My step dad and i just picked up an 87 f 150 4x4 302 4 speed for 850 with a plow already. the guy that we got it from said that the old motor knocked and he did the motor swap and now hes got nothing. well we got it back to the shop and put a battery in it and no power. nothing. traced it back to the battery cables. the guy had the positive to one side and the negitave to the other side of the solinoid. no big deal right? so put the cables where they needed to go and power to everything, everything works. except when i turn the key. the solinoid clicks but the starter does nothing. got P.O.ed and decided to take the afternoon off. got to thinking about it and i have to possibilities, one starter could be bad, take it off and to the parts store to be tested. Two, judging by the battery cable issue the previous owner had during the motorswap, the clutch/flywheel assembly could be binding up.

suggestions would be much appreciated
but i will keep you updated on the progress

 

I suggest checking the little wire that plugs into the starter. If yours is like my 92 it has little slip on plug that tends to get corroded. Also, since this is a new vehicle to you, try the simple things like the neutral/start switch, or the battery terminals needing tightening. I had this happen to me. Mine would not start at times. I put new terminals and cleaned the little wire and still ended up stranded in a parking lot. A store employee put an extra torque on my already tight terminals and I have not had a problem since.

 

The way the battery cables WERE hooked to the solenoid, positive on one side and negative on the other, may have fried the solenoid, if the switch was held in the start position for any length of time. I know you said the solenoid still clicks, but that don't necessarily mean it works. There are a few ways you could check the solenoid on the vehicle, including the old all metal pliers trick, put one arm of the pliers on one big solenoid terminal and the other arm on the other big terminal. If the engine cranks your solenoid is bad. Anything from here is a guess, that would be my first guess.

 

i tried that trick with a screw driver. also, i wouldnt think that the solinoid would even make a connection with no power. because the wire from the ign to the solinoid didnt have any power to it so it wouldnt have the signal to make the connection between the positive and the negative.