An employee of mine on a limited budget had the following occur - She left the lights on when parking the truck. When she came back out the battery was dead. She got some help from a "friend" who attempted to jump start the truck. He connected the jumper cables to the positive battery post and to the radiator support on her truck. They couldn't get it started and she called me. I took the battery out and had it charged. Couldn't get the starter solenoid to make any noise so I replaced it. Still nothing. All other electrical systems work. I have checked the fuses and no problem there. The battery cables appear to be okay although I haven't checked the cable end at the starter. It doesn't crank or even seem like it's making an attempt to engage the starter. It was starting just fine until the battery died and her "friend" attempted to jump it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Few questions.

Is there an aftermarket alarm or remote start installed ?

When you turn the key from off to run ( not start ) position does the theft light go out ?
- Just a back up question, I think this would be a crank no start issue.

Did you try turning the key from off to run ( without starting ), press and hold the brake pedal and shift into neutral and try starting from that position ?

Did you check for + VDC from the Tan w/ red stripe wire on the starter motor relay to a known good ground, while the key was in the start position ?

If you turn the key to the run position and apply + VDC to the start relay ( on the firewall under the hood ) to the Tan w/ red stripe wire ( the only small wire ) will the starter turn over ?

How did you check the fuses ?
- did you pull them, stare at them and reinstall them or use a meter to check for +VDC on the each pin to a known good ground, while installed with the key in the run position ?

Did you check for + VDC on the both fuse Links ?
- This is one of the red wires to the starter motor relay, the other is to the starter itself.

Was there signs of corrosion on the starter terminals when you replaced the starter solenoid and did the cable ends feel right when you put it back together ?

 

Thanks for your reply. I have checked the wiring up to a point. I checked for continuity on the main fuse link between the battery and the starter relay/solenoid. No problems there. I also checked the terminals themselves. The starter relay/solenoid does make a click when you turn the key to the start position. However, nothing happens when you jump across the two large terminals on the starter relay/solenoid. I have pulled the fuses that the electrical diagram shows as being related to the start process and checked them for continuity and they are good. I tried getting the starter relay out of the main box but it doesn't seem to want to come out easily. I did a quick try on it and haven't gotten back to it yet. I didn't want to pry it out and damage something. I've never seen a relay that was difficult to get out. Any ideas? I didn't know that there was a fuse link going to the starter, but I'm going to look at it for her tomorrow. I will check that. I did check for voltage at the terminals on the starter and couldn't get any reading regardless of the position that the key was in. So we could be on to something with the fuse link in the line down to the starter. I'm just unfamiliar with the electrical system on Fords.

 

1. What are you calling the starter relay in the main box ?
- The starter motor relay is on the firewall with 2 large AWG wires to it, and the smaller AWG Tan w/ red stripe wire.
- The starter solenoid is on the starter itself ( on top of the starter ). Solenoid converts electrical to mechanical usually with a pin moving it. Same as a doorbell has a solenoid that has a bar that strikes the chimes.


Not too sure what you are trying to pull out of the "main box" (where ever that is located ). 2003 PDF of the owners manual only has the fuse for the starter motor relay.

2. Is there an aftermarket alarm or remote start installed ?

3. When you turn the key from off to run ( not start ) position does the theft light go out ?
- Just a back up question, I think this would be a crank no start issue.

4. Did you try turning the key from off to run ( without starting ), press and hold the brake pedal and shift into neutral and try starting from that position ?

5. Did you check for + VDC from the Tan w/ red stripe wire on the starter motor relay to a known good ground, while the key was in the start position ?

6. If you turn the key to the run position and apply + VDC to the start relay ( on the firewall under the hood ) to the Tan w/ red stripe wire ( the only small wire ) will the starter turn over ?

 

Thank you for your help. This is driving me crazy. Here is what I have done.
1. Charged battery to specs.
2. Cleaned battery terminals
3. Did a visual inspection of the fuses and relays in the power control box. Checked the fuses for continuity and they were good. The relay that the owners manual shows related to the starter is the one that I couldn't get out. I finally was able to get it out and my manual said that it shouldn't have continuity between posts 30 and 87 and this one did so I replaced it.
4.. Checked for continuity from the battery to the starter relay/solenoid (That's what my manual is calling it. It's mounted on the firewall and has two heavy gauge connections and a small post with a slip on terminal. When I turned the key to the start position I did not hear a "click". The relay/solenoid was replaced. Now there is a click when the key is turned to the start position.
4. Checked the connections of the cables to the starter. There is power to the main lug on the starter. There is continuity to the ground cable. I have not checked for continuity or voltage to the small wire.
5. I am running out of things to check, and beginning to think that it's just the starter that has gone out but I'd like to be sure before I have her lay out $150 that she can't afford.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

You can pull the starter and take it to a parts store to be tested. That doesn't cost anything, just some work and time.

 

I really hate to but in here. Take a remote starter switch and hook one connector to the large electrical terminal on the solenoid on top of the starter, hook the other connector to the small electrical terminal on that solenoid on top of the starter. Shake the connectors to make sure they are making good contact. Press the button on the remote starter switch.

This will bypass about as much as possible to test the starter without removing the starter.

 

I want to Thank all of you that provided your feedback and insights. I did connect a remote starter switch to it and nothing. I went ahead and pulled the starter (lots of fun with the backside bolt). I took the starter to my local parts store for testing and it wouldn't do anything. We got curious and pulled the solenoid off of it. The contacts had come completely loose inside the solenoid. No wonder that it wasn't doing anything. Anyway, bought a new starter and put it on (again - the back side bolt is a pain), once the new starter was on and connected it started like it was new from the factory. Again, I do want to Thank all of you. I haven't had much experience with Fords and I was beginning to doubt what I have learned working on other vehicles. But it is done.

 

I have just bought a used 1994 f 150 4x4 5.0 truck that I have been having issues with on starting after I drive the truck. I have replaced the battery, replaced connections battery wires and cleaned my grounds up. The problem is that I can go out and start the truck with no problem after it has sat fora few hours but when I drive the truck for any time length after it is warmed up and then shut off the engine It will act like the battery is dead. I can jump start the engine and it will fire up and go as should but when I will shut it off again it will try to turn over like the battery is dead, Ive checked the battery and have tried different charged batterys to no luck. If I just make short trips around my home and shut it off I can usually get it to restart right away but if I drive it for very long when I will shut it off it will not start unless it sits for a few hours. last night I had drove it approximatly 15 miles, sht it off and had to jump start it to get re started, when I cam back home I had shut it off again and same thing would not start just acted like it was a dead battery, so I let it sit overnight then this morning turned the key and started right up. I do not know where to start on looking for the problem, any help from users would be appreciated

 

Please start a thread in the pre-1997 trucks forum instead of hijacking this thread. Thank you.