Automotive Forums  Where Car Enthusiasts Go to Discuss Cars Online

Ok here goes....

Details:
1992 F150
5.0
Manual
Truck sat for 2 years in storage before I bought it.

Problem:
I bought the truck ad replaced all the brake lines on it.  I did run the truck or about 2 weeks. And now it will not start.  I get the clicking sound when trying to start it.

What I have done so far:
1) Cleaned the battery posts
2) Cleaned the ground connection
3) Cleaned the cable ends that hook to the battery
4) Cleaned the terminals on the solenoid
5) Pushed started it and truck runs fine
6) Charged the Battery
7) Tried Jump Starting it
8) Tried crossing the solenoid with a screw driver.  When doing this I did notice once and a while the starter seemed to try and turn the engine over, but it would only move a little ***
9) If I think of more I tried i will post it...


Now any suggestions on what to do so I can get this thing to start with the key?  There is not always a hill I can park on...LOL  

Thanks,

Scott  

these are permanent magnet starters...   they are much smaller and do go bad...    if you tap on them.. they will shatter internally...

you can take the starter off and test it ...   most parts stores can also test it..

it seems like you have done everything besides replacing the starter...

even with the starter wedged in there to what looks to be a tight place... do to its small size... its not hard to change... as long as you disconnect the battery first...

there have been problems with some of the battery cables and the feed wire to the solenoid on the starter motor ...

you can unplug the small wire at the starter and jump that directly to get the engine to crank...

it really sounds like you are at the point where the starter needs to be replaced...  some come with really good warrantees..


you do have to understand... that the starter mounted solenoid.. is grounded through the starter brushes.. so if the starter brushes are bad...   the starter will just click...

automatic and manual transmission applications do use different starters..  

OK, I got the old starter out except when removing it the head of the top bolt broke off.  The old one is out and I do have about a 1 inch of thread sticking out.  I was thinking of trying to heat it and then use a vice grips...

any suggestions...??  

Got the bolt out.  Ended up using heat from behind on the cast, with a friend from the front with a vice grips on it.  After about 1 minute of heat it broke loose.  

The new starter is on and the truck starts like a charm.

However lesson learned here is that I think in the first place my starter may have not been bad.  When it didn't work I was taping on and think that may have had an effect on the final outcome.  It ended up the wires on the battery had bad corrision on them.  I had to strip them back a ways and clean up.  After that i finally had a good connection.

Oh well at least my starter should last a while now.  

Thanks for the help.