Hello ford community, i recently had a water pump go bad on my 1997 E-350 powerstroke (7.3L), in the process of replacing the water pump i broke a bolt off in the block and ended up removing the front cover to extract it and then i pulled the engine in order to reseal the oil pan. my issue is that it will not turn over with the key since i put everything back together. i have checked the standard stuff like fuses and a general inspection of plugs and wires but i cannot figure out what the deal is. i have some of the harness pulled apart and i know the signal wire from the neutral safety switch to the solenoid is red with a blueish strip but i don't know what to do from here. i also tried testing the neutral safety switch by putting it in the neutral position and testing continuity across the pins but no luck. any insight would be much appreciated and i will answer any questions that i can if more info is needed., thanks!

edit: when the key is turned to the run position the dash lights up and i can hear the click of something powering on but when its in the start position nothing happens but a little flicker of the lights. it will turnover by supplying 12v directly to the signal post of the solenoid but i have not gotten it to start that way either because the fuel system is not purged of air or because a safety switch or computer is preventing it from actually firing.

 

Did it have any starting issues prior?

Is the starter hooked up properly? You should have continuity across the nuetral saftey switch in park and Nuetral. Another way to check is to see if you uave voltage at the starter solenoid signal wire when the ignition is turned to the start/crank position.

You said it'll crank when you bypass the solenoid? If so, then means the starter is good except for the signal wire.

 

Don't know if E's have the same starter circuit as F's... what's below applies to F's...

Is your "click" with key in run, or key in "crank"? Click-no-crank but crank-w/-12v-to-starter suggests the fender relay failed. No "click" with key in "crank" could still be fender relay, but also signal from key switch and park/neutral safety. But with key in "run" and starter turning, it should fire... unless air in fuel, starter too slow, or other running problems.

F's have 2 relays in starter circuit... one on the starter, and one on the passenger fender. Low-amp "crank" signal comes from key switch and park/neutral safety to fender relay; fender relay switches intermediate current to relay/solenoid on starter. Fender relay can fail to switch current, but still "click" with key in crank.

Fender relay should have 2 large red terminals. One is always hot +12v from battery (w/fuse). Other is switched +12v going to to starter relay/solenoid. There's also a small terminal/wire; that will be the low-current +12v "crank" signal coming from key switch and park/neutral safety. If relay "clicks" with key in "crank", the signal side is good. Jumping the two large posts (precaution- this bypasses park/neutral safety so make certain you are in park, maybe also chock the wheels) will crank the starter if starter and its high-current +12v connection us good. If relay "clicks" and starter turns when relay is jumped, relay is bad.

If relay doesn't click, it could still be bad. You need to determine if it's getting +12v with key in "crank". I forget it the relay is case-grounded to chassis, or has a separate ground wire... bad ground could prevent it from clicking even with good +12v signal. If no +12v signal, then it's something in the key and safety circuit... good bet on park/neutral safety failed or out of adjustment. If no crank when jumping the two large terminals, then you need to check for +12v on one of the terminals (supply side from battery), and continuity to starter on the other side.

And the E's could be completely different from this. Hope this gives you some useful ideas.

 

its never had any starting issues before. the starter and fender solenoid are both good as far as i can tell since when i supply 12v to the signal post on the solenoid it turns over like normal.
i found a diagram that i will link that shows the signal circuit for e series and f series. the click is when the key is in the run position so i think its the glow plugs kicking on. there is no sounds when the key is turned to the crank position.
when i tested the signal wire while the key was in the crank position i did not get 12v so based on what ive seen here and one other forum it is most likely the neutral safety switch that has gone bad. i will change it out today and let yall know how it goes. thanks!

 

i replaced that neutral safety switch and it now works as intended, thank you for the info folks!