Fourwheelin, and twisted front drive shaft in two. No big deal, I'll take it off and roll in 2WD. Well after I got it off, truck failed to start back up. Been running fine, havn't seen any wires or connections tore up yet below, but it got dark quick so I'll tear into more in daylight. Just curious what would cause my truck to just not want to start, no sounds, no turn, only interior light dim when key is turned. Was runnig fine when I came off the obstacle. Please any comments would be helpful!

 

sounds like battery issue to me. is your battery mounted nice and tight to the tray???. a loose battery slamming around like that will kill it faster.of course check all terminals and connections.sounds like you do some heavy duty off roading so.. id invest in a good optima battery.they can take alot more abuse from what im told.

 

thanks for the idea..i have a red top actually, plenty of power, and it's nice and tight...I wish that was the problem.

 

does everything else seem like its got full power? You might have alot of mud caked into the starter or something like that.
-Patrick

 

all clean, starter seems fine, all i can gather is that when i turn the key, it clicks underneath the dash once, but it has always done that when I start it, it's always ran fine, never an ignition prob before, it just happened immediatly after i tore my driveshaft in two?!

 

Check to make sure the shaft didn't get into any of the wiring harness, I know you said you looked but it was dark. Jack it up and have plenty of light especially around the front driverside wheel well because there are alot wires running in that area.

 

Did you try rebooting the comp? might need a reset.- The starter wires are attatched to the frame in a cradle on the 98 - right behind the pass - side front tire. - Theres a pretty important ground wire that's grounded to the frame right there as-well. Check your MEGA 175amp fuses by the battery on the firewall along with all your fuses in the PDB under the hood. When one of the 175's goes and the others good - it resembles a "brown out" . - Low power, very dim light situation and it won't start.

 

here some pics of what happened....nothing underneath was damaged when it broke.

 

rebooted yesterday night, no change, found the starter wires, and the ground all secure, and the fuses seem fine, but i need something to test them with, i'm afraid i might need a shop for this one.

 

Thought when you said "front drive shaft in two" you were talking about one of the front wheel shafts. Back on track now. Did the engine rev high when the shaft broke? Did you cut the engine off the second it happened? Can you turn the crank?

 

A simple continuity tester will test the MEGA fuses. You prolly popped one if the starter got real wet.

Heres something from FORD -

^ DRIVEABILITY - NO CRANK, NO START -
CORROSION OF THE STARTER CABLE B+
TERMINAL AT THE STARTER SOLENOID

^ STARTING - NO CRANK, NO START - CORROSION
OF THE STARTER CABLE B+ TERMINAL AT THE
STARTER SOLENOID

FORD:
1997-2000 F-150

ISSUE

Some vehicles may exhibit a no crank, no start condition. This may be caused by corrosion of the starter cable B+ terminal at the starter solenoid due to a reaction between dissimilar metals (steel nut used to attach the battery cable to a brass stud on the starter).

ACTION

Whenever the starter or harness is replaced, the new brass/tin plated nut (W706414-S413) replaces the old service steel nut. Follow the appropriate model year Workshop Manual for harness and starter replacement procedures.

NOTE IF CORROSION HAS DAMAGED THE STARTER CABLE END (CRACKED, ERODED METAL), THE APPROVED PROCEDURE IS TO REPLACE THE HARNESS. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REPLACE THE STARTER CABLE EYELET.

 

starter is fine, going to check the wires, but there was power to it today at lunch when I took it off, so I'm kinda back to square one.

 

not suppose the replace the eyelet huh?? lol. thats whay i did. i crimped and soldered a new connection.those cable are not cheap.

 

starter selenoid on firewall...i tested for power and was good, but then i went back with a buddy and bypassed it and it started...tranny is acting wierd now, but at least it runs, now I just have to throw a new front shaft in and I'm good.....thanks everyone who pitched in ideas!

 

Replaced solenoid, no change. Got a new drive shaft on, but now it still won't start unless i jump the solenoid, and it's stuck in 4lo, won't come out....I was wondering if it's the transmission range sensor, but no local shops carry those for me to find out for sure. Book says to check it, only test is for power. and i also checked and replace the ingition switch under the steering column.