I have a 2000 F-150 5.4 V8. I have never had any problems with it until this week, all of I think are due to my own stupidity. First, I changed the oil, as I always do at 3000 miles, and apperently did not tighten the oil filter well enough and ended up with my engine smoking pretty bad as all my oil slowly leaked out. I fixed that, just in time to run out of gas. (Not been my best week) Now that I have filled the tank up I can not get it to turn over. The thing is I have already hit the fuel reset located in the passenger foot well. I get no turn over at all...it just clicks. Sounds like the starter went out too. After you have been out of gas and refueled I am told that you may have to turn the key form on to off a few times to get the fule moving again. I have also done this. Does anyone know if this is the cause of the truck not starting would it begin to crank or would it just sit and click? The radio, lights and all electrical are all working with no problem. It just will not turn over. All it will do is click. I am very frustrated. Is there something else I should be able to do or should do to narrow this done to either the fuel reset or maybe bad starter.


Any help is greatly appreciated!!


Thanks,
dspillers

 

Did the truck run completely out of oil before u fixing the leak. I mean, did u drive it very far after fixing and adding more oil. Cuz it almost sounds like u didnt catch it n time, and that the engine might have seized up. If so, the lights and radio and everything else would work, and then when u went to try and turn it over to start, the lights and all would dim very low, becuz the starter is pulling so much to try and get the crank to turn and its all seized up.

Thats only if it ran totally dry on oil, and seized up. If its not that, then it could be the starter. U can try to climb under neath the truck and leave the key in the on position, and arc the starter and see if it will fire. The solenoid could be locked up. I know its not the best idea, but u could always give the starter a good tap wth a hammer and see if it was just stuck or locked up. Had that happen on a chevy a couple of times and decided that it was time to get a new starter.

Well i hope something out of all that helps.

 

Did you check the battery?

 

What he said. Also take a look at the battery cables to make sure they aren't corroded.

 

You probably soaked the starter with oil. oil will get on the brushes in the starter motor and keep it from running. If it clicks the selinoid is probably trying to get the starter to work but the oil fouled it. You might get lucky and be able to flush out the starter with brake cleaner and get it running agian. otherwise I would pull the starter and get it checked before I did anything else

 

Thanks to everyone that has posted respnses, it is greatly appreciated. First the battery is good. As a matter of fact, I have had to use my dads old Chevy Cavilier in the meantime and the battery was drained when I tried to start it. I actually jumped the Cavalier with the truck. S that is good. As far as the oil, there was still alot of oil in the truck when I corrected the problem. I know this for sure since I pulled the misaligned oil filter and got oil drainage. I replaced the filter and refilled the oil that was about 3 or 4 days before this happened. I am going to try the tapping it tomorrow when I get back to it and if that don't work I will try to pull the starter and have it tested. Either way, I have an extended warranty on it that is still good, was hoping to be able to take of it myself since the deductable is $100 and I thought I would be able to replace a starter for less than that. But I called for priced today and I would be better off to let the dealership fix it under the warranty for $100.


Thanks again to everyone!

Dspillers

 

Well, Here is the latest on my truck. I had it towed to a nearby dealership not the one I bought it from since I was visiting my parents in another state. Well they told me that none of the work would be covered under the warranty I purchased and this is why. The starter is in fact out. It went out because the lead wire from the battery was corroded and caused the the starter to short out. Since the wire is not covered in the warranty none of the work is. The total bill is $620.00. I have a problem with this expanation so I called the dealership where I purchased the truck and they told me what I also thought...that it is impossible for a corroded wire to cause a short. Maybe if two wires had crossed but not because one wire all by itself was corroded. They also stated that is should be covered. Well they called the dealership with my truck and have debated the situation fro the last two days to no avail. The dealership with my truck will not cover it under the warranty and it is 80 miles to the dealership where I bought it. I would appreciate any feedback from anyone on the situation as I am frustrated and without my truck for tooo many days now!!

Dspillers

 

I read all this kind of fast and may have missed it but did you just take the battery cables off for about a half hour and then try to start it?


Ford techs have told me this engine cant run long enough to hurt itself. It will shutdown before it destroys itself.

Of course it doesn't say that in the owners manual.

tom

 

An eighty mile tow would be less costly than $600.00. I would get Ford involved and call the 800 number for the coporate customer service. Seems like if one dealer is willing to fix it under warranty then they all should. The explanation as to why the starter went out does sound pretty far fetched. Aer they saying that the ground cable went bad and the starter shorted to the block or is the Positive cable bad? I would call coporate and get them to shake things up for you.

 

I had not tried to remove the battery cables for any length of time but that is a point taken in case I need it some other time. I am planning to make the 800 number phone call tomorrow morning and have already contacted a tow that will take the truck where I want it to go. I just don't get why one would cover it and not the other. Oh well live and learn. This my first Ford, I bought it used only 2 months ago and already I have been without it for 3 days and counting. I am not real happy with the service that Ford has given so far. If the warranty I bought which is the Extra Care warranty, was crap and won't cover anything then I want a refund! Although, I did get a good laugh listening to two Sevice dept managers on the phone three way with me arguing about if what they say happened could really happen.

They say that the lead wire from the batttery to the starter was corroded and caused the starter to short out. My warranty will cover the starter but since it does not cover battery cables it will not cover damage done by the cables.

Dspillers

 

Something is wrong with the "corroded cable shorts and ruins the starter" story. A corroded cable usually causes an "open" rather than a "short" - unless the cable parted and one end broke loose and started flopping around until it hit something else - and that shouldn't effect the starter at all. A high resistance cable corrosion leading to an "open" would only cause a lower and lower voltage to be delivered to the starter until the cable parted completely. That doesn't cause any problems. Unless you just keep cranking and cranking and cranking and cranking on that dead starter? Even with a low voltage, that could heat the starter up until something in the starter melted.

Was the starter ever sprayed heavily with oil? The comment about getting oil on the brushes sounds very possible. But - that doesn't cause "shorts" in battery cables.

Finally, what is the name and location of this fine establishment that wants to charge $620.00 for a starter and a battery cable?

Good Luck

 

The dealership that currently has my truck is Art Hill in Merrillville IN. They are sticking to their story even after contacting the 800 customer care number and several other dealerships that a corroded cable caused the starter to short out. Even as we stand there and ask for better explanation how one cable with corrosion shorts anything out they stick to theirs.

I can't continue t be without my truck, I am missing work because of this so I asked for a total estimate and told them to get it fixed. Funny thing, now that I asked them to go ahead and get the work done they don't have the parts. It will be several days, with Thanksgiving this week and all. Wonderful! Just my luck! Well any how, I figured I will get the truck and all the old parts back and take them to a seperate dealership to see what they say. I will probably never see that money back but I can't afford to be without a vehicle any longer. The final estimate they gave me today was for "around $560.00". This includes a $66 tow charge, $78 diagnostics test and parts and labor. The thing is i thought since I have extra care warranty and called road side assistance that I would have no tow expense. But Art Hill said they had to pay for the tow and will reflect that on my bill!!? Not at all happy with this service but I need my truck back and I will try to deal with it later. I guess the Extra Care warranty is just pretty much useless if you go to Art Hill and didn't purchase your vehicle from them! Well, hopefully Friday I can have my truck back!


Thanks for all the responses.

Dspillers