Intermittent starting problem on a 01 F150 5.4L with 82,000 miles. Here are the symptoms:

-About 1 in 5 times I start the truck there is a one second pause while holding the key in the crank position. I hear the relay on the firewall click as soon as the key gets into the crank position but it doesn't actually turn over for 1 second.

-About 1 in 15 times I start the truck I turn the key to ignition and I hear the relay click as soon as I turn it to crank but It doesn't crank at all until I back off on the key and try starting again, then it will either start right up or do the delay in the first listed symptom.

-About 1 in 50 times I start the truck the starter turns and I hear the loud horrible metal gear grinding noise.

The truck has a new alternator and optima battery so It is definitely not that(and the fact that when it does turn over it is very strong and not sluggish). With me hearing the relay click I feel it is not the ignition switch or relay. Now left are the starter motor and the solenoid. Any idea on which, or any other ideas I haven't thought about?

 

I would still be suspect of the relay. Other than that, has the fuel filter been changed recently?

 

The fuel filter is due for a change pretty soon (about 15,000 miles on it) but once it starts it runs flawlessly.

 

make sure the connections on the starter ar clean and tight. your problem screem loose connection on the starter.

 

sounds kinda like a connection issue. you may also want to get the battery tested as well, new doesnt mean it is still good just that its most likely not bad. when it starts to crank does it go slow at first?

 

true, i remember i bought a new battery for my truck and it wouldnt start, so i took the battery back and they checked it and it had a bad cell.

 

When I initially bought the battery(optima-yellow top) my truck would not start with it. Took it back and Advanced Auto put their battery tester on it and it was defective. They gave me a new one and tested it before I left and it checked out fine. I have done a quick check of the connections by just shaking them around and they are not at all loose but I guess I'll unbolt it all, clean everything and reattach just to make sure.

 

When the engine doesn't crank, the sound you hear, is it the pinion engaging the flywheel or the starter relay (not the starter solenoid)?

If it is the starter solenoid engaging you are hearing, you can pretty much bet the problem is at the starter. Check the easy thing first - the starter B+ attachment. Check the cable also, it might be corroded as well. After that, then it is likely the starter solenoid (not the fender relay but the solenoid attached to the starter). It likely corroded inside and takes a few hits for the contacts inside to cut thru the corrosion.

If the sound you hear is the just the starter relay making the noise then check the wiring from the relay to the starter solenoid. Since you state the engine cranks strong once it does, I doubt anything is wrong with the battery. Check battery connections and then check the items directly above.

The terrible noise you hear is the starter milling into the flywheel. If you keep doing this eventually will permanently damage both flywheel and starter. This usually points to a weak battery or a starter going bad.

 

the click is coming from the relay mounted to the firewall not the solenoid/starter. I am 100% sure of that.

 

Not to take this thread off track, but when I went to Autozone to buy a battery a few weeks ago, the guy there (NOT a kid) advised me not to buy an Optima. He did say that they are really good batteries, but only if the vehicle is in close to constant use. He said that if it ever DID run down, they are very difficult to fully charge back up (we are not talking about the deep cycle model). They also only have a 3 year prorated warranty. I bought a Duralast Gold - 3 year full replacement, 8 year prorated warranty.

 

Did you ever make any progress on diagnosing this issue? Its almost the exact same thing I am noticing with my truck and cant seem to find the issue - everything I have seen/read points to a fuel issue, but this thread seems to be pointing in the direction of the starter...

 

I just replaced the entire starter. I am fairly sure it was the solenoid mounted on the starter. I couldn't find the solenoid by itself anywhere so I just bought the entire thing. It kept getting worse to the point where I had to beat the starter with a metal pipe to start it each time.

 

There was no externally mounted solenoid so were never going to find anything.