1987 Ford F-250 wont start

Tiny
TITAN747
  • MEMBER
  • 1987 FORD F-250
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • MANUAL
  • 110,239 MILES
Turn key and I can hear the fuel pump come on and there is power but it doesnt even make a click sound, had starter tested twice and it is good
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 AT 2:55 PM

14 Replies

Tiny
BIG_JAY
  • MECHANIC
  • 121 POSTS
You need to to first check and see if you are getting power to the starter. If not you need to start with the fueses and make sure they are all good. There is also a starter relay under the hood. Look in your owners manual and see what 1 it is and swap it with the horn relay or a diff relay you can do with out. After you do this post your results.

****EDIT****Does this truck have a solenoid on the fender under the hood?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 AT 3:03 PM
Tiny
TITAN747
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
How do you check the starter, all the fuses are good and swapped the relay
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 AT 3:22 PM
Tiny
BIG_JAY
  • MECHANIC
  • 121 POSTS
Does your positive battery cable goto a round solenoid on the fender or right to the starter?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 AT 3:39 PM
Tiny
TITAN747
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Yes it goes to a round thing on the fender
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 AT 3:46 PM
Tiny
BIG_JAY
  • MECHANIC
  • 121 POSTS
Ok this makes it more simple. Do you see the side with the battery cable on it? It should have power on all the wires on that side. The other side should have no power. Now u need to get a test light and hook it up to a ground. U will need 1 more person to help you for a few min. They need to get in the truck and turn the key. The other side of that round solenoid should power up why that person is turning the key. If u have them kep turning it and letting off u should see power flashing on and off on that side of the circut. There is also a third little nipple that has threads on it that a small wire should be attatched to. Make sure it did not fall off or break. Also when they are turning the key the little wire in the middle should also be powering up. Test this and get back to me.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 AT 3:57 PM
Tiny
TITAN747
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Ok I did the test and the wire from the battery has power the little wire has nothing, even used a volt meter and starter wire has 13 volts and little wire has nothing
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 AT 4:45 PM
Tiny
BIG_JAY
  • MECHANIC
  • 121 POSTS
Ok so when you are turning the key the wire that goes to the starter powers up? The little wire in the middle is the exiter wire so if the wire that goes to the starter has power when u try to start it the little wire must be getting power when you are turning the key. If you have power comming out of the solenoid going to the starter when you turn the key then u need to test the wire where it is attatched to the starter and see if it has voltage down there. If it doesnt but it has power at the top where it comes out of the solenoid then u have a bad cable. If it has power down at the starter then you have a bad connection down there. Follow the wire from the solenoid to the starter and test it down there.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 AT 4:54 PM
Tiny
TITAN747
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Ok I tested the wire at the starter with a volt meter and its putting out nothing with key on
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 AT 5:10 PM
Tiny
BIG_JAY
  • MECHANIC
  • 121 POSTS
Ok. If the wire has power at the solenoid when you are turning the key and no power at the starter when you are turning the key then you have a bad cable from the solenoid to the starter. (When I say turning the key I mean holding it all the way like you are cranking the car). Take off the cable and take it to the parts store and they will be able to match up 1 for you in most cases.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 AT 5:15 PM
Tiny
TITAN747
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
Ok thanks
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Tuesday, October 13th, 2009 AT 5:18 PM
Tiny
TITAN747
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
I replaced the cable and still nothing, when the key is in the on position I have power and I can hear the fuel pump, thats it
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 AT 9:53 AM
Tiny
BIG_JAY
  • MECHANIC
  • 121 POSTS
Do you have a phone number I can call u at. I'm at work so it's hard to type.
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 AT 10:07 AM
Tiny
TITAN747
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
386 215 4387 chris
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 AT 10:09 AM
Tiny
BIG_JAY
  • MECHANIC
  • 121 POSTS
What happened? Did that fix it?
Was this
answer
helpful?
Yes
No
Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 AT 7:03 PM

Please login or register to post a reply.

Sponsored links