this trouble before you replaced everything? If so, my guess would be the danged Dual brake warning system if it came with a manual transmission. It's a little complicated but can be bypassed at the ignition switch under the dash on the column.

 

Did you put the ignition wire on the correct post on the solenoid?

 

Don't think his truck has the clutch pedal switch as neither of my 81'stuff had it.
Dave ----

 

Another thing to look at after confirming ignition wire is in the right spot. Did you replace the ignition switch? May not have it positioned right on the studs. If it's too far down you may not be engaging the start position on the switch. Did it start are run before? I'm really asking why you replaced all of the ignition stuff.

 

The truck is a 4 speed manual and always has been I was told that if I just push the clutch to the floor it shouldn’t matter but I will try this and let you know.

 

The only trouble it did have was with the engine dying after idling for a while but when I adjusted the carb it worked fine after.

 

I replaced the battery cause the cells where bad and wasn’t right battery to begin with, along with terminals because they were fairly corroded.
Then I went to the starter due to advice from a coworker and I replaced the starter solenoid along with the starter. Shortly after I was searching around and a few people recommended the ignition switch so I switched it out and with how bad of condition it was in I thought it may have been that.
I also ended up changing out the ignition coil, when I tested it the resistance was way to high on the inner coil.
The owner before me also replaced the ICM and put in a new clutch kit.

The truck has the original Inline 6 and 4 speed manual transmission.

 

I did replace the ignition switch and it did seem in terrible shape. The new one sits in the exact spot the old one did. Most of the stuff I replaced was just due to coworkers or forums telling me what to try.
It started and ran just fine idle was rough but I adjusted carb and it went for a few hundred miles till it stopped.

 

I apologize. I'll have to go back and re read this to restart my memory. If you still around long enough you'll realize I have a terrible memory and I have moments of Genius. Sometimes I read some of the things I have said like I'm hearing it for the first time. ...that didn't take long. Looks like you have roughness all around. Going to ignore the carb issue as the no crank is more pressing. You have a manual. Was it original or swapped in? Like they mentioned. Manuals have a clutch interlock. Two wire connector at the, you guessed it, clutch. For the auto trans, there is a jumper connector to bypass it. Because they use a neutral safety switch at the trans. If yours has been swapped you'll have to check the wires near the transmission to make sure they have been connected. If not, Check your neutral lockout. If it's in place, unhook it and make a 3-4" jumper wire with male bladed connectors to bypass it. For the sake of testing, if you don't have that stuff, take a bare piece of copper wire and jam both ends in the connector. Because whichever you have is in line of the ignition wire to the starter relay. If they aren't functioning or in place the current won't make it there to get the starter to turn. Also, if you check for your neutral interlock and you have the factory jumper, check the NSS at trans. If the wires have been twisted together, verify they are still connected and check the NSS.

 

Truck was always a stick truck and never had a clutch lockout switch, my 2 81's never had them and I also don't remember a jumper for the NSS on the harnesses as I had both of them out.

Ok truck out of gear, park brake set if you jump from the large battery post to the small post with the "S" (closest to the side the battery cable is hooked to) does the motor start to crank over?
If so then the connection from battery> solenoid> starter is good and we need to find if the wire you pulled off the"S" post is getting power when the key is turned to start.
With a meter or test light hook it to the wire you pulled off the "S" post and turn the key to start. Did the light light or meter go to 12 volts?
Dave ----

 

It would matter if you had a later truck. You have a earlier truck so it don't think they had the clutch switch. Unless you have a truck made from several different trucks. That happens a lot.

I don't know if someone has suggested this yet, but just as a test, MAKE SURE THE TRUCK IS IN NEUTRAL and then take a small jumper wire and jump from the battery + to the small terminal on the solenoid and see if it will crank over. If it does, we at least will know what does work and what doesn't work. If you need it running, you can turn the key on MAKE SURE THE TRUCK IS IN NEUTRAL pump the gas a few times and then go out and jump the small terminal, it may start.

P.S. If the above experiment works, you may have a tilt column with the famous broken piece inside. Write back in and if the above test works with the jumper, then we can see if you have a tilt column. You may have a tilt column and not know it. Once we determine that, we have another experiment you can try to see if you have the broken piece in the column.

 

I know 80 and 81 were a bit different, but my 82 has it.