I have a 1997 f-250 5.8 l 4x4. Last friday i drove to work shut truck off and at lunch turned key and it wouldn't start. Starter turns over, it has spark, but no power to instrument cluster either. Checked all fuses also no fuel in fuel rail.

 

When you turn the key to RUN, do you hear the fuel pump in the tank spin for ~1 sec? Where are you (general region)? What's the truck's history? Is there ANY non-stock wiring on the truck? Has it been wrecked? Who does the maintenance/repairs? Have any parts been replaced recently? Are you the original owner? Do you have a 12V test light or digital multimeter? Did you check all the fuses in BOTH fuse blocks?

 

Fuel pump doesn't come on, new jersey is my region, no non stock wiring, never wrecked, i do all maintenance, im 2nd owner original owner was a friend, yes checked all fuses and removed ignition switch and i am getting continuity as per diagram in my haynes manual. Truck turns over tries to start with ether but i have no fuel at schrader valve and no power to my gauges, but the warning lights come on in the instrument cluster. I shut the truck and now nothing. Pulling what hair i have left out! Thanks for repling any and all help is greatly appreciated.

 

Are you sure that is a 5.8 in the '97 SuperDuty ?

Just want to make sure there was not some odd SD in the '97 / 98 series, which were 99.5% the same as the F150.

 

You're killin' me... So you DO have power to the cluster. The oil & temp gauges shouldn't move, and it's common for the fuel gauge not to work, which is an entirely different issue. But make sure there's SOME gas in the tank. It's also common for the PSOM (speedo) to have problems, but if that was causing the engine not to run, fuse 5 in the engine bay would be blown. So it's not surprising that none of the gauges move when the engine won't run, and it doesn't mean anything.

The important symptom is no fuel pump activity. Do you have a 12V test light or meter??? Read this caption & jumper the FP relay on:



When you turn the key to run, if the FP still doesn't run, pull the jumper & the FP relay, and install the jumper in the relay socket. There's a terminal on each of the socket's 4 sides; 3 are parallel to their side - 1 is perpendicular. Install the jumper from that 1 to the terminal on the opposite side, turn the key to RUN, and see if it has 12V. If so, the FP should be spinning, and the engine should start & stop normally. Swap the horn relay into the FP relay position and it should be back to normal. Just buy a new relay for the horn.

Steve
It's not a SD - it's a '97 heritage over 8500GVWR, old body EEC-IV smallblock.

 

sounds like the donor truck my engine came from. most people think all 97s are the new body/mod motor trucks. i usually tell the parts guy its a 96 to avoid confusion.