Starter wont crank

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Jan 10, 2001 | 04:33 AM

karljay

Thread Starter

Cargo Master

Joined: Jul 2000

Posts: 2,281

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From: Northern California

Starter wont crank

Aug 16, 2002 | 06:37 PM

td351w

Cross-Country

Joined: Jan 2002

Posts: 91

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From: CT

Starter wont crank

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 16-Aug-02 AT 07:56 PM (EST)]I just swapped a standard 1978 cab for an automatic 1975 cab on my f250.I took all the wiring off the original cab and put it on the the 75 cab.Now when I turn the key it wont crank and all you hear is the starter relay click. None of the lights are hooked up except inside the cab and my ignition is not hooked up yet, I just wanted to see if it would crank, and it did not. Is there a park switch somewhere making it not crank.Can anyone help?

Aug 16, 2002 | 10:44 PM

Franklin2

Moderator

Joined: Jan 2001

Posts: 56,978

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From: Virginia

Starter wont crank

If the starter relay is clicking, you have a problem with one of the large battery wires, including the large ground wire.(is the battery ok?) Check all these heavy connections and for a test to see if the relay is bad, jump across it with a jumper cable to see if it will turn over. I also had this problem onetime and found I needed to clean all the crud from the bellhousing where the starter mounts, so check that too.

Aug 17, 2002 | 11:59 AM

irjpr

Freshman User

Joined: Aug 2002

Posts: 31

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From: Ktn USA

Starter wont crank

One other thing to look for... On your solenoid, are you using just the I pin?? On some vehicles that use both little pins, you must complete both circuits for the solenoid to close. ie, get a really big screwdriver as mentioned above, turn key to run, and hot the whole thing... Should crank away... if not, then refer to previous message.
Casey

Aug 17, 2002 | 01:21 PM

sparky

Posting Guru

Joined: Jun 1999

Posts: 2,415

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From: Comox Valley, Canada

Starter wont crank

>One other thing to look for... On your solenoid, are you
>using just the I pin?? On some vehicles that use both little
>pins, you must complete both circuits for the solenoid to
>close. ie, get a really big screwdriver as mentioned above,
>turn key to run, and hot the whole thing... Should crank
>away... if not, then refer to previous message.
>Casey

Not so fast grasshopper

There are four "pins" on a starter solenoid.
Two large ones:
1 for battery positive wire and the other for a large wire to the starter.
Two small ones:
1 labeled "I" which sends 12vdc to the coil during starting and 1 labeled "S" which receives 12vdc to close the relay to power the starter and the "I" terminal.
Strangely enough I have seen the "I" refered to as the ignition terminal and the "S" refered to as the start terminal

To test the relay just jump 12vdc to the "S" terminal and the relay should close and the starter turn.
I think Franklin is on to your problem, so try his test.

Sparky

Aug 17, 2002 | 04:27 PM

Torque1st

Posting Legend

Joined: Sep 2001

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Starter wont crank

Thanks Sparky!

Aug 18, 2002 | 08:23 PM

irjpr

Freshman User

Joined: Aug 2002

Posts: 31

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From: Ktn USA

Starter wont crank

ahh young grasshopper, I realize there are four "pins" as you say. I assumed that it was pretty obvious what the two large ones do... I guess I will no longer do that. I have owned many vehicles, some of which only require one of the two little pins to be hot for starting, some of which required both to be hot for the starter to wind up. I was not saying he needed both or only one, I was just wondering what his setup was. Many vehicles have solenoids with both little pins and only one is used. Sometimes it isn't obvious to a person if one or both should be used.

I only offer my two cents, nothing more, take it as that.
Casey