So my friend has a 2002 F250 V10 6 speed that I am trying to help him get running. He said that he parked it because it was having computer issues. In the winter (when it's wet outside) the gauges would quit working and it would go into a limp mode, in the summer (when it's dry outside) it would run perfect. He also said he pulled the computer, let it sit inside for a few days to dry out, put some dielectric grease on the connecters and it ran fine for a while. As of last summer he could pull start it to drive around his property, but the starter had gone out while sitting. Last Saturday I put a new starter in it and fresh battery that I pulled from my Toyota pickup and it just clicked, the kind of rapid clicking you get when a battery is low, but not quite dead. I know the battery I used was a little small, but I also ran cables from my Toyota Sequoia. I think there should be enough juice there to turn it over, even on one battery, but especially with 2. So my next move is to replace the battery cables and check all the engine ground straps. Does anybody have any other suggestions? Did I miss anything? I know the battery I'm using isn't ideal, but I have used the Sequoia to jump my 05 before when the battery in it lost a cell. This my thought process, but I'm sure that plenty of you have more experience than I do and might have some ideas that could help.

 

Did you measure the voltage drop (using your multimeter) while cranking? Makes no sense to blindly replace parts without knowing why you're doing it.

-- Dave

 

Seems suspect that 2 starters are having issues back to back. As Djosbun said, see what voltages are. Clean all major connections. I'd also check the starter relay (passenger side inner fender). If it were me I'd give the starter a few love taps with a hammer first and foremost however.

 

If the battery connections are corroded that'll cause issues. If it looks like the battery cables are swollen they need to be replaced. A voltage drop test will also help to track down the issue

 

Sounds good. I did not measure the voltage drop. He told me it needed a starter so I took his word for it. I'm not sure when I'm going to have time to mess with it again, but when I do I will play with the relay, do a voltage drop test and replace the battery cables (I already ordered them). I wish I would have thought of smacking the starter after I installed it, I thought about it when I was pulling out of the driveway, but I was soaked and freezing so I kept going. Replacing a starter in a December rainstorm on a truck parked in the mud can be a real test of your patience.

 

I went back out today. It was the battery cables. We have it turning over now, but still not running. It fired on starting fluid, so it has spark, but it doesn't seem to be getting fuel. I can't hear the fuel pump running. The fuel pump fuse was blown, but changing it didn't get the pump running. We swapped a couple of relays around, but I still didn't hear the pump running and it's still not starting. That's all I had time for today.

 

It was the fuel pump. Must have gone bad sitting. I pulled the bed off a couple of weeks ago. Finally got the right fuel pump yesterday. Put it in and it fired right up.