My "Rico" project detailed here on the forum has been stalled due to a big move across the country, setting up my new shop, and having a baby. Just now getting back into the shop, also picked up another flareside (because why not?) at a screaming deal. We calll this truck "Maverick" it is an 86 Flareside 4x4 original DSO was Los Angeles (Hollywood?). Ended up in Idaho from a California transplant. THE most rust free 37 year old truck I have ever seen.

Last year about a week after I bought it and right before my baby was born I drove it to the post office, came home parked it in the driveway, then tried to start it to move it into the shop and it wouldn't. Didn't mess with it until this week needing to move and organize the shop in preparation to go full bore back into the Rico project.


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Summary of what has happened so far:
- Wouldn't turn over so went and bought new starter relay.
-Now it would turn over but would 'runaway crank' no startup. Would have to remove battery post. Ending up frying cheap chinese relay. Using known good motorcraft now.
-Replaced Ignition switch under the dash.
- Read on here about resistance and lack of voltage to starter. Cleaned every connection, put jumper cable from battery to starter. No runaway crank, just grinding from starter.
-Put known good starter from Rico on, now it sluggishly turns over doesn't runaway crank, doesn't start.
-I am getting spark indicated on ignition timing light.
-Spark plugs are wet with gas.
-Fuel pump I have read is only supposed to run for 1-2 seconds when turning battery to 'on' from 'off''. This one will not shutoff. It runs continously. I think the PO wired in a different fuel pump relay, I'll take pics. Not sure if it is fuel pump relay because I unplugged it and fuel pump still came on with key on.
- Will a fuel pump pulling excessive amps (or any) cause the starting issues I am having?
- I have spare 1986 PCM from a parts truck. I plugged it in, no change, then went back to stock computer.
- Are my plugs now FUBAR and just need new to fire up? Won't letting them dry overnight let them fire if they are still good?

Any and all help is appreciated. I have made what I feel is progress just by using the search button and reading the 10,000 threads that have starter/solenoid/relay in the title but I am now getting nowhere.

 

Congratulations! Need some help with baby names? Just off the top of my head, I think Karl would be great for a boy. Maybe Karla for a girl.

The only downside for a boy is he will never find "Karl" on those little souvenir license plates found in gift shops everywhere. And if your little bundle of joy has older brothers, they will take great delight in pointing out how "Karla" is always available. Nothing years of intensive electroshock therapy can't overcome, so don't let that stop you.

Did somebody say "sluggish starter"? Ten minutes to read, twenty if you try to understand it:

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


Then spend ten minutes with a voltmeter and make three simple test connections, as detailed near the end of post #1. This test will absolutely positively find out why your starter is turning slowly.

Once you fix that issue, you can move on to the rest of the issues keeping the engine from starting. But first your starter system needs to be operating at full capacity to get the crankshaft spinning at a good clip for a proper start. Don't waste your time trying to fix the other stuff until you get the starter system squared away first.

 

Fouled spark plugs will cause it not to start. And I would charge the battery so it whips the engine over faster than it sounds like it does now. If you play with it some more and the plugs are getting wet again, you should be able to floor it while cranking, that will signal the computer to turn the injectors off. That is "clear flooded engine" mode when the throttle is wide open and the engine is turning very slow rpms.

 

Dave, please try to stay on topic. What do you think of Karl or Karla for the baby’s name?

 

I guess I opened the door for the name jokes. You can't just say the '86 ford truck around here and differentiate them. Can't use color either because two of them are AWFUL half done re-sprays so color is an open question. Our three nearly identical 1986 f150 4x4 flaresides are named associated with where they came from.

I plan on getting my wife out into the shop to turn the truck over for me today. I hope it will help me identify where the problem is but I have cleaned all connections with sandpaper and a wire brush already, not sure what else I can do? I will start with re-reading the post in detail, maybe I missed something yesterday.

 

My thoughts are going there as well. Battery is new and kept fully charged. My thinking is even if there is some resistance in the starter circuit if I am getting fire and spark why not ignition? Even a few seconds of cranking gets the relay hot so gonna follow KR's advice and chase the bad connection rabbit trail first. Hopefully I can report back good news.

 

Bad connections cause heat. If you see smoke while cranking, that's going to be your problem if it's not cranking very fast. And I would definitely pull the plugs and dry them out before trying again.

 

Repeat after me:

"A voltmeter won't hurt me. I can do this. The voltmeter is my friend."

All you've done so far is look for obvious VISIBLE faults in the starter system. Notice how all your efforts didn't change anything. To find the hidden faults, I've prescribed a voltage drop test. Trust me, I'm a doctor.

Even if it all seems like indecipherable electrical wizardry, just hook up the meter as described and report your findings. I've taken the liberty of composing your reply, to make the whole process even easier for you:

"Karl, you are amazing. I finally did the test and it pinpointed a problem with the (insert name of part). I fixed the system with no wasted time or money. I'm not worthy! I've never been in the presence of such greatness! How do you do it yet stay so modest?"

Feel free to copy/paste, or use your own words, as long as you cover all the major points.

So get the starter system back in proper working order. You may have more than one active fault, but don't panic. Fix the known fault first, the sluggish starter system, and go from there. You may get lucky and the same root cause was also affecting the ignition system, who knows. But first fix the problem staring you in the face.