F-150 Not Starter Problem?

Question

For a 1999 F-150 with the V6:
Yesterday morning the truck wouldn't start. No sound from under the hood or anything.

I tried jumping it to no avail. Then I took the starter to Autozone and they tested it as bad and sold me a new one. That one didn't work. I pulled it off and brought it back to autozone and it also tested bad. Traded bad starter for a new one (they tested this one and it ran) but when I put it on, nothing happens.

The lights don't dim when I try starting the truck and I'm only loosing about a volt between the battery and terminal. So, I don't think the problem is wiring or a battery, but I could be wrong here.

I would assume the wiring in the starter and solenoid is heavy enough to not be able to burn out due to some other problem. Is this correct?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Steven

I just swapped my battery for a known good one out of a running car. No difference.

As a note: the starter and solenoid are part of the same assembly.

My thought is that this has to be a starter problem. When the original starter tested bad, that tells me that the problem lies there.

If the problem were the clutch (it is a standard) switch not working then when I pulled the starter, the starter should have tested fine.

If the problem were simply not enough voltage, wouldn't I hear the starter trying to work? And once again, wouldn't the starter have tested good?

At this point, I'm hoping that Autozone sells sub par rebuilt starters and maybe either a new one or sone from another place might work better.

As always, I appreciate the input.

Answer 1

Does the small wire going to the solenoid get power when you turn the key to the crank position? If not you could have a bad clutch switch or PNP switch depending on if it's an automatic or standard. Could also be a bad ignition switch.

Answer 2

The one very critical thing you didn't mention doing was to have the battery load tested at the auto parts store. You can't take a chance that the battery is good because it looks good. If your battery is over 5 years old, I'd replace it anyways to protect my alternator from overload trying to constantly charge an old battery. Once you get a known good battery, that's the first step. Then you make sure that the battery cables and connections have no corrosion and are clean and tight. Use a wire brush on them to clean them. Finally, you use your Digital Multi-Meter to read the voltage across the battery before you turn the key and crank the starter/engine. It should read 12.6 volts for a fully charged battery. Get someone to turn the key to start and you'll see the battery voltage at both the starter solenoid battery terminal and it's control winding terminal that comes from the ignition switch circuit. Since the auto store showed you that the starter motor works, you know that if you get battery voltage switched to it through the solenoid, the motor has to run since we know the motor has a good ground. You might have a bad ignition switch circuit, bad battery, bad cables/ connections leading to the motor. Once you finally get the starter motor and engine cranking again, you should read a minimum of 9.5 Volts across the battery when the engine's cranking. Then once the engine starts, you should read a charging voltage of about 14 + volts.

Answer 3

For starter circuits, there are yet some possibilities. The battery, the solenoid, the starter and the cables. because you gave a clean starter and solenoid, i wager those might want to be scratched off, besides because the useful and unfavourable battery cables. in basic terms 2 issues left that i'm able to imagine of, properly, 3 in case you count number the battery. i recognize you assert it really is charged, yet perchance a cellular is going undesirable. the different 2: If this happens at the same time as the truck engine is in basic terms warmth or warm, then perchance the starter is getting heated up too a lot with the help of the exhaust manifold. no longer particular the position the starter is, yet some vehicles has starter shields to guard them from the nice and cozy temperature. the different problem might want to be the engine to chassis floor cable. it truly is what the starter makes use of for a floor, because the unfavourable battery cable is many times connected to the truck chassis. This cable many times runs from the firewall to the engine.

Answer 4

Do this. Get a volt meter and check to see if there is 12 volts at the big wire on the starter as someone turns the key.
If not then the cable comming from the solonid to the starter needs to be checked.
Next check the wire comming from the battery to the solonid. Is there voltage there?
Now remove the battery clamps and be shure thy are clean. Looking clean and being clean are to differeent things.
Clean the battery clamps and try to start again.

Answer 5

There should be NO voltage loss at the terminal.
Clean your connections.
Scale builds up between the post and terminal.
Sure, all the little things like your radio work, but your starter WON'T.

ADDED:
Or you have a bad starter solenoid on the fender well.

ADDED:#2
Or, you have a bad neutral safety switch, clutch pedal switch, key switch, or blown fuse under the dash.

Answer 6

alternator