Hey fellows,
Let me first off say I bought this 99 5.4 expedition with a locked up motor in it. I have no previous knowledge of its driveabilty. It has or had a VIPER alarm on it which I believe I have removed?..I'm quite sure they attempted to crank it a few times to confirm it was locked up...

The truck now has another motor in it and it runs just not by the key driving it. I have to either jump the starter with a wrench or applying 12v to the starter relay where the brown/red stripe wire goes. I chopped the alarm (viper) relays out of the truck from under the dash. I have also removed and reattached the ignition wire (red blue stripe)...When I attempt to crank it with the key I get power on the red/blue stripe wire coming out of the ignition switch. I don't get power at the starter relay @ the brown/red stripe wire when trying to crank it?

Does anyone know where this brown/red wire gets it power. I looked under the dash and I dont see it anywhere. I looked at someones wiring diagram and said look at the fuse 20 or 21. I have no fuse in 21 slot and the fuse in 20 has no power going to it, either side.

any help is much appreciated, this truck has fought me the whole way and now i can see the finish line and its still kicking....

 

well first off, try and track down why the 20 fuse is not getting power. maybe a bad ground? maybe a snapped wire? second, if your getting power from the ignition switch then it sounds like possibly a bad solenoid. i had this problem for a while and i too had to connect the points on mine, annoying but it works. my problem was not only the soleniod but also the ignition relay switch i think.

 

yeah I guess I need to pull the fuse panel out?

I wouldnt think it was the solenoid if when I power it at the starter relay the truck starts? would it?

 

The color codes are different than the '99 F150, but here is a diagram for the starting system through the DTR ( Digital Transmission Range ) Sensor.
Might know it as the neutral switch in common lingo, it is what only allows the truck to start in P or N.



If there is no fuse in slot 21, you might want to install it.

In the '99 EXPY, Passenger Compartment Fuse # 21 is the Starter Relay Fuse ( check your owners manual, page 132 ).
It also feeds Fuse #20, from what I gather on the Description line for that fuse ( could be why the fuse #20 is dead )

 

thanks man, I think the problem has something to do with whatever supplies the power to the little brown/red strip wire going to the starter relay. It may be simply the fuse but it seems as if there is no metal tabs in that slot to hold the fuse? and my test light wont fit in the slot w/o a fuse being in there to test it...I know i didnt remove any fuses however it was at the dealer before I bought it and lord knows what that did or didnt do...?

 

ok it seems as if the neutral switch is working or let me say I can put the car in reverse and the reverse lights are on..it will not start in park nor neutral...If I put the lights on and attempt to start it, it doesnt seem as though its pulling on it at all...the lights dont dim and I really dont hear anything clicking other that some relays in the kick panel...

I'll get it up in the air soon if nobody has any other ideas?..thanks..

 

Did you install the fuse in the cab fuse panel, in position #21.

As I posted above, the owners manual say that is for the starter motor relay, what you are not getting power to ( as well as fuse #20 ).

Owners manual is a good place to start, rather than guessing at trying stuff.

 

I wish I had an owners manual...it didnt come with one..

I tried to plug a fuse in the 21 slot and it as if there is nothing to hold it in?..

like its a slot that is unused? and I still get no power at the #20 5amp fuse-

I'm going to try to pull the fuse panel out so I can get a look at the back of 20 and 21 to see if something was pulled out or what...

 

The back of 21 might have been pushed through by some ham handed person.

Fuse #20 will be dead until you get Fuse #21 working ( at least that is what the Owners Manual states in the description )

Quick search here for Owners Manual would produce this URL :

https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenan...ls/default.asp

Download the PDF version, and you are good to go !

 

Hey man,
I really appreciate all the assistance. I was able to get the thing working and it was the fuse 21. I had no fuse in there and when I put one in it still didnt work. I presume they had the metal pins from the car alarm pushing in there spreading it apart. I still have to work on it but I was able to get it going with some assistance from me holding it in there at an angle....which is leaps and bounds from where I was. I can now put the radiator and ac back on it to complete the engine swap. I wasnt going to complete it until I could get to fire from the key..so again thank you for telling to go after that 21 as it was the trick.....take care man....