Okay, so in a previous thread I said that maybe one time out of ten, my truck wouldn't start. Well, now it won't hardly start at all.

It's a 1985 F350, 6.9L IDI. When I turn the key, the ENGINE TEMP light comes on, the solenoid clicks, and that's it. If I keep at it for a while, then maybe it'll start.

When I jumped the starter switch the first couple times, the truck started up, but not any more.

I've put in a new glow plug relay and starter solenoid switch, pulled the starter and tested it at two different NAPA stores (one place said the R terminal looked bad, but at the other place it tested good... and anyway, there's nothing connected to the R terminal), and given both batteries a full charge.

But still nothing but a clicking solenoid. What else could it be? Shorted wire? Blown fuse? Or could it be mechanical? I should have taken a closer look at the flywheel when I got the starter off, so I guess I'll take it back off and have a closer look.

Oh yeah, the other night the left and right turn signals went out. Hazard lights work fine, just not the flashers. And the BRAKE light still comes on without benefit of brake problems (I checked the parking brake switch. That doesn't appear to be the problem). Don't know if it's relevant or not, but thought I'd mention all the symptoms.

Any ideas?

 

have you checked the connections at the steering column under the dash?

 

Checked all the fuses, and checked the voltage at the starter switch and the solenoid, but not the connections at the steering column, no. I'll do that next.

I did pull the starter out again, and, keeping the cables connected, tried to crank it. Fully expected to hear it spinning, but nothing. Could it be that both NAPA testers were wrong, and the starter is bad? Not getting enough juice through the solenoid?

 

The Starter gets it's engine ground through the block, or negative battery cable, or grounds...

Did you make sure the starter was grounded?

Bad Battery cables will also cause the problem you describe.

 

Check the turn signal fuse in the fuse panel. It's got a seperate fuse in the panel than the Emergency warning flashers, and brake lamps.

You could have a leaking master cylinder triggering the Brake lamp, or the switch on top of the porportioning valve has developed a small crack and is shorting out with a small amount of brake fluid. The brake warning lamp switch on top of the porportioning valve is replaceable.

Make sure however the parking brake switch is not out of adjustment, or the cable tension is slack. This will also cause the light to come on, on 1984 and newer trucks.

 

if solinoid is clicking problem is between solinoid and starter. check all connections to be clean, and tight. check that both batterys are fully charged, you may have 1 bad battery, and the other is trying to over come the battery before it can engage the starter. if starter is out of the truck, hook the hot side of a set of jumper cables to the post on the end of the starter, and pos post on the battery.. hook neg side of cable to batery. hold the starter down with your foot, and take neg side of jumper cable, and touch the starter near where it bolts up. starter should fire. if it does let the cable off, don't hold it on there, starter will keep spinning faster til it self distructs. keep your fingers, hands loose cloths away, the starter will bite you, could take off your fingers.

 

You mean the solenoid on the starter, or the solenoid switch on the fender?


Yep. Did it. I'll do it again, though, when I put the starter back on.

That was my first thought. I fully charged both batteries just the other day.

I'll try that. Thanks.

Good advice. I think I'd like to keep my fingers.

 

Check. Jiggled the fuses, found out I have one bad one (totally unrelated to the flashers: it's the 15 amp "courtesy lights" fuse), but then the turn signals started working again. Bizarre.

I'll check that today. Master cylinder looks good, but I haven't looked at the proportioning valve switch.

I checked the switch first, cleaned it up and straightened it out (the previous owner must have stomped it a few times, because its mount was a bit bent) so that the parking brake pedal actually contacted and tripped it in the up position. That seemed to take care of the problem for a while, but then it came back. I did notice the other day that the rear brake cables seemed a little slack. I'll take care of that too. Thanks!

 

which solinoid is clicking? check to see if you have any fuseable links blown, I forgot that 1. on an 88 IH w 7.3 we have, 1 time the main wire that goes from the solinoid on the starter went bad. it was still bolted up, and looked good, but when I started messing aroung tugging on things, the end came off it