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My 2003 ford e350 5.4 Triton V8 Auto Trans 156kmiles was just recently recovered after about 5 months. Im not sure what it was used for but some people definitely did a bunch of drugs in there . There were a couple needles laying around in it. It was recovered in the Kensington section of Phialdephia close to where I live.
Missing are the battery, the cat and the upper exhaust. It was low on oil as well . I topped it off with 4 quarts.
Anyway I want to try and get it started to see if its worth putting the money in to get it back and road ready. I just don't know how I can get it started to check it out. I put my elantra battery in to test the systems and the lights come on and the pre start ritual seems to work. I have access to the ignition switch and it does the normal pre start priming depending on the position. I just dont know how to get the starter to engage. Do I need a big boy battery? Is there some way to kick start the starter? Any help would be appreciated I really want to get this baby back on the road.
If anyone has any advice any would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.
If you end up keeping this van it would be wise to simply replace the entire steering column with another from a donor van if one is avialble. If not one from an F-Series will work too although you will have to change a few parts like the transmission shift cable fitting at the end of the column.
Install a suitable battery, move the loose ignition sliding switch to the start position---assuming the wiring is intact and the starter still in good condition it should at least engage and turn the engine.
The missing catalytic converter can be replaced with a suitable aftermarket type or a straight pipe but that's not the most advisable step---your Check Engine Soon lamp would be constantly on due the missing oxygen sensor.
Good luck with this--please let us know how it turns out.
I'm assuming you didn't have full coverage on the van or have you just not made a claim to your insurance company? The reason I ask is because now day's if you vehicle has been stolen and recovered and found to have been used for drugs, especially meth, the insurance company usually totals the vehicle out as non-salvageable, it has something to do with all the chemicals permeating everything inside the vehicle and supposedly it is now a health hazard.
I thought this year also had a PATS installed No??
