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Hello people. Second owner of an F100 finishing up an off frame restoration. The truck is a 1979 F100, 6-300, origanally a 4spOD toploader swapped to a t18 in 1998(ish). When I turn the key to start, there's a 2 or 3 second delay between turning the key and the starter actually cranking. I assumed this is normal because when I first bought the truck in the 90's it did the same thing. But, I've been told the motor should crank as soon as I turn the key to start.
The truck was parked in a hayfield from 2002 until I started the restoration in 2025.
Is the weird several second delay normal or am I missing some oddball problem?
Last edited by Freestate; Jan 11, 2026 at 09:03 PM.
Starter, solenoid, ICM, coil, distributor, and a bunch of connections and several individual harness wires and connectors are new. Most of the harness, the starter key switch, wiper motor, and light switch, are original. The Sparkomatic radio installed in the 80's was re-installed.
Is the weird several second delay normal or am I missing some oddball problem?
Not normal at all in my experience. I would first suspect the start solenoid on the inner fender near the battery, second suspect would be the ignition switch.
I would clip a jumper wire, to the "S" and touch the other end to the battery positive (red) connection. Key does not need be on, ... in fact I'd leave the key in my pocket. It's not going to draw a bunch of power, it's just going to cause the solenoid to internally connect the two big terminals to spin the starter, but the engine is not going to start with key in my pocket. See if same delay.
Last edited by tbear853; Jan 11, 2026 at 09:10 PM.
X2 should not have a delay, bump key truck starts. Well not all of mine are like that, but my 77 is and it is all OEM/all originial. I too would suspect your ignition switch. But a Ford ignition switch bezel removal tool or.....Carefully use a flat tip swrewdriver and tap one of the 3 front bezel ring notches (counter clockwise) to loosen to be able to remove the complete ign switch.
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