Suddenly getting single-click no-start
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Suddenly getting single-click no-start
1995 F150 4x4 5.8L
JUST finished a bout of fluid maintenance (engine, trans, both diffs, transfer case) 2 weeks ago with two starts on it since then. This weekend I pulled it out of its bay to work on another car, then blocked it in with the truck. The work on that car is now done...and the truck is DOA. Symptoms & relevant info:
I don't want to just go buying parts if I can help it, no matter how inexpensive or easy the job is. Does the mob have any other tests/suggestions I can check that might help uncover what is wrong?
JUST finished a bout of fluid maintenance (engine, trans, both diffs, transfer case) 2 weeks ago with two starts on it since then. This weekend I pulled it out of its bay to work on another car, then blocked it in with the truck. The work on that car is now done...and the truck is DOA. Symptoms & relevant info:
- Single click with every key turn to start.
- Battery is in good shape & fully charged (put a trickle charger on it last night just to make certain)
- Can very clearly hear the fuel pump running when I turn the key
- With key on, no crank or even sparks when jumping starter solenoid posts. No response whether the push-on connector is attached or not
I don't want to just go buying parts if I can help it, no matter how inexpensive or easy the job is. Does the mob have any other tests/suggestions I can check that might help uncover what is wrong?
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Went out for a quick investigate during lunch. Some more observations:
- I didn't see any grounds obviously severed, disconnected or anything, but I'm going to dig deeper into this theory. I would REALLY prefer to somehow get it to start so I can free the trapped car and put the truck back in the bay so I can work a little more comfortably + better lighting.
- I jumped the terminals on the starter - it sparked and the starter ran, but the engine didn't turn AT ALL. Is there another step I would need to take for this to work?
- The fuel pump behaved abnormally this time. With the key turned, I heard the fuel pump prime like normal. But it did it again while I was under the truck and pump continued to run sporadically (wife was sitting in the cab with foot on brake, but didn't touch anything). I think this is reinforcing the grounding theory above.
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Follow up - it appears I had multiple gremlins all at once:
- I cleaned up all the ground connections I could find to make sure I was getting good connection. Nothing changed after this.
- Did some more research and found several testimonies about the inconsistent fuel pump priming along with a few of my other symptoms, all pointing to replacing the computer. I replaced that and it definitely did resolve that issue, but the single-click no-start persisted.
- Until I smacked the starter a few times with a hammer. Started right up after that and ran great.
- I've got a starter on the way, and carrying a hammer with me until I get that swapped out.
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From: Angier, NC
You said you checked the grounds dont forget the solenoid need a good ground to the fender to work right too.
You only check 1 side of the system, the POS(+) needs to be gone through too.
On my 81 with a 4.9 I would also get the "1 clunk" when I turned the key to start.
If I did this a few times it would then crank & start, this also did not happen all the time so was hard to track down the cause.
All battery cables were replaced as part of the 4 year cab off frame rebuild and all run like the factory as were all other grounds.
My first try at a fix was the POS(+) cable at the solenoid and battery and ground to fender of solenoid, no go.
Not knowing how old the solenoid was I get a NAPA top of the line solenoid and this time did the ground side of the battery and has started every time so far.
Also beware on solenoids most replacements are junk. May not work out of the box or work a hand full of times and stop working or work for a year before it fails.
Its hard to find good ones now days and why I went top of the line NAPA.
You only check 1 side of the system, the POS(+) needs to be gone through too.
On my 81 with a 4.9 I would also get the "1 clunk" when I turned the key to start.
If I did this a few times it would then crank & start, this also did not happen all the time so was hard to track down the cause.
All battery cables were replaced as part of the 4 year cab off frame rebuild and all run like the factory as were all other grounds.
My first try at a fix was the POS(+) cable at the solenoid and battery and ground to fender of solenoid, no go.
Not knowing how old the solenoid was I get a NAPA top of the line solenoid and this time did the ground side of the battery and has started every time so far.
Also beware on solenoids most replacements are junk. May not work out of the box or work a hand full of times and stop working or work for a year before it fails.
Its hard to find good ones now days and why I went top of the line NAPA.
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