So I just recently had my transmission replaced in my 97 F-150, and since then the "mechanic" can't get it running. So I went there to take a look and found out that when you hit the key, it just clicks. so I figured the battery was dead and naturally turned on the headlights, to my horror the engine started turning over with the operation of the headlight switch. Also after experimentation, learned that the brights also cause the engine to turn over. I have no idea what my "mechanic" did, and I am at a total loss as I have been without transportation for over a week. Anyone ever hear of anything like this?

 

Would a bad ground cause this? I noticed today (after working on it for 8 hours) that there seems to be no ground from the engine to the frame. I can't think of any vehicle that didn't have a frame ground from the battery. However on my truck currently the ground wire from the battery goes directly to a bolt on the starter that holds the starter motor to the transmission. Shouldn't there be at least a ground wire from the frame also connecting here?

Now my origional post was missing a key issue here as I didn't know the ground from the battery to the firewall was disconnected. Today we connected it and the headlights no longer cause the engine to turn over, it's just that now nothing turns the engine over.