Ok I will try to keep this short but still give all details.

Truck has sat outside during the weeks winter storm. Started great drove 1 hr. Did several short runs then parked for 3 hrs. Came out, no start, like dead batt. tried jump woth extra heavy cables nothing, then all sudden started. Drove 5 minutes, it stalled. But started right back, sat 1 hr, started fine. drove home, next am no start. Checked cable end nothing. It acts like loose cable. Get in try it nothing, nothing, then all sudden starts runs fine.

Drive hr again, ok, then about thrid short run no start. This time i notice that clicking constant from fuse box. Check it, number one relay is clicking. Remove batt cables reistall, still clicking. pull it reinstall it still clicking, cables off and on, still nothing but that constant relay clicking. Also notice that pos terminal is warm. No big sparks when removeing cables. Then doing nothing, put key in, all sudden power full on it starts.

Acts so much like loose cable, but messin with themdoes nothing. Dash works, but everything seem dim, until the magic moment happens again. A few times after it started it would stall with in a minute, but always fired right back up.

Also a few time OD light on shifter would flash for a minute after it started. i can predict when it wont start, if i get out and relay is clicking. So i have just been pulling the cales, that has worked the last few starts,not enough to tell much.

Bat seems good, when power comes on it starts strong.

ANY IDEAS/

 

Oh that sucks.......sounds like an electrical gremlin. My first thought is a relay that's getting ready to crap out completely, but I'm not 100% sure on that, or which one. Question for you.....do you have a factory Ford remote starter? What year is the truck? Any other accessories on the truck (electrical ones)?

This is reminiscent of an issue I had on my 2002.

 

I know that the smallest relay in the relay #1 slot was the one that was clicking. I have no markings telling what that relay is, or any of the fuses. My haynes man also does not tell what fuse/relay is what.

All i know is it is smaller then the others. And it is cycling whenever this happens.

For the last day 1/2 I have pulled a bat cable whenever i park, and it has not done it since. But it is also much warmer. After tommorrows am start, I will leave the cables on, and see if it comes back.

I have no accys or remote start.

Only have had one other electrical issue. Wipers would stop every once and awhile,. But i got mad, and I had all my gear on, so i had to tilt the wheel up to get out. I did it kinda hard, and the wipers have worked every since.

 

Well it came back. This time it finally stayed that way, forcing me to track it down. I finally got it to work moving the hot bat cable, so i tok it off, cleaned the post and cable, and hopefully its fixed. I do not know why taking it off and on before didnt fix it, so i will see.

 

I have the samething going on with my 2002 F350 7.3 Deisel.

 

Sorry to bump an old thread.....

My 2000 started doing something similar to this. Occasionally I'll get in, and when I hit the key, it cranks, but there's a lot of clicking (That sounds to me like a starter solenoid in an old gas truck clicking then the battery's low). I hit it with a little ether, and it'll fire right up. Other times, I'll get in and turn the key, and the whole truck goes dead. I pop the hood and tap the power distribution box, and everything comes back. It's only tried to stall out on me twice.

Is this a loose connection, a bad relay, or what? I hate trying to diagnose electrical issues, because I lose my patience quickly when it comes to auto electric. Please help.