88' Ford F250 - GET THE GUN!

[wolfman00hd]

I am banging my head on this stupid truck and can't seem to figure out my problem. A few months ago, this truck didn't want to start one day. I was able to jump across the solenoid w/a screwdriver and start and drive it for a while. Then I got the bright idea to try and fix it. I bought a new starter solenoid (inner fender) and tried to install it. Genius me forgot to label the mass of wires that were attached and their order. I finally got it how I thought it should be and gave it a crank. It fired right up but the starter motor stuck engaged after it cranked. I had to disconnect the battery to get it to stop, key wouldn't do it. I looked everything over and tried to connect the battery again and even with key out of the ignition, it was trying to turn over. I gave up for the time being and convinced myself that it had to be something different. Fast forward to today, I dropped a new starter in it thinking maybe something was stuck in the starter motor itself. No luck. I can't find a picture of how the wires are supposed to reconnect to the solenoid but every combination I've tried won't work. After thinking some about it today during a break, wouldn't every accessory wire HAVE to be hooked up to the (+)side of the solenoid going straight to the battery? If they weren't they would only get 12V when trying to start the truck. Three out of the four wires have fusible links in them and one lug obviously goes to the alternator, another one actually gives me dome light, radio, guages, etc. when placed on the (+) side.



If anyone has this model truck or can offer some help, I would greatly appreciate it. This is my stepson's truck and he is fixing to get his driver's license and is chomping at the bit.



Thanks alot,

Wolfman

 

[gitchesum]

Any chance you got a bad solenoid?

 

[wolfman00hd]

I bought a new starter solenoid (inner fender) and tried to install it.



I guess it's possible. I guess I can get another and try it.

 

[big jake 1]

I am banging my head on this stupid truck and can't seem to figure out my problem. A few months ago, this truck didn't want to start one day. I was able to jump across the solenoid w/a screwdriver and start and drive it for a while. Then I got the bright idea to try and fix it. I bought a new starter solenoid (inner fender) and tried to install it. Genius me forgot to label the mass of wires that were attached and their order. I finally got it how I thought it should be and gave it a crank. It fired right up but the starter motor stuck engaged after it cranked. I had to disconnect the battery to get it to stop, key wouldn't do it. I looked everything over and tried to connect the battery again and even with key out of the ignition, it was trying to turn over. I gave up for the time being and convinced myself that it had to be something different. Fast forward to today, I dropped a new starter in it thinking maybe something was stuck in the starter motor itself. No luck. I can't find a picture of how the wires are supposed to reconnect to the solenoid but every combination I've tried won't work. After thinking some about it today during a break, wouldn't every accessory wire HAVE to be hooked up to the (+)side of the solenoid going straight to the battery? If they weren't they would only get 12V when trying to start the truck. Three out of the four wires have fusible links in them and one lug obviously goes to the alternator, another one actually gives me dome light, radio, guages, etc. when placed on the (+) side.



If anyone has this model truck or can offer some help, I would greatly appreciate it. This is my stepson's truck and he is fixing to get his driver's license and is chomping at the bit.



Thanks alot,

Wolfman

If this is a diesel powered rig, post this question in the appropriate forum at



www.thedieselstop.com



They have forums specific to the 6. 9 and 7. 3 IDI diesels and a few guys there that know their stuff.





Good luck





big jake



THE FORD GUY Oo. Oo. Oo.

 

[bmoeller]

If it isn't still a bad solenoid, then it could be two things.



1. The switched 12v+ is rubbed through to a 12+ battery source.



Or 2. The starter is bad, causing the bendix to hang up, causing the solenoid on the starter to be stuck on.



Been through both of those, at different times, before on the same Mack truck.

 

[wolfman00hd]

Big Jake - It's a gasser, FI 302, 5spd. , 4x4.



B. Moeller - From what I can see, the wiring looks ok, but i'll give it all a good once over again. I had thought about the starter, hence installing a new one today. (probably needed a new one, it looked like the original <grin>)



Thanks for the suggestions guys. Keep 'em coming.

 

[wolfman00hd]

Does the madness ever end??? Arrggghhhh! I just got through installing yet another solenoid, got the wiring figured out on it. Also put in a new battery just for grins. Truck fired right up. Then I heard the starter motor still engaged. Had to disconnect the battery to get it to stop. So... It has to be something in the "ignition" system. I have a new plug in module and key cylinder that goes in the steering column and am fixing to install it. Anyone know if there's another relay somewhere or is it all controlled by the key cylinder and ignition plug in module? I'm fixing to take it to the mechanic as I'm out of ideas and there's nothing I hate troubleshooting more than electrical. Oh well, bygones. I've also inspected the wiring and although old, it looks to be ok. There has to be a relay somewhere between the key cylinder and the little wire on the solenoid that operates it. Ongoing struggles... ... .

 

[big jake 1]

Does the madness ever end??? Arrggghhhh! I just got through installing yet another solenoid, got the wiring figured out on it. Also put in a new battery just for grins. Truck fired right up. Then I heard the starter motor still engaged. Had to disconnect the battery to get it to stop. So... It has to be something in the "ignition" system. I have a new plug in module and key cylinder that goes in the steering column and am fixing to install it. Anyone know if there's another relay somewhere or is it all controlled by the key cylinder and ignition plug in module? I'm fixing to take it to the mechanic as I'm out of ideas and there's nothing I hate troubleshooting more than electrical. Oh well, bygones. I've also inspected the wiring and although old, it looks to be ok. There has to be a relay somewhere between the key cylinder and the little wire on the solenoid that operates it. Ongoing struggles... ... .

Here is another thought... .....





if the starter keeps hanging on, could you possibly have a bad ring gear on the flywheel or TC that won't release the starter?





big jake



THE FORD GUY Oo. Oo. Oo.

 

[wolfman00hd]

The fly wheel looked ok to me Jake. BTW, it's a 5spd, not an auto. It simply HAS to be electrical, I went to replace the lock cylinder, couldn't get the new one in so I put the old one back in, it looked ok anyways. Without the key even on, connecting the battery tries to start the truck. I've got to have a dead short somewhere or a relay stuck closed. It's going to the shop on Monday if I don't burn it down between now and then. I could have been wrenching on MY CTD all day instead of this crapper.

 

[rlyons]

Does your solenoid have one small wire on the side of it or two? If you remove the small wires the solenoid should be disengaged. All the larger wires should be on the battery side of the solenoid except for the one to the starter. Disconnect the large wire going to the starter. Then hook everything else up. If you hear a click at the solenoid it is engaging. This is bad. Then simply disconnect one wire at a time until the solenoid clicks to disengage. That will be the culprit. If it does not engage when you hook everything up then turn the key, you should hear a click or clunk noise. This is good. If then when you hook up the wire to the starter it stays engaged it is in the starter, I have gotten many bad Ford starters from rebuilders. If the solenoid has two wires on the side of it they may be on the wrong posts. That will sometimes cause it to stay engaged. I don't know if yours has a plug or two individual wires on the side of it. I repeat though all large terminal wires should be on the battery side of the solenoid except the one to the starter. The Ford pickups also had a recall once for ignition switches so it is possible that the start terminal in the switch is melted over to the battery or ignition terminal but it would be rare I think. If you pull the small wire off the side of the solenoid and it no longer cranks on it's own then you have 12 volts coming to that wire when it should not be. That wire should be live only when you turn the switch to start.

 

[bmoeller]

Unless the lock cylinder is bad, you shouldn't need to replace it. It is seperate from the ignition switch. There is a short rod between the 2. The switch is down lower on the column.



*** This is assuming it was setup the same as my Ford.

 

[NIsaacs]

It sounds like every thing went south after the solenoid change, not rewired right. Some of the later model Ford starters used a solenoid on the starter too. Is yours this type? If it is you need two wires on the cold side of the solenoid. The large starter cable and a small wire with big lug to operate the starter solenoid. If that small wire is on the plus side of the fender solenoid, it will power the starter solenoid (not the starter motor, the big cable does that) at all times and keep the starter drive engaged before and after start up.





"NICK"

 

[wolfman00hd]

Any way for me to identify which one of the four smaller lugs I have on the (+)pos side of the solenoid other than trying each one???