starting issues/

[truckguy94]

my 94 f- 150 gave no indication of starter troubles at all, until today....stopped at the coffee shop and I had to crank it twice to get it going...just thought it was not in "park" properly at the time.... a while later, was home and on my way out again, and it started fine, but at the store, I had to crank it about 6 times and then it fired up.... so I came home just in case and now it will not start...just get a single "clunk" each time you turn the key...sound comes from up on the passenger side by the firewall....is that the starter or the battery or...?

[Bush_aholic]

Try to boost it see if you killed your battery, then try to tap your starter with a hammer or what ever metal thing you can get in there while some else is trying to turn it over. Might also have battery/alternator issues if you battery is dead

Sounds like a bad starter solenoid to me, Also make sure you wires from starter to alternator are in good condition and well connected, if you get it going with a few taps you might get away with tapping it like that for a while but it will need to be replaced or rebuilt asap. Also sucks when you have to ask some random dude on the street to turn your truck over while you go under and tap it

[SKRWZ]

I first would check the connections on the starter they could be corroded or be in need of replacing a common problem on some models

[taisa899]

have it bench tested

[truckguy94]

as a non- mechanic, I know a battery can fail very quickly....the trouble I had took maybe an hour and 4 start-ups before it would not start...so a starter can go that quickly?...I did notice, after poking around, the one battery terminal could be turned by hand...I know it was tight 2 months ago because I had to disco the battery to reset a check engine light, and I had tightened it with vise grips...don't know when it loosened off

[shelbyx1]

do you have headers on it?the extra heat will open the windings in a high milage starter,it will start fine cold but slow or none hot.

[truckguy94]

no headers, and it is relatively low mileage at 118,00 km/ 73,000 mi truck, though age is likely the critical factor at 15 years old... and yeah, I had a car like that, where it would not start when warm...I think the mechanic said there is more resistance when warm?

[truckguy94]

just as a follow-up, it started up this a.m. after sitting overnight, but I dare not drive it... I had a car that did the same thing and the guy said it had something to do with the heat of the motor affecting the starter in some way....more resistance built up in a warm motor?

[LayinHp]

sorta sounds like the solenoid like above... if it wont start you can jump the terminals if it starts this way then you know its the said part.....


maybe check the starter cable as there knowen to rot out dad has a 93 so he's been through it lol

[taisa899]

just as a follow-up, it started up this a.m. after sitting overnight, but I dare not drive it... I had a car that did the same thing and the guy said it had something to do with the heat of the motor affecting the starter in some way....more resistance built up in a warm motor?

it's called heat soak

[truckguy94]

tomorrow morning, I am getting a new starter solenoid and will drive it for about an hour just to really warm it up...if there is no further trouble after an hour (no clicking), I will take it to work, but also get my regular mechanic to check the charging system right away for corrosion and starter issues.... at least I have a garage to go to that is very reasonable in how they charge you....

[truckguy94]

the verdict? well it took all of 5 minutes to change the starter solenoid, and that appears to have fixed it...was out running around for nearly 2 hours, so I surely replicated the heat issue, which may have just been a coincidence.

Was going by my usual garage, so stopped in and touched base with the owner....he said they dealt huge numbers of issues with the starter solenoids over the years and he would rate that the number one issue in my situation, as i described it...as someone else said, he also told me to check the wire and connection to the starter, as that can also be an issue- the wire rots just behind the connection at the starter....but as far as the starter is concerned, given I had had no prior problems, and that he was familiar with the truck, having worked on it recently, he would not bother testing it at this time...just get it tested the next time I am in for regular service.

Thanks for all the suggestions....

[Northern Supercrew]

congrats on the fix....it's great when you guys post back with your results.

[truckguy94]

just to follow-up, yesterday, I stopped and gassed up, and the "clicking" returned...lol...so I got out, wiggled the wires on the starter solenoid, and the truck started....went home, then tried to restart the truck, and got more clicking...had picked up an extra starter solenoid the other day, so swapped solenoids, and still the clicking; would not start....got a ride to work and while waiting for my ride to show up, stuck the key in the ignition, and the truck started...still took a ride to work, rather than risk it not starting in a parking garage at work. It started up this morning to go to the garage.

Got it in first thing this morning to my regular garage and they checked it out....the starter solenoid had to ground to the inner fender (mine mounts high on the inner fender on the passenger side)....the mounting bolts were rusty and the one bolt was stripped so it never fully tightened.... they moved the starter solenoid back a bit, drilled new holes in the inner fender and used new mounting screws....no more grounding issues and all is fixed.

Note: my truck is not rusty at all; the mounting screws were rusty and the holes where they mounted were rusty at the holes only. Just a grounding issue this time. (The shop owner is very familiar with the early 90's Fords, so he had a pretty good idea where to direct the mechanics for a solution...he hated this starter solenoid arrangement and said Ford went away from it, which was a very good thing...lol)

[taisa899]

I had the same problem awhile back

[truckguy94]

well, I thought this story was done some time ago....lol...went to go to work yesterday after a week of fine starting...."click"...would not start....tow truck operator got it running by flicking the key rapidly to jolt the starter.... got it to the garage...."click"...they used a big ball pean hammer on the starter and got it in the garage...replaced the starter...."it was fried"...I hope this is the end of the story....lol...the biggest problem in all this was that the issue was so intermittent....

[taisa899]

starting issue's are a PITA

[truckguy94]

and what should be the end of the story, the brand new starter failed after one week...the shop owner was furious over that because the jobber said the starters were real good quality....they put on another another new one, even covering the towing charge, and it has been A-1 now with no further trouble

[Henry Ford]

Yeah I hate starting issues. Solenoid, neutral start switch, jumped timing chain, fusible links, warn out cam, or just plain trying to get under a truck with running boards....ahhh no guts no glory eh?

[Destructicon]

For future reference, and to my knowledge this problem was never solved and is not likely to be in the near future, most starters are mounted into an aluminum transmission housings. Aluminum is not the greatest conductor of electricity and is prone to excessive corrosion. I give my starter mount bolts a little jerk every oil change. Once a year to the transmission to engine bolts. Same for the ground cable bolt to give a better electrical connection. This problem is not related just to Ford's, but inferior car and truck manufacturers as well.

[f250guy]

Wow I'm so glad that I have come to this forum. You sir have made my day! Honestly! With your reporting back on the issue this is great. I have a 81 f250 with the 351m in it and I thought I had fixed the problem by relocating the solenoid as well. Took the old girl for a run into the bush and came back parked in the back yard, and boom, started clicking just as you have described! A big thank you goes out to you!