Just put in a rebuilt starter about week and a half ago. Tried to start today, but nothing happens. Plenty of battery power as witnessed by all other electrical working. However, there is no action from the starter. When the key is turned to the start position, the dash lights dim. What's the most likely cuplrit - the rebuilt starter or the starter relay switch? Thanks.

 

Check your grounds and battery connections. My '84 does this from time to time... If I pop the hood she'll start... girls are weird like that.

 

With the truck in neutral or park, get a large jumper cable and hook one end to point #6, and touch the other end to point #1. If it will not turn over, I would think the starter has a problem. Make sure both #1 and #2 are clean first though.

Also if this is the exact problem you had before and is the reason you replaced the starter, I would suspect something else and not the starter. If this is a new and different problem, I would lean toward the starter.

 

I did try that, with still no results from the starter. I replaced the solenoid (easier to get to and cheap enough), but still no movement by the starter. It looks as though I have a bad rebuilt starter. BTW, the original reason for replacement is that several teeth had worn down, so the starter wouldn't turn the flywheel.

I'm curious. If I put a volt meter at point 6 and the ground on the ground terminal, when the key is turned should I see voltage on the meter? I see about .016 volts when I do that.

I think I'll drop the starter and have it tested. Thanks.

 

Aha!, someone who knows how to use a meter. .016v is not good.

Move the + meter lead to #3 and try that test again.

If you still get something low, move it to #1.

If you still get something low, move your neg meter lead to #2.

If it's still low, I suspect a bad battery. If it moves up during the last test where you moved the neg meter lead, I would suspect a bad neg battery cable.

 

I did move the positive to #3, and everything was fine there. I guess my question is - if the starter is bad and not pulling any juice, would i get no voltage to speak of at 6?

 

If the starter was bad and not using any juice at all, you would get near 12v at #6. If the starter is bad, but has a problem and is trying to lock up or something, then it will be pulling a lot of current, and you will get something like 6-8v, and the wire may start smoking.

.16v at #6 tells me you do not have anything going through the solenoid. Is it even clicking?

 

Well, the starter and the solenoid are good. As I've mentioned before, the dash lights dim when the key is turned to the start position. Would a bad neutral switch give this behavior? Is there anything else between the ignition switch and the solenoid? Thanks.

 

A new twist. Once in awhile, when I turn the key, there doesn't appear to be any juice flowing. No dash lights come on and the buzzer doesn't come on. All I did was change the fuse for the cigarette lighter and tested it. I then turned the key off and a few minutes later turned it on again - nothing!

Also, in the fuse box are two metal fuses rated at 300A. Are either of those for the ignition system? How do you tell if they are bad?

 

300 amps i think you meant 30 amps.i believe the ignition is fusible links.did you clean all the connection's at the battery and at the wire end at the relay and take your ground wires off and make sure the metal is clean and rust free.also the battery clamps are the type that bolt the wire to the clamp take the wire off and clean the wire and clamp and use dielectric grease where you have cleaned everything.

 

Let's back up and do another test. WITH THE TRUCK IN NEUTRAL OR PARK, take a small wire and jump #3 to #5 and see if it cranks over. If it does, that means the battery, battery cables, solenoid and starter are all good, and you need to start looking at the neutral safety switch and the ignition switch area.

 

I'm having this pretty much same exact issue. I also have a stalling issue, and not sure if that is related yet or not. I'm thinking it has to do with grounds, but we'll hopefully see tonight. the truck also has the clamps that screw the wire behind a bar so i'll add some DE grease. Also, to the early posts #4 & 5, I think you would only see voltage between 6 and ground when the key was turned to start, not just at "on" for ignition.

Jeff

 

well, when I had a big starter problem, I figured it out after messing with it for a little while this way. I took my jumper cables, and hooked one to the positive on the battery (1), and went right to where the starter wire exist on the starter it self(#7). I tapped the jumper and got a spark. I had a bad starter. One with an internal short. This was hard on my battery and my solenoid because of it shorting out when I hit the key. If all else fails create a new ground to the starter also. This works well for me, because it can tell you if you have a bad starter wire. Good luck.

 

I realize this post is from forever ago and idk if you guys are even still on here. However I'm having issues getting the truck to activate the starter.

The truck is an '81 f150 L6 4.9L and has a new battery, new starter, new starter solenoid(relay), and new voltage regulator. however when I turn the key forward there is no starter activation happening. I am able to dump clutch start the vehicle and it runs fine, however I'm curious if using this jumper cable trick should work considering I'm assuming the problem is now a breakage in the wire somewhere between the igniton and the starter. it would be an easy temporary way to start it for the time being if so.

 

Yes a jumper wire from #3 to #5 will crank it over, key must be ON to start.
Don't forget to have it in Neutral and parking brake ON.

By chance do you have a "tilt wheel"?