Well my truck wont start. Ive got an 89 f250 with a 300 6 cyl in it and its a manual. Ive had the battery and starter checked and theyre both fine. All the wires coming from the starter to the battery are all brand new and so is the solenoid(not sure about spelling?). I also checked and there is no power getting to the solenoid. I got it to start twice about a week ago and this problem has been going on for a while now. I think there may be something wrong in the ignition switch, but not sure. Let me also say that Im only 15 and turning 16 soon, and I dont know a whole lot about fixing vehicles. So if any of you guys see something that seems a bit off in my posts, feel free to let me know. I want to learn as much as I can so I can fix my truck. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

Did you check the solenoid with the key on? If not turn the key on and put you meter ground on the battery and the hot on the solenoid. Check both sides of the solenoid. There should be a continuous 12V to one side and there should only be 12V on the other side with the key on. Try that and get back with us.

 

Sorry. Forgot to mention I did check the solenoid with the key on. Any other ideas? Both my dad and I are stumped. Which isnt really saying much either.

 

Being a manual, I just want to verify that you are pushing in the clutch and that you mean it "won't crank" as opposed to "will crank but wont start"

There also an issue withthe rod that connect the ignition cylinder to the nuetral safety switch on the steering column. Does the key feel loose when you turn it to RUN like its not pressing against anything? Does it spring back to ON on its own?

How are the grounds?
I had a very simular problem when I was your age and it cost me $200 to fix, $100 tow job, $50 tech, and $50 for a new battery. The problem came back a few days later. I found that it wasn't getting a good ground. Yup, thats it. $2 worth of sandpaper & a wire brush fixed my problems and I'm sure helped avoid many more over the years.

Maybe its time to go for the grounds. Disconnect the battery first off. Clean the neg cable ends to the block, frame, and body. The body is just in front of the battery. The engine and frame can be found by following the neg cables down.

Next take the solenoid off and clean the back of it as well as where it mounts to the body. It grounds thru to the body.

next disconnect the starter and clean its cable and both surfaces where the block meets/bolts to the starter. The starter gets ground thru the block.

Hook everything back up and try her.
Cheers,
Popa Tim

ps - will it turn over if you jumper the solenoid?

 

Well the key doesnt feel loose and it does spring back on its own. When I got the starter checked I cleaned the cables connected to it and when I got the battery checked the guy there cleaned the posts for me so I dont think the grounds are a problem. I can get it to run if I pop the clutch. Dont know if that helps at all. Well keep throwing ideas out there and hopefully one will work and I can learn to drive a clutch better. Thanks for your input guys!

 

popa tim is talking about the main grounds, not just at the battery. this fixed a lincoln i had that would not start. clean them like he said.

 

SteelySlayer...Welcome to Ford Truck Enthusiasts!

Enjoy FTE....and
JOIN CLUB FTE -SUPPORT THE FORUMS!
…..See you on the boards.

 

Find the clutch safety switch on the clutch pedal linkage under dash - it should have a red wire with a light blue traacer line; in neutral and emergency brake applied put ameter on R/LB wire and turn key to start - one of the R/LB wires will have 12 v to ground if power is getting thru the ignition switch when turned to start, be sure to check both R/LB wires one comes into clutch switch and passes thru the switch out to the solenoid to pick up the starter when the clutch is depressed. If you have 12v coming in to switch check for 12 v on the other R/LB lead coming out of hte clutch switch with the clutch pedal depressed - you should have 12v.
If you don't have 12 v at one of the R/LB leads with ignition switch in start you have a bad ignition switch or wiring problem coming from the main battery terminal breakout on the solenoid (black fusible link - smaller wire spliced into larger yellow wirefeeding tjeignition switch); check to make sure these wires are not bulged or soft to he touch.
Again do these things after you are sure you have checked all grounds as outlined above. Good luck.

 

I just remembered I had the small wire on the starter go open on me thru corrosion about 5 years back. Its an easy enough fix but the connector was a pain to find. I ended up getting one off another truck at the junkyard.

You should have 12v on that wire during start.

Keep us posted.
Popa Tim

 

Sorry but i didnt read the other posts, in a hurry. If youve checked everything...battery, starter, solenoid, connections, fuel pump working, blah, blah, check your neutral safety switch. Theres a pin/clip that can fall out or it can just go bad, its the plastic assembly by your clutch pedal inside the cab. I had to replace mine, bought new from ford dealer.

Way to bypass this problem (turn ignition on, make sure its in neutral, good to have parking brake on) take a screwdriver and bridge the two bolts by the solenoid (by the battery under hood) this will bypass the neutral safety switch starting the truck up if everything else is fine. Once again sorry if this was said before, and im sure someone could explain in further detail or get you a pic. Good luck.

 

Well, I went out to take a look at the clutch safety swictch yesterday(mainly to see if I could even find it) and I dont know what was wrong with it, but I just unpluged it to get a better look at it and plugged it back in and she started after a couple tries. It was kinda rough the first time, but now it starts fine. Thanks for all your help guys! There still may be some other problem Im not aware of yet, but for now this will have to do. Thanks again guys, couldnt have done it without your ideas!