'91 f150 Ignition switch issue?
 

Hey guys,

A buddy of mine called yesterday with a problem. His truck would not start.

Turning the key to run, everything works as normal.

But once going to the start position he felt no resistance and the engine would not turn over.

I had him leave the intention in Run, truck in neutral and jump the solenoid on the fender. Fired right up.


NOW, with that said.. You think bad ignition switch?, Bad rod?, other guesses?

He is an hour away and I have to go wok on the truck saturday, I just want to be armed with the proper parts

1991 f150 lariat tilt column 5 speed

Could be the relay, ignition switch, actuator/rod adjustment or the clutch switch.

The most important "part" to arm yourself with is not a part, but a tool - a voltmeter. The only other part you might need, at least to troubleshoot, is a foot or two of primary wire.

Test - rather than jumping the large terminals on the relay, PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL (yes, people have KILLED themselves forgetting this step) and try jumping a wire from the battery + to the SMALL terminal on the relay. See if it cranks. Key can be OFF, this is just to test the circuit. If starter cranks, fender relay is GOOD, and fault is upstream. Confirmation would be to put a voltmeter on that small pull-off wire and have your friend turn the key to START. No voltage there would confirm an issue upstream.

(Voltage there would mean everything upstream is good; if no crank with the jumper, relay is the prime suspect.)

Upstream test - check for voltage at the clutch switch. There are four (possibly six?) terminals on the switch. The two relevant ones here are the two closest to the firewall on the connector. With the switch disconnected, you should have voltage at one of those terminals while holding the key in START. If so, ignition switch is good and working, and the clutch switch may be at fault - out of adjustment or faulty. You can also jump a wire between those two terminals and see if the truck cranks with the key. If so, that confirms a clutch switch issue.

Check for full travel of the clutch pushrod; it's what activates the switch. Slop in the pedal mechanics - pedal box bushings, craptastic plastic bushing on the pushrod eyelet - can cause the pushrod not to travel far enough to trip the switch. This is not only a start issue, it means the clutch isn't fully disengaging.

I already know it is something in the column just by having no resistance in the start position

This breaks 99% of the time

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...ca723be979.jpg

It's the pot metal actuator piece that pushes the rod for the switch and the key cylinder pushes it, the long part breaks just to the right of my finger and makes the key feel exactly the way you described it. Not hard to change at all.

I'm with him it's probably the ignition actuator I've broken two in two years the last one I drilled and tapped a small screw into the part where it breaks here's hoping it doesn't happen again

Also x2 on the neutral bit I almost lost a finger and smashed a fence because it was started in drive

i will agree on a bad actuator because if it was the switch itself it would start and them die when a bump was hit or the key was moved.

Does the key spring back to the RUN position when he is no longer holding it in the START position?

Seems like if it were the actuator, it wouldn't move the ignition switch at all, so the key wouldn't even move the switch to RUN.

99% of the time when the actuator breaks it will allow you to get to run position, but you will feel no resistance when going past to start position.
that is the #1 indicator it is the actuator and not something else.

Pretty sure it is the Actuator as you guys called it.

The key turned with very little to no resistance and would stay in the start position. I started taking the column apart and saw what I believe to the the square section broke off.

We ended up getting a used column and got it going.

Yhe only issue is, the column we got I am unsure how to remove the lock cylinder to put his in. I see no hole like his original column to push on the pin in order to remove the lock cylinder. With the "new" column you dont even need a key to start the truck, just turn the cylinder

to access the cylinder removal pin you will need to take the bottom upper column plastic cover off. then you will see the pinhole in the aluminum housing.

Glad you got it fixed but the ignition switch actuator is around $10 and (I think) took me about an hour to replace. I'm guessing the column was more expensive and took just as long or longer to replace

How does that cover come off. I see no screws(top bottom or sides)

The column was free and it took about 30min to replace the old one. Also, I had no clue what was broken, or how to replace it

Having related problems , ignition is dead feeling when you turn the key and sometimes cuts out . Clutch safety is bypassed . I guess I should yank cover and see what falls out . Nice time of year,too . Unless someone needs a hd250 93 5.8 5spd 4wd ?