Starter Issues

[Xploder3]

All the sudden it won’t start.
One click when I go to crank it.

My dumb ass has been throwing parts at it (without good trouble shooting) and here I am now.

New Motorcraft starter
New Motorcraft started relay

When I press the clutch and turn Ignition to start I get one click from the passengers front area. I had my wife do this and I’m not getting 12v at the starter relay ignition switched terminal. The single click is coming from somewhere else, under the engine fuse block?

According to wire diagrams there should be another relay involved?

Jumping the starter relay terminals starts the truck right up and runs fine.

Is it my ignition switch?
There isn’t an ignition relay somewhere right?

 

[Turdle]

You might not believe this, but it sounds like battery posts connections are dirty. clean off any oil or grease and re tighten. Even if you think they are clean, clean em again.
That is why bypassing the positive cable gets it turning over.

also, on this generation, with the years on it, the positive battery cable copper conductor turns brownish. If you see this you'll need to either strip it back to clean copper, or, replace the battery cables.

 

[Xploder3]

You might not believe this, but it sounds like battery posts connections are dirty. clean off any oil or grease and re tighten. Even if you think they are clean, clean em again.
That is why bypassing the positive cable gets it turning over.

also, on this generation, with the years on it, the positive battery cable copper conductor turns brownish. If you see this you'll need to either strip it back to clean copper, or, replace the battery cables.

The cables are terrible, I cleaned off the connections but might still be too much resistance in the circuit.
I typed a whole long reply with more details but it disappeared!!
Battery is decent, about 3 years old and 12.5v resting voltage.

 

[Xploder3]

You might not believe this, but it sounds like battery posts connections are dirty. clean off any oil or grease and re tighten. Even if you think they are clean, clean em again.
That is why bypassing the positive cable gets it turning over.

also, on this generation, with the years on it, the positive battery cable copper conductor turns brownish. If you see this you'll need to either strip it back to clean copper, or, replace the battery cables.

I’m going to go ahead and order a new positive cable and clamps but I was just thinking of something else I didn’t mention.

When I had my wife turn the ignition to start, I read 0v at the ignition terminal on the starter relay. I would expect to see SOME voltage here when the key is turned to crank.

 

[ChildIdenticant]

click heard may be EEC power relay.

I’m not getting 12v at the starter relay ignition switched terminal

When turning key to start , are you getting 12v to the small red/blue wire connected to the relay?

Have you tested the clutch safetey switch ?

Also, I don't see the alternator cable in that image. Is it directly connected to Battery+ then?

 

[Xploder3]

click heard may be EEC power relay.


When turning key to start , are you getting 12v to the small red/blue wire connected to the relay?

Nope, I didn’t see any voltage there but it could be that my wife didn’t hold it in start position long enough for me to get reading. I’ll try again

Have you tested the clutch safetey switch ?
I haven’t but there is no click if the clutch pedal isn’t held in.

Also, I don't see the alternator cable in that image. Is it directly connected to Battery+ then?

I’ll have to double check. There are 3 wires to one of the lugs on the starter relay

 

[ChildIdenticant]

If you aren't getting voltage on that wire, but everything else works after started, looks like it issue with the clutch triple switch, ignition switch, or the wire itself.

 

[92exp4x4]

With the key in the crank position, you should have battery voltage on the red/blue wire at the fender mounted solenoid. If you don't there is a break somewhere. Jumping the solenoid load studs and cranking the engine rules out the rest of the starting system.

Hopefully the following schematic helps. It's for a 94. I'm not certain what year your truck is. They should all be the same in this respect.

 

[ChildIdenticant]

Forgot to ask if you have an ant-theft installed.

 

[92exp4x4]

Forgot to ask if you have an ant-theft installed.

Good point. I forgot about that too.

 

[Xploder3]

Forgot to ask if you have an ant-theft installed.

YES, piece of crap alarm!! Ugh I have a feeling that it’s involved.

I should try to just remove that stupip thing. It’s a mess of wires under there :-(

 

[ChildIdenticant]

YES, piece of crap alarm!! Ugh I have a feeling that it’s involved.

I should try to just remove that stupip thing. It’s a mess of wires under there :-(

If key start just stopped working, would suspect the ignition switch first unless the mess of wires were disturbed. Try finding the actual problem before making drastic changes.
Had you made any recent changes before the issue?
Also, regarding your alternator cabling again, can you provide a wider view image that includes your battery, starter solenoid, and alternator? provided image indicates absence/delete of fusible-link. wondering if that's intended.

 

[Xploder3]

If key start just stopped working, would suspect the ignition switch first unless the mess of wires were disturbed. Try finding the actual problem before making drastic changes.
Had you made any recent changes before the issue?
Also, regarding your alternator cabling again, can you provide a wider view image that includes your battery, starter solenoid, and alternator? provided image indicates absence/delete of fusible-link. wondering if that's intended.

Ok I’ll try to get the picture today, I switched to my work vehicle all week so I did t have to jump the relay to start it lol.

Yes, change was I had a friend of a friend put in a new clutch last month. But it was fine for a month following that. Then I went to UPS and get stranded there.

Yea this alarm has caused issues in the past but never like this. What’s the best way to troubleshoot the ignition? The Ignition has been funky for years, have to line it up just right before inserting key, really loose etc.

 

[92exp4x4]

Ok I’ll try to get the picture today, I switched to my work vehicle all week so I did t have to jump the relay to start it lol.

Yes, change was I had a friend of a friend put in a new clutch last month. But it was fine for a month following that. Then I went to UPS and get stranded there.

Yea this alarm has caused issues in the past but never like this. What’s the best way to troubleshoot the ignition? The Ignition has been funky for years, have to line it up just right before inserting key, really loose etc.

The actual ignition electrical part of the switch is on the steering column under the dash. You can see the connector up by the brake pedal support. The key lock activates that switch via a push-pull rod in side the column that moves when you rotate the key. Wear in the key actually has little effect on the switch itself. Using the schematic I posted and a voltmeter, you can trace the voltage through the circuit and find the break. I would remove any aftermarket security system and place the vehicle in it's stock configuration before doing anything else. Chances are really good that it is to blame.

 

[Marty9957]

All the sudden it won’t start.
One click when I go to crank it.

My dumb ass has been throwing parts at it (without good trouble shooting) and here I am now.

New Motorcraft starter
New Motorcraft started relay

When I press the clutch and turn Ignition to start I get one click from the passengers front area. I had my wife do this and I’m not getting 12v at the starter relay ignition switched terminal. The single click is coming from somewhere else, under the engine fuse block?

According to wire diagrams there should be another relay involved?

Jumping the starter relay terminals starts the truck right up and runs fine.

Is it my ignition switch?
There isn’t an ignition relay somewhere right?

My 2008 was doing the very same thing. It would do the click and not start whenever it felt like it. I replaced the starter twice as per my mechanic, and it started doing the same thing again. I finally paid attention to my gut feeling and ordered a battery cable assembly that goes from the starter to the battery and has various other connections spouting from it. I took it to my mechanic and had him install it. It's been about a month and no more problems with it not starting. Keeping my fingers crossed. EDIT: It has now been at least six months and no problems. I would say the problem has been fixed by replacing the Starter Battery Cable assembly.

 

[Travisfab]

Had the same issue in my 94. Visually the battery cable looked fine, but my power wire was loose inside the terminal end.