Here we go again...

I have an 85 F250, V8 460 engine. I have an intermitent problem starting the truck- sometimes it'll start right up, other times it won't. When it doesn't, at least before, it was consistent- I'd take a wire to the starter solenoid and jump over the ignition switch and safety switch, connecting the positive terminal and the terminal for the ignition switch on the starter relay. When I jumped the ignition switch I got cranking , and the truck would start. Which leads me to my first question..

- Is the ignition switch bad? And how difficult is it to repalce this?

Now, this morning I went to start the truck, and discovered the battery dead. I left the parking lights on (DOH!). Put a new battery in tonight, and tried to start it. I got a 3 second delay, then a few clicks from the solenoid, then a couple seconds of grinding, then...Vrrroommm!

(sigh)

Ok, so it starts. Can it do it again? Turn it off, try again. Nothing. Tried again and again, no start with just the key. So I leave it in the "on" position, get my jumping wire, and try to jump over the ignition switch, like I did before. I got cranking, but it wouldn't turn over. I tried this a couple times, but when the negative ground cable started sparking at the engine contact, I stopped.
Which leads to other questions...

-What was that clicking? The starter relay is new (at least when I got it)....
-I did hear a grinding from the starter. What can this mean?
-Why, at times, won't it tun over when jumping over the ignition switch?

I hope this thing starts tommorrow morning. I need to work tommorrow. And my foot hurts form kicking this piece of...

This truck is lucky I bleed blue.


Any help that anybody's got, it is much appreciated.

Thanx all....

 

If the neg cable was sparking at the engine block..that connection is either loose or the wire is frayed at the connector and is raedy to break.

Sparking like that means..power is trying to find ground.

 

I dunno...my neg battery cable is grounded to the mount for the smog pump (i have no smog pump, or many other emission controls). I 'm pretty sure the connections good, maybe i could clean it up some more...

I'm sure thats the least of my worries...

 

If that smog pump bracket is aluminum, I would move the ground cable to something more direct on the engine block. That aluminum is bad for corroding were it bolts to the engine.

 

Im not sure, I had the same clicking issue you did to. I replaced the battery, voltage reg., starter solenoid, etc. It turned out it was a bad ground cable! I just got a replacement Battery terminal cable and put it on the intake and ground a spot off of the firewall and used a sheet metal screw. Never had any problems since!

 

My two main issues are:

At least 90% of the time, when I turn the key there is a delay in cranking. Sometimes a few second pass before it starts cranking; other times I get no cranking at all. When that happens, I have to get my wire and jump the circuit from the pos terminal on the starter relay to the ignition switch terminal.

When I do get cranking, I am starting to here a grinding noise, which sounds like it's coming from the starter.

- Is the ignition switch bad? And how difficult is it to repalce this?
-Could my starter be going bad as well?

I'm starting to think dynamite might solve this problem better....

 

Fly wheel have a bad spot?? Possible from the starter jumping back and forth? I always run my neg cables to the bell housing bolt holding the starter on, then if the neg cable had another wire on it I run it to the mounting bolt on the altanator...(sp)

 

Now, I am thinking about replacing the starter...I hate to waste the money, but at this point i think putting a brand new starter on this might clear up some issues.

Should I get a *new* one or just get a remanufactured?