My '95 F350 psd is getting temperamental when it comes to starting. After the "Wait to Start" light goes out I turn the key and hear only a click. Sometimes by touching the alarm button under the dash, the truck will start, but it's getting so that more often than not, it won't. My wife found that by leaving her foot on the brake and running through the gears from park to low and back again and then turning the key the truck will start. I've thought all along that there was a problem with the alarm system, but now I'm beginning to conclude it's an ignition problem - perhaps a loose wire or something. Anyone had a similar problem out there??? Love to get your input. Thanks a bunch.

 

check battery connections for looseness,corrossion and charge.
check connections at starter and solenoid.
check ground connections.
If you have a voltmeter,see what the voltage reading is while trying to start. Rule of thumb anything that goes below 9 volts means battery is on the way out the door, or something is draning the battery, charge and recheck. if battery drops below 9 volts replace battery.
some folks may argure this but here goes anyway, replace both batteries at same time if one is bad.
you said you have a alarm system.
check wires to see if heat damage has not occured. do you have the right size wires?
have you installed any other devices? If so check those.
check all lighting and replace any bulbs that may be out.

one case in point. I had a John Deere tractor once that i replaced battery,cables,ignition switch and finally a starter solenoid (that cost $550.00) that's right just the solenoid and not the hole starter. still had the same start problem,sometimes it started and other times it just clicked. one day I was looking it over and saw that the idiot light for the charging system was out,so I changed it and low and behold, starting problem never happened again. I kicked myself more then once for not checking that because I knew from other past expearience to do the checks before replacing things.

Anyway points is, fix the obvious first no matter how insufficient it may seem. Could save you alot of time and money.

good look
over and out
gseeders

 

some folks may argure this but here goes anyway, replace both batteries at same time if one is bad. >


He is absolutely right. I made that mistake before and in the long run I had to pay for three batteries due to constant draining problems.

 

Sounds like it could be the transmission safety switch???
Aaron.

2001 F250 PSD 6-SPD 4x4 SCMT Banks Monster Exhaust EGT, Boost, Oil Pressure, Oil Temp/Trans Temp Gauges