Hello All....

Two months ago I bought a new to me 2000 F350 7.3 6 Speed Dually Super Cab with 186,500 on it. Since then I have been driving it around town and put another 1200 miles on it. I am the third owner the previous two owners were adults as am I, (the wife don't think so, but that's for a different forum) it has never been tuned.

Last Sunday, I parked it and the next morning I went to start it up and I had no crank when I tried to start it.

All of the lights on the dash lit up as usual and the glow plug light went out accordingly.

I then started to research and read how to diagnose a No Crank/No Start condition.

I read everything there is to read on all the Ford Power Stroke Forums, and I started knocking them out one by one.

Needless to say that after a few hundred dollars I still have a truck that doesn't crank.

So far I have done the following:

I replaced the Clutch Neutral Safety Switch because when I inspected it I found that a plastic piece that holds it on to the clutch rod had broken off. I though that might be it but it wasn't.

I bought two new batteries because I had one that was five years old and the other was 3 years old. Nothing.

I tested all the fuses and found that the Number Three 20A fuse inside the cabin was out, that is the cigarette lighter and that the Number Ten 20A fuse inside the engine bay was out. I had bought a USB cellphone charger plug-in and I think that might have blown the fuse. Both were replaced and nothing.

I tested all the other fuses and they all tested fine. I did not test the relays inside the fuse boxes.

Today, I used a screwdriver to jump the starter relay to start and drive the truck around and it did start with the key in the start position and a helper pressing the clutch pedal down.The truck ran fine, no smoke, as perfect as the day I bought it.

I bought a new starter relay at my local Ford dealer today and nothing. I still had to jump it with a screwdriver. It's not the starter because it cranks when I jumped the the relay today.

I bought a code reader on Amazon and it said that there were no faults.

From everything I've read or watched on Youtube?

I don't think that it's the Cam Position Sensor, because it wouldn't run if it were that.

I don't think that it's the IPR, because it wouldn't run if it were that.

Any Ideas?


Thanks,

Joe

 

didnt see it listed but have you tried the key switch itself?? its rare when they go but have been known to do so. if you were able to crank it by jumping the starter id be looking there.. as its sounding like its something between the key to solenoid.. i had a no crank situation just last week.. thought it was battery drain.. turned out to be the starter motor itself. solenoid was good but the starter itself was a 15 lb paperweight... but being that you were able to do it with a screw driver id look forward of the starter signal wise..

 

@Sparky83.

Thanks. I will be looking into that tomorrow.

 

no problem... of what ive read around the other forums the diesels dont seem to have the PATS system on them... or else i would have thrown that out there as a possibility..

 

Sounds like the truck runs. Ok what is the problem, no fire from the switch to the starter. Ford has been good about fusable links in the wire harness in various places. So look for power from the switch in the start position, next make sure you have fire from the clutch switch. Fire should be to starter solenoid, leave it and go to starter. Did I understand you jumped the solenoid? Might be that but now understand the starter is a Japanese starter and it may be wore to the point it needs rebuilt. The brush holder in them will get warped from heat. (too long of cranking without cool down periods). This causes the brushes to not seat on the armature correctly.

I will place my money on a fusable link in the wire is blown. Just find it!! Can be a chore without books!
Cam sensor probably would not cause this problem if it did it would be rare.
Things that will make the 7.3 hard to start
Faulty Glow Plugs ( go to International Truck and buy the German glow plugs) Bad glow plug controller - early models 1988 to 1997), starter dragging, (this engine needs 700 RPM to make it start correctly). Then of course there is fuel and air issues to look at. Your problem is you are not getting the power to the starter because it starts but not with the key. Find that circuit (switch to relay under the hood) and make sure it is OK.

 

This is one of the more straight-forward problems I've seen with a no-crank. Screwdriver across the starter relay gets it done, so something is amiss between the key and the relay - that's it.

The neutral safety switch on the transmission pops highest on my suspect list here. Have you tried "jiggling the handle" on the shifter like a running toilet? How about Neutral instead of Park?

When this happened to me, it was shortly after buying a transmission upgrade. I was stuck in a hotel vehicle foyer 200 miles from home, so I crawled under the truck to discover a loose connector to the transmission. Problem solved two minutes after the discovery of said problem. Now about that dirt on the back of my travel clothes....

 

My 99 f350 has the Anti theft system on it and even when the system is shut off, if you lock the truck with the remote and dont unlock it you get NOTHING when you try to crank it.

I thought my starter had burned out because all the lights would turn on and it wouldn't crank one bit, but jumping the relay got it to crank. So then I remembered I had shut the alarm off but I still locked the truck via remote!!

I pressed the unlock button an she cranked right up. Since you just bought the truck, if you have a remote try hitting the unlock button. I dont know if my truck has the PATS or just some other Anti theft but its some cheap alarm that will disable the starter.

 

It's a 6 speed Rich and he said he replaced the neutral safety switch on the clutch rod first thing.

 

sounds more like yours is aftermarket alarm there.. Ford's PATS wouldnt disable the starter with just the remote. Theirs reads off the Key micro chips.. Dont know if the newer diesels have switched over to using it or not.. but the 1st gen superdutys diesels did not.. they just had a regular chipless key. But the SD gassers supposedly had the chipped keys.

 

Ok. If I have this correct this is a NO CRANK and NOT a NO START. In other words, nothing happens when you turn the key. But, you can start it using a screw driver across the solenoid.

If that's NOT correct, you can stop reading.

First, eliminate the primary starting circuit as the issue. This is from the Ignition Switch to the Starter Solenoid.

TEST: Using a VDOM, determine if system voltage is present at the Starter Solenoid. If no, then it’s an issue with the primary circuit: (Ignition switch to starter relay). Between the starter and steering column key switch something is amiss.

Tracing it from the Load to the Source if how best to identify where the issue is and repair it.

If you do have system voltage, you need to perform a voltage drop test on the solenoid to determine if:

1. System Voltage remains when the key is turned to the Start Position. And,

2. Determine if a voltage drop occurs there may be corrosion of other resistance in the circuit. And, lastly,

3. If the Solenoid defective?

STARTER SOLENOID TEST (7.3L)

1. Disconnect the battery negative cable.

2. Using the Digital Multimeter, check the windings of the solenoid as follows:

a. Measure the resistance between the starter motor ground terminal and the solenoid case. The resistance reading should be approximately 0.95 ohms.

b. An extremely high resistance reading indicates a break or fault in winding continuity.

c. A very low resistance reading indicates a short or ground in the winding circuit.

STARTER MOTOR — LOAD TEST

NOTE: The batteries must be fully charged before performing a starter load test.

1. Set the parking brake and shift the transmission into the NEUTRAL position.

2. Remove Fuse 17 from the engine compartment fuse box.

3. Connect the Alternator, Regulator, Battery and Starter Tester (ARBST). Follow the manufacturers supplied instructions.

4. Connect a remote starter switch across the starter relay Terminal and the battery positive terminal post.

5. Turn the ignition switch to the RUN position.

6. Crank the engine and record the voltmeter reading.

7. Turn the carbon pile control **** until the voltmeter indicates the same reading recorded during cranking the engine. Record the ammeter reading.

8. Compare the ammeter reading with specifications.

1. This test is performed to determine if slow cranking is caused by high resistance in the starter motor circuit wiring.

2. The voltage drop test can only be performed with the starter motor on the vehicle.

3. Disconnect the wiring from the fuel shutoff solenoid.

4. Connect the positive lead of the 73 Digital Multimeter to the battery positive (+) post, and the negative lead to the starter solenoid Terminal.

5. Connect a remote starter switch between the starter solenoid Terminal and the positive battery terminal post.

6. Press the remote starter switch and record the voltage reading.

7. The voltage reading should be 0.5 volt or less. A reading higher than
0.5 volt indicates high resistance.

8. Repeat the test on the starter solenoid B-terminal.

9. If the readings are higher than 0.5 volt, remove the wiring from the starter solenoid.

10. Clean and inspect each wire connector and the starter solenoid terminals.

11. Install the wires onto the starter solenoid and retest.

12. If the reading at the starter solenoid M-terminal is still higher than 0.5 volt or the reading at the B-terminal is lower, carry out the Starter Solenoid Component Test. If no change is noted, install a new positive battery cable lead.

NOTE: A slow cranking condition can also be caused by high resistance in the ground circuit.

1. Disconnect the wiring from the fuel shutoff solenoid.

2. Connect the Digital Volt-Ohmmeter positive lead to the starter motor housing.

3. Connect the Digital Volt-Ohmmeter negative lead to the battery negative (-) terminal.

4. Connect a remote starter switch between the starter solenoid Terminal and the positive battery terminal post.

5. Press the remote starter switch and record the voltage reading.

6. The voltage reading should be 0.2 volt or less. If the voltage reading is higher, remove and clean the negative cable connections at the battery, starter motor and the body.

7. Retest the system. If readings are still higher than 0.2 volt, test each individual negative cable.

*Either condition is cause for installation of a new solenoid assembly.

Post back with your findings and we'll go from there with Schematics and such.

Ps: If you have an extension cord you're not using and can spend about $20.... Build this. It makes these tests a breeze!

 

I skimmed. You caught me. Sorry. Column wire for the ignition switch?

 

I was not trying to catch you. Just helping you move on to the next thing on your list that could possibly be the issue.

 

Thanks for the great tips! I will check the fuseable links when it stops raining outside.

 

Thomas White....Thanks for the tips and the test equipment build. I have most of the stuff laying around, I'll see what else I need and try to put it together. I'm more of a mechanical guy myself having worked on aircraft in my youth.

 

Stick with us, you'll get straightened out.