Hi everyone. I've been having a starting problem with my truck for about 10 years but in the last month it's been undrivable. It usually starts just fine on first fire up but if I let it run a few minutes, turn it off and restart, it will crank super slow and won't even try to start. I check the voltage at the battery and it's still good at 12.5. If i let it sit overnight, it will start right up again. I've played with the timing trying to get it to start but nothing helps. It has a brand new battery, ign controls module, starter solinoid, ign key crank, newer but few years old heavy duty starter. Along with newer positive and neg battery cables. I've never cleaned the rod going down the steering column that controls the starting. It started about 10 years ago with a occasional slow crank, now it's all the time. Replacing the starter years ago helped, but didn't completely fix it.
I either think it's a starter or timing problem. I have a new distributer from rock auto but it doesn't have the long rod on it that goes into the oil pump. I see online it clips into the bottom but the new one looks like a Allen head end, not something a rod with a c clip pops in. Any ideas on that?
I did read the how to on slow start I'll have to try just seeing what y'all think? Thanks everyone. Daily driver been down 2 months now.

 

Sorry. 80 250 2wd 300

 

Did somebody say "Slow turning starter"? Look, up in the sky, it's everybody's favorite superhero: Voltage Drop Man to the rescue:

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

Please note that test takes the ignition timing out of the equation for testing. Ten minutes with a voltmeter, three simple hook-ups, and the test will pinpoint the problem.

To save some time for you, I've composed a reply you can copy/paste when you come back to report your findings:

"Karl, you are amazing. Your simple test quickly solved a problem that has bedeviled me for a decade. What an absolute genius you are, yet you remain so modest. What an amazing credit to humanity you are. I bet you even smell nice, too."

 

Thanks! I saw the post I'll def try it! I also saw to run oversized battery cables and bigger starters

 

If your truck is stock, the stock size cables and starter should turn it over fine. Millions of these trucks running around for years with the stock stuff on them.

 

Bigger is better when it comes to battery cables.
If you get them from say AZ or Oreilly's do check the gauge of the wire. When I got mine from AZ they has 2 different size wire but just looking at the cables they looked the same size on the outside.

Also the 300 has a ground cable from battery to frame rail by the motor frame bracket and goes down to the top bolt of the starter.
This picks up the frame and motor / transmission ground.
You should also have a 10 gauge wire from the motor to firewall. On the left side of block back to the firewall there is a bolt boss and the wire bolts to the firewall by the throttle cable area.
There is 1 last ground that is not really needed in my book but it goes to the hood and firewall on the right side.

When I rebuilt my 81 F100 with a 300 I had to replace all the battery cables and ran them like the factory did. I have not had any problems in the 5 years it's been on the road.
Dave ----

 

That's awesome fuzz! I only have a ground to frame. It's not connected to the starter or anywhere else I haven't seen. I'll go over all my grounds
Has anyone heard of the rod in the column getting dirty? I've read their trucks start easier and better if you clean that old ignition part.

 

If this is true, you most likely have found the problem. Stop digging elsewhere. Put away your shovel. Fix the known problem first.

From the factory, the ground cable from the battery is connected to the frame and continues over to the engine, either somewhere on the block or at one of the starter mount bolts. Without this last segment, the starter has to find its own ground path, most likely via the driveshaft, rear axle, and springs. Fuel lines and mechanical clutch linkage can become (poor) conductive paths, too.

If indeed there's no ground cable to the engine, but only to the frame, don't despair. You can add a short cable between the engine and existing mount point on the frame.

 

I hope that's the issue for sure! Thanks alot! I'm going to go over the grounds tomorrow!

 

Over all these years I thought it was heat soak getting to the starter. Should I wrap the starter up, or shim the starter?

 

Anyone know about the shaft to the distributer to the oil pump?

My truck has a new carb, new water pump, new therm housing. New key ignition, new ignition module. New steering rack, new power steering pump, new belts. New starter solinoid, new battery ( 900 cold cranking amps) newer heavy duty starter. The only thing needs replaced is the coil and the distriber, but the distributer doesn't have the rod to run the fuel pump to install.
Fuel pump is better twice the flow now but sometimes needs fuel poured into the carb to start. It won't even start with a jump. It seems to need Atleast 15 amps to crank fast to start

 

I have a new harmonic balancer but not installed yet. I'm going by twisting the distributer. The sound I hear. I see the harmonic bla is a 2 piece between rubber that throws the timing off. I'm sure it will be a bitch to get off without a puller. Every part gas been replaced except the distributer and coil.

 

There should not be the need to wrap the starter and more so on the 300 six as the engine bay is all open and air flows pretty good.
I have never had any problems with slow cranking or heat soaking of the starter on my 81 F100 with a 300 and it gets pretty hot down here in the summer.
There are also times I pull a 20 ft enclosed trailer still no problems.
Just check all the grounds and if still a problem then do a voltage drop test to find just where the issue is.

That is a lot of parts thrown at the truck, I know I did not need to when I rebuilt mine and mine was a mess when I bought it. There should not be the need to replace the dist. and the oil pump drive stays in the motor when the dist. is pulled. I had my dist. out & in a bunch when I recurved it changing springs and not once did the pump shaft came out with the dist. Oh and there should also be no need to replace the coil as it is another part that dose not wear out.
Check your grounds and I bet a lot of running problems you have will go away. If the IGN system dose not have a good ground how is the ICM work and the plugs fire?

As for the need to pour gas down the carb is this after the truck sits and if so how long does it sit? Is the choke closing, you need to move the throttle at least once for the choke to close.
The slow cranking can also be a cause but we can come back to this "gas down carb" thing later.

Again another part thrown at the truck
Did you check to see if the outer ring moved?
Pull #1 spark plug, using a plastic straw turn motor over by hand till the piston is at the highest point.
Not look at the timing marks on the balancer and pointer do they line up to 0 TDC? if so then it is good and no need to replaced it.
Unless you have a seal oil leak as the balancer can have a groove worn in it then I can see replacing it.
When checking timing with the light is it a dial back type? Vacuum hose off and plugged what do you get for timing?
No timing light you can use a vacuum gauge, the same one you use to adjust the carb.
Motor up to temp, idle set to spec, vacuum hose off, turn the dist. to get the highest vacuum reading.
When you drive if you hear pinging or after you have the slow cranking fixed and it kicks back turn the dist. back to retard the timing a little at a time till it cranks hot and no pinging.
Good luck on the ground hunting / fixing and we can then get to the real problems
Dave ----

 

This is where the battery ground is on the frame rail and a loop that holds the positive cable so it dose not hit the hot exh.

Then the cables go to the starter

As you can see the exh pipe is far from the starter so no heat soak and I am running EFI exh manifolds with a factory Y pipe that are larger dia. than the single head pipe.
Old and the new ground cables. I had to move the tab over to the new cable so it could ground the frame.

Dave ----

 

Not sure I understand the "15 amps" comment. Actually, I'm absolutely sure I don't understand it. As Ricky Ricardo would say, "You've got some 'splaining to do!"

You mentioned trying to jump start. Do yourself a YUGE favor and put away your jumper cables for now. Jumpers are for emergency use in a specific situation, namely when the battery has inadvertently run down part way but is not completely dead (such as headlights left on while parked). This leaves an otherwise healthy battery with some charge but not quite enough to crank the starter. Jumper cables are intended to get you home in such a situation and that’s about it.

Your situation is VERY different. The truck is home. Whatever may be the root cause of the problem, jumper cables will not “fix” it. Nor will they get your truck to reliably start, as you have already observed. So put away the cables for now, no matter how tempting they may be.

Please go back to that very first link I gave you, specifically post #17 in that thread:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post20387813


Here's a VERY important detail, copied below for your convenience:

"Something important to keep in mind while troubleshooting. Two vital things have to happen in sequence for an engine start.

1) First, the starter system (note I said "system", not just "starter") has to get the crankshaft spinning at the proper speed.

2) Next, fuel and ignition must be present for the engine to transition to running on its own without the starter."


For now, worry about #1, i.e. getting the crankshaft to consistently spin at a good clip under all circumstances. Put any potential carb or ignition problems on the back burner for now. Remember, that test disables the ignition, so don't even worry about that for now. I'm afraid somebody is going to get hurt from all the parts being fired from the Parts Catapult (Pull!). I wouldn't want to be standing near your truck when all those parts come raining down.