How are your battery cables? If the cables have too much resistance it wont give enough power to the starter. and also what is the state of your cable ends? are the corroded or loose?

 

Off topic, but does this work with plug wires as well? Or is it better to get a real purpose-built tool for that?

 

It won't pick up high tension ignition. It will register any current flow in its callibration. DC and AC. Naturally very low wattage isn't going to register. Cranking power, Alternator power, + or - hot or ground circuit, head lights, tail lights that sort of thing is best with DC. Any line voltage/amperage AC up to its design limit. Current flow to the ECU individual ground circuits will usually be too low. If you clamp it around a cable/wire with 12 volts flowing it will measure the current flow down to a couple of amps. A very nice trouble shooter that removes guess work in only a few minutes. As with any fine diagnostic piece of equipment, it takes time and probably other tests/VOM, once you center on the trouble spot. It can't measure a circuit that can't carry current.

 

So the solenoid is good ? Connections good there, that little one as well lol ?

When you say chassis ground, you are referring to the ground that double backs from the block to the frame behind the passenger side tire correct ? If it hasn't been mentioned already, that's the ground that loosens and shorts right at the frame rail.

I'm not sure with the 04's, but w/older models, you have a starter interrupt module along w/PATS. Both can cause a no-crank situation.

Are you purchasing OEM Lifetime Bosch starters each time?

Beginning to sound like a bad cable, -User George.werner pointed that out above. Just a pin-hole is all it takes for a cable to go bad and corrode inside of it's insulation (you can't see this). Being that you moved cables around during the engine swap, that may have severed the cable completely or enough to cause the problem. A resistance ONLY check in your position (not power, volts or how ever your checking it) will confirm.

You have to be thorough now. Unfortunately, its not one of those simple self explanatory deals... Obviously right...

Keep going, you'll find it eventually.

 

Is there suppose to be a ground from the back of the motor ?

 

Sorry jbrew I did not purchase the Bosch it was the same brand in there that came out before ill no what it is later today the ground that's next to passenger tire I did clean its more towards the front of the motor on the frame rail that one I did check the one I was referring to was under passenger side door going from frame to body reason I asked if there's a ground on back passenger side of the block I remember it was really hard to reach a cable back there until I took the intake off I don't remember if this was just a sensor or what I looked down in there and there's no loose connections I checked all cables to see if there was any damage to them during the swap I cleaned everything then checked again I didn't notice anything that would raise suspicion what I haven't done was checked the power going to the starter as its bolted up someone told me to check the little small wire on the starter and with the key forward it should read over 12 v so I was gonna try that today I just feel like I'm missing something on that passenger side of the motor but there's nothing I can see or that I can fine in my book this is getting frustrating and I can't thank u guys enough for everything and all the information I'm gonna check those couples things today and see what I come up wit feel free to stop by and check it out lol well wish me luck hopefully my baby will start today

 

All else, you have corrosion in your power cables. Remove them completely and search for it. Corrosion where they join up most possibly.

 

Right. Also down by the starter where the positive cable makes that big loop. That cable takes some abuse there over time from road shrapnel. Some have that protective cover or sleeve. If the covers seam is flipped over, it may hold water and slowly corrode as this water makes it way in and under the insulation via insulation end @ the starter connection. I've seen some where the owner tapes that loop sleeve which only traps water as well lol.

Ford sells complete cable harnesses for 2-300 bucks

Yea, - cheaper just purchasing what you need separately/ 3rd party if it comes to that.

 

Wert, there's a 97-03 F150 Service manual for download in the 97-03 forum on this site. I realize you have an 04 but, it has detailed troubleshooting for "no crank/no start" situations that are more less the same for your model year. I downloaded this just to see if it was a ligit download as I already all the service DVD's in my possession. It's a good download and work flawlessly. It's a little different than the service DVD's. It's very helpful, -user friendly if you don't happen to have the training or all diagnostic tools at your disposal.

You have to search that forum only using forum tools @ the right hand top corner.

Crap, I'll see if I can find it real quick....

Yea, here it is, -

https://www.f150online.com/forums/19...ir-manual.html

Hope it still works! Note: I recall it took 5 minutes to download, but it was worth it. Also, you need to update Adobe Reader with the latest or it will not display properly.

 

Thanks I will download it and see if I can figure it out also does it make a difference that there was never no problems before I did the swap as far as all the electrical goes ?

 

It can, -of course you have to get the connections right. You can screw things up having the battery connected while working it as well as you can short a wire or even surge the PCM (computer) if your not careful. I've fried sensors performing a swap from using a bad trouble light in the past. The trouble light would give you a little shock every now and again. Anytime I had that light hanging from something metal around the engine compartment, that electricity was all it took to compromise certain things that were in its path.

Wires, cables of any size can shier inside its insulation. Whether it be from corrosion or at a bend. Corrosion happens with insulation leaks and bends weaken the wires inside to the point they eventually snap off one by one. The older the vehicle, the more this can happen. Some wires are very light gauge and most are copper which is good as far as conductivity and heat, stainless is a little better and used usually just for PCM - O2 sensor harnesses, but they all can break inside at the bends or from corrosion and when you move them around as necessary during an engine swap. These can be very hard to find unless you have some direction, like say from a recoded DTC (DiagnosticTroubleCode) in the KAM (KeepAliveMemory).
The best way to find these is with a simple resistance test while at the same time,-moving the wire or cable in question around by hand watching the light, listening to the continuity beeper or watching the meter which ever the case may be.

 

I'm not trying to be the grammar police, but your posts are difficult to read and follow with no punctuation, all being one long runon sentence.

 

Sure, the motor you put in it is junk. Just conjecture. LOL

 

I apologize for my grammar. I build houses not type all day and just frustrated. I will check these wires and see what I come up with. And I don't think the motor is junk,it kind of sucks with this storm that hit us cause I can't reach the place where I bought the motor since its under warranty. Hopefully the mechanic figures it out Tommorow will c what happens

 

Can this help, This is a 2004 Herritage starter wire harness diagram with automatic, manual is similar The B arrow top middle and bottom middle connects the trany circuit to the starter circuit and below it is on from your generation F150, except a 2007 manual. U can enlarge it 200/400 to readit better. Note they are very different circuits. Also notice the connected ground cables, consider it also in corrosion mode and malfing possibly. It doesn't have to be the positive side cables that will ruin your day. It takes a great ground circuit also.