Good morning all,
I have a CA.1979 F150 4X4 w/400 auto motor in it. Just this morning it would not start. It has a fender mounted starter relay and when the key switch is turned to start the sdolenoid "Rattles" but the engine doesn't crank or even attempt to crank. I've tried this same exercise with the headlights on to observe if they dim significantly and they do not. I've given the battery a full charge with the same results. I've also cleaned and re-tightened all connections on the battery, the solenoid and the starter with no correction of the problem. I have not changed any parts however, it seems like the solenoid may be the culprit. My next step will be to do that unless I'm missing something and I'm looking to all of you for some suggestions. A solenoid is relatively inexpensive but seeing that I don't have a money tree I don't want to overlook some dumb, simple thing and spend it needlessly. My thanks in advance for any help.

Paul

 

Paul, I beleive you've just got a bad battery. Same thing has happened to me. If a cell is shorted, the batt will not accept a charge, and will not start vehicle, no matter how long it is charged. And the solenoid will "click". Try jumping it off with a good battery, before you buy a new solenoid. Don

"Nothing lasts forever except natural stone and old Ford trucks." (Willie Nelson)

 

This sounds like a bad starter to me. Parts stores can test it for you for free.

 

............Or a poorly grounded starter. Take a 12V test light and see if the starter is getting juice. Then test the integrity of the ground. Once you rule out the starter, then investigate the battery. You can aways test the starter solenoid switch to see if it's doing what it's supposed to: Coil connection hot with key on, Start connection hot when key is to start position - juice to the starter when key is in start position. The metal on the solenoid switch has to be properly grounded to transfer juice to the starter.

 

After doing the "lights don't dim" test coupled with the fact that the solenoid is clicking: Consider a "hung" starter. If you have a standard transmission try rocking the truck in high gear, automatic, try turning the engine using the vibration damper retainer bolt. Have a close look at the cable from the starter to the solenoid. These often corrode at the connectors. Feel for a hot connection and look for swelling near the connection. If these tests fail I'd remove the starter and have it tested.
William in Atlanta

 

You can rule out the solenoid if you do this little trick. You can jump start yourself. Hook up one end of the jumper cables to the pos. side of the battery, then hit the starter side of the solenoid with the other end. The starter should turn and if the key is on, it will start. This sounds really bad, but it works. I did it myself just last week. Since all the solenoid is is a big switch, all your doing is jumping across the switch right to the starter. If you do this and the starter just rattles, then you need a new starter. If this works, then you need a new solenoid.
Dave,
79 F-150 4x4, 390 w/C6, Edelbrock carb, 33X12.50 never will be finished.

 

>Paul, I beleive you've just got
>a bad battery. Same thing
>has happened to me. If
>a cell is shorted, the
>batt will not accept a
>charge, and will not start
>vehicle, no matter how long
>it is charged. And the
>solenoid will "click". Try jumping
>it off with a good
>battery, before you buy a
>new solenoid. Don
>
>"Nothing lasts forever except natural stone
>and old Ford trucks." (Willie
>Nelson)


Definite possibility here with the "dead cell" theory. The way to check is to get a cheap hydrometer from your discount parts store - looks like an antifreeze tester (syringe with floating or sinking *****). Check each cell to see if one or more cells has a significanly decreased water density. Good Luck

 

Thank you one and all. I think I may have narrowed the problem down to the battery. Previously, when I had tried the "Dim headlight" test by trying to start with the headlights on, the headlights didn't dim but the solenoid "Rattled", I thought, solenoid! I tried to jump from a good battery and the solenoid "Rattled". Again, solenoid! Probably not a good jumper connection, in looking back on it. Then as an after thought, I did a no-load voltage test and the voltage was only about 10.7 volts. Not conclusive but possibly significant. It was getting late and real cold so I thought I would tackle it again today (Mon) after work. Took the battery out and put in a good battery and, guess what? Yep, it started! So tomorrow down to get a battery at lunch and put it in tomorrow evening.

Some thoughts: I may have had a bad connection somewhere because in the process of doing all this I tightened all connections. Didn't find any loose, though. May have caused me confusion in my diagnosis. I did note I had only one bolt holding the starter on but it wasn't really loose but I did get a little on it, just for good measure. No spare bolt so I will get that too. I know at least one of you mentioned a loose starter creating a poor ground and that may have been part the problem. Well, thanks again. I'll put the battery in tomorrow night and let you know.

Paul