Help!! Won't turn over

[ExploringNC]

Need a little help thought I would go ahead and post while I look threw threads and try and troubleshoot.

Went into work this mourning everything running fine when I went to leave I get no response from starter. Battery is good I even tried a jumber box, checked all fuses. Acts like it could be the brake switch but haven't checked yet, will do after this post.

What else can I check before I call a tow?

 

[JDraper]

Make sure all the terminal connections are tight and that the connection to the starter is tight.

If it's a manual, you should be able to bump start it...

 

[Rhett]

What Drap said, plus I have an old mechanics trick with starters:

Get a hammer or any small heavy object and get underneath, and beat it on the starter casing several times.

Sometimes, the starter gets stuck and you can knock it loose. Generally, it probably means the starter is wearing out if this solves your problem. -- replace/rebuild the starter in that case.

For me, I have seen this work on a dead vehicle several times, and it amazed me.

 

[Az_NavajoRob]

Had the same problem on my gen 1 Navajo. Turned out that the starter signal wire was falling off the solenoid on the starter. I guess Ford switched to having two starter solenoids, one near the battery and one down on the starter. Every couple of weeks the wire would fall off of the starter and I'd have to crawl under and push it back on. I finally took a sheetmetal screw and screwed the connector on so it wouldn't come off again.

 

[Turdle]

Starter relay?

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180814&highlight=power+layout

 

[Az_NavajoRob]

I'm not real familiar with '98's but mine ('91) has a "starter" solenoid on the fender wall that sends power to the starter. The starter itself also has a solenoid built into it that requires a small gauge signal wire to activate the soleniod when you turn the key. That's why when you try to jump the solenoid on the fender wall, nothing happens. You's have to be able to jump BOTH of them to get the truck to turn over without the ignition switch.

Just crawl under your rig with a flashlight and a rag and make sure that all the wires that are supposed to be connected to the starter are.