Ok truck ran fine previously. Stopped at gas station shut it off went in came back out no start just a click like a bad starter. Lights still nice and bright radio plays doors and windows work.

Got a tow home and had a friend of mine put a new starter in. (I know I know but I own a roofing company and this is my work truck and I had no time to do it myself.) He's a good mechanic tho and knows what he's doing he's a tech for Peterbuilt so the starter should be no problem.

Same symptoms no crank only a click. Can hear starter click and can hear relays click from the passenger side panel. Security light goes out with key in ON after 3 seconds. He thought it might be an anti theft thing but that tells me my key is still programmed to the vehicle.

Tried swapping the starter relay and the pcm relay. No change.

This is my first f150 so any help is appreciated. TBH i havnt checked the battery but its not that old and when it first happened all the power on in the interior led me to believe it was still good. Maybe it just doesn't have enough cranking amps.

If I cant get this ran down I'm gonna have to take it to the dealer and this is my work truck with all my tools and equipment. Thanks

 

The first thing to check is the battery. Get it load tested. Or check it yourself. Check the battery voltage. It should be 12.6. Keep the voltmeter on the battery and try to start the truck. If the voltage drops way down, the battery is bad. I just replaced a bad battery in my wife's Infiniti that was only 13 months old.

 

Didn't your friend check the battery cables for corrosion and clean as necessary?

 

cables are tight free of corrosion. He thinks either its a wiring problem somewhere or something with the anti theft system. But like I said the anti theft flashes normally without the key.. when the key is in the on position it turns solid for 3 seconds and never flashes again. I saw on YouTube something about the fuel pump driver module being the cause of no crank but I don't have the rapid flashing theft light or the check gages on the odometer.

Another weird clue maybe is my odometer normally doesn't work and when the no crank started it was working.

 

There is nothing wrong with the PATS system and all of the relays, leave them alone.

If the starter "clicks" when the key is turned to START, there are only a few things that could be at fault.

1. Battery.
2. Bad starter - again/still. Was the replacement tested before installation?
3. Bad cable from battery to starter.
4. Bad ground for starter.
5. Locked up engine.

Not much else to it. You or your buddy needs to get under there with a meter and make the needed checks instead of throwing parts at it first.

 

didn't say anything about throwing parts at it just trying to get a check of things to do. A search of this problem has turned up 100 difficult things so im just trying to figure out a course of action.

 

FPDM won't cause a no crank.

 

Ok not that battery put a known good battery in no start so I guess I'm down to chasing the wiring.

 

UPDATE SOLVED
My terminals to the starter just needed cleaned. Wish I woulda just did the starter myself cant believe the guy I had do it didn't clean the corrosion off the cables.

 

Told ya!

 

I have had a similar experience. It turned out to be the large primary cable from thr starter to the relay/solenoid was corroded inside the sheathing. It caused there to be excessive resistance through the cable. If you have to replace that cable, it is a good idea to replace all the large guage cables, concerned with the battery/starter system. I hope this helps.

 

Did anyone check your starter solenoid?
You can jump from the battery side to the starter side to by-pass the solenoid just to see if the starter engages.
If the starter turns over, jump between the battery to the small terminal that goes to the ignition switch. If all you get is a clicking, replace the solenoid.

 

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