Well I just got a 95 f150 300-6 4x4. I got a good deal on it because the owner couldn't get it to start. I can turn the motor over by hand so I know its not locked up

Problem: Batt voltage is good and hooked up to a jump vehicle when I cycle the key to "on" dash lights,radio,bells and whistles all come on. when I cycle it to start theres a loud CLICK ICK ICK ICk until you let go of the key as the thats happening the truck losses interior power. As soon as the key springs back to the "on" position every thing comes back like normal.

My fixes: Tried different batteries cleaned all post and cables. The fender mounted solenoid was changed by the previous owner and looks new. I just put a new starter on it.

I know Ive had this problem before on something some time but theres been a lot of beers between then and now. Any Ideas.

 

Not to familiar with this era but I have a buddy who had similar issues with his bronco. The solenoid was to blame and the truck was manually started with a screwdriver placed on the fender to bypass the internal switch.

 

It may be that fender solenoid I couldn't get it to jump with a screw driver tho

Im thinking its

A) bad battery cables
B) bad ground

or a combo of both

 

Bad cable/connection or a bad starter.

Measure your voltage drop across each cable and see where the voltage is going.

 

I think I'd pull the starter motor out and bench test it. It could well be that it has an internal short that is killing your voltage as soon as it's energized, which causes the solenoid to release, which raises the voltage so the solenoid pulls in again energizing the starter and...

And, the short may be in a cable to the starter, such as the one from the solenoid to the starter. From your description, it really sounds to me like the fault occurs when the solenoid pulls in. (I guess it could be in the wiring from the relay to the solenoid though).

- Jack

 

It was doing this when I first got it just not as loud and only one or two clicks before the battery would drain. So I pulled the starter and took it in and bought a new one. The guy at the store tested the new one on there machine and it checked out.

Ive bought brand new parts that haven't work before though. I may take and make a jumper wire to run from the solenoid to the starter and see if that fixes it. The first try after I put the new starter on it sounded like it turn over a little before it started clicking so that gives me hope.