I have a 1997 Ford F-150 with a 4.6 V8 that will not start. It has been a few days now of working on it without luck. It started fine on the day it broke down. I drove to Lowe's and turned it off and it wouldn't start after coming back out. It's not turning over and only clicks sometimes. I have tested the battery and starter which both have been replaced. A bullentin with the starter advised that corrosion on the positive terminal would cause a no crank. So I replaced the positive cable. When I reconnected the battery, all the interior lights came on and the key beeped when placed in the ignition. I tried to start it and all it did was click and all the lights went out and did not back on. I have also checked all fuses and replaced the solenoid on the firewall. Do anyone have any other ideas what this could be?

 

I'm looking for the answer to the same problem with my 01 Supercrew. I'll let you know if I find anything out that can help.

 

Do you have a digital volt-meter handy to do some testing? If so, I would begin testing the ignition wires and starter wires below the steering column. I had a 97 that the ignition switch went out on and had to be replaced. Even if its working, at least you can eliminate that area.

 

I had the same problem with mine and i ended up getting a new battery and replaced the terminal ends on the battery cables and haven't had any problems since.

 

Same problem here also. Last night it would only click and most of dash lite would go off when the key was turned to start position. When I released the key to the run position all lights would come back on. So I moved the gear shifter around tryed again and it started up.
Today it did same thing but moving gear shifter around did nothing this time.
One problem I have had for about a year is if I tilt my steering wheel all the way to the down position. My rear brake lights or my blinkers would not work. If I raised the tilt steering up a few notches everything went back to normal. Don't know if these are related but it definitely seems it may be.
I will tear in to my column tomorrow and post if I find any thing.

 

Check the starter connection for corrosion. Short the big post to the small post on the firewall relay if it turns over replace the relay. My experiance has been 90 percent of the time in no turn over situations its either connections or the relay.

 

this one can be really easy. my rig is a 98 4.6. When i bought it i noticed that it had the starter listed as a R & R about 50k miles in its service log. It was a fleet rig and i got all the maintenance records with it.

I had the same exact problem you are describing, 'cept i was out 50 miles in the boonies camping. turn the key and maybe a 'clik', sometimes, othertimes no noise at all. I was seriously concerned considering we were in the middle of BFE.

To finish the story from the solution, it was the starter. I got it to start out in the boonies from an old timers hint - crawl under there and hit the starter plunger area a few times with a screwdriver or a rock -. Basically rap it when someones trying to start it. Viola, it started.

So, anyhow when i got home, i replaced the starter and that solved it. That happened about 117,000 miles, i now have 163,000 miles on hit. The plunger core was all corroded and ****ed up (or whatever its called).

Real easy job imo. Be sure and clean up the connections real well and apply some diE grease to them after you tighten em down as that area gets splashed by lots of mud and good obviously.

 

I had that problem with my 97, where all the lights would come on, but as soon as I turned the key, it was like something shorted out and all the lights would go out. I ended up cleaning up the battery point very well, and replacing both the positive and negative cables from the battery all the way to the starter and ground. that solved the problem for me.

 

i have the same problem with my 97 f150, i replaced the starter cable, the positive battery cable and relay. all interior lights work. i tried tapping on starter still nothing.

 

Well if its clicking that means your dont have enough juice in your battery so charge it. And if its not clicking a problem i sometimes have is the shifter does not go all the way into park. I just reach over and pull it all the way over to park and turn the key and it starts right up...

 

My negative battery cable was corroded about midway, i couldnt see it at first until i removef the whole cable. replaced it and it started right up.

 

my 97 ford f150 wont start it just clicks once ive changed the silonoid on the firerwall took the starter out and got it tested at oreilys it passed 6 times have fully charged battery in it. oh and it only starts when temperatures are above freezing

 

Did you have the battery tested yet? Thats what it sounds like. The cold kills batterys..

 

If the battery is actually fully charged, connections are all good, you are probably looking at a starter issue.

 

ive tryed several diffrent batteries. alright ill try changing out the starter.