turned key nothing doin' - Diesel Forum

welder79 · 03-11-2005, 01:05 AM

Last night when I went to leave work I cycled the plugs as usual and when I turned the key nothing happened. No try to crank no noise NO START!!!! After trying and trying and hoping and praying it finally cranked as if there was never a problem. Cranked as usual! Where should I start on this one. Anything in particular that I should suspect as the culprit? Voltage regulator? Starter silenoid? Any suggestions?????

traxmedic · 03-11-2005, 07:51 AM

start with checkin ur batteries see if they are fullycharged then have someone crank it while u check for voltage at the starter then id suggest checkin the voltage on the alt just put a multimeter on ur battery and if its chargin around 13-14v at idle then its good. My starter craped out on me and thats what it acted.

mateo · 03-11-2005, 09:54 AM

I get this too. I had a wire break that goes from the starter relay on the fender, to the starter, and I used a butt connector to "fix" the wire. Every once in a while it loses continuity and won't start, and I have to get out, jiggle the wire, and get in and start it.

It sounds like you may either need a new relay or you might just have bad connections.

agnem · 03-11-2005, 10:35 AM

Ashley, I think this is related to your other problem. Definitly sounds like you've got a battery cable issue, either the cable or the connectors on the battery. Your friend may have stood on one of these and damaged it. I'd remake all the connections in an attempt to solve this intermitent problem. Compare this to how a stick welder behaves when your ground clamp is on a painted surface. No arc, even though tons of current is available, until you wiggle the clamp.

welder79 · 03-11-2005, 11:25 PM

only problem is I had this problem before my friend stepped into the engine bay.....thinkin it could be the starter relay....how could i check this to see if it is faulty?

welder79 · 03-11-2005, 11:25 PM

only problem is I had this problem before my friend stepped into the engine bay.....thinkin it could be the starter relay....how could i check this to see if it is faulty?

aaklingler · 03-12-2005, 07:09 PM

Since you don't have any competent(sp) friends, maybe Mel would like to make a trip to tx to turn the key for you to start to see if you have juice in the trigger wire of the starter selinoid, small post, you can test with a test light or multimeter, if so then check to see if there is juice at the post that heads to the starter, you can also check and make sure you have juice going into the selinoid, that test only works if you can get it to duplicate its no start. Selinoids are cheap so it wouldn't be a bad idea to just replace. Also, if it doesn't want to start for you again tap on the selinoid with something hard, hammer, screwdriver, wrench, etc. Also, you need to check and clean all your connections.

aceohearts · 03-13-2005, 01:56 PM

Is the key switch stiff at all? If you have tilt wheel, the lever system ford uses to connect the key switch to the ignition module is notorious for breaking...just another area to check. My '91 is sometimes reluctant to start and it just a matter of wiggling the key to get it forward far enough to engage. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shrug.gif[/img]

cdnsarguy · 03-13-2005, 07:19 PM

Have someome turn the key to start when checking the small wire on the top of the starter relay. If there is power there the relay may be fubar, so connect the two large studs with a heavy jumper or battery cables to see if the starter engages.

welder79 · 03-14-2005, 11:00 AM

replaced the relay and now time will tell. Also bought a new key lock cylinder because the key at times especially when cold is hard to turn. Also got the electic switch that the lever pushes back and forth to start the truck!