I recently picked up a 1992 7.3idi and the dude said he drove it to the store and when he came out to start it it wouldn’t do anything it gets power to the dash,power windows,windshield wipers,headlights and all but if you jump the solenoid on the fender it doesn’t do anything. I changed the solenoid and it has a brand new starter.and I jumped the starter itself and it wouldn’t stop cranking had to unhook the battery then when you hook the battery back up it still has no power to the starter. Any ideas on what could be going on

 

When you turn the key to run, is there power to the FSS on the Injection pump? When you turn the key to start, does the small ignition wire on the fender mounted solenoid have power?


If you jump the fender mounted solenoid and nothing happens, but you can jump the starter directly and make it spin, using the same battery, then your wire going to the starter from passenger side battery is broken/corroded. If you jumped it using a different battery, say from another truck using jumper cables, then it's also possible the batteries are shot. They don't generally go like a light switch, but it can and does happen.

You can get the truck started by supplying 12V to the FSS, while forcing the starter to spin, like you did..... Or supplying 12v and pulling the truck and pop the clutch if manual.

 

Seems like a bad starter solenoid to me. When you jumpered the starter and it stayed on probably the jumping closed the solenoid maintaining power to the starter after you removed the jumper.