911!! IDI DOWN

[Chase knight]

Hello everyone I am not new to the site but my first time posting. I have a 1985 Ford F250 single cab 6.9 IDI for speed 4x4


So recently I’ve been having a problem with with starting. I thought my batteries were weak but the other day when I went out to start my truck it did not start at all it would not crank, so I decided to replace the starter relay solenoid and tested the batteries but that did not fix the problem
I tried starting it yesterday and the glow plugs click on but when I turn the key to run nothing happened and my RPM gauge is pegged at 4500 I’m stuck and don’t know where to go next I’m thinking about just replacing the ignition switch but I don’t know is there anybody out there that has experienced this problem is it the ignition or something inside the engine bay

Maybe voltage regulator?

Any ideas and feedback would be great

 

[franklin2]

MAKE SURE THE TRUCK IS IN NEUTRAL and go out and take a screwdriver or small wire and on the relay solenoid you just replaced, jump the large terminal that goes to the battery + to the small terminal labelled "s" on the solenoid. When you do this the solenoid should click and the starter should turn over. That will tell you the starter, the large wiring, and the solenoid you just replaced is working.

 

[Chase knight]

MAKE SURE THE TRUCK IS IN NEUTRAL and go out and take a screwdriver or small wire and on the relay solenoid you just replaced, jump the large terminal that goes to the battery + to the small terminal labelled "s" on the solenoid. When you do this the solenoid should click and the starter should turn over. That will tell you the starter, the large wiring, and the solenoid you just replaced is working.

MAKE SURE THE TRUCK IS IN NEUTRAL and go out and take a screwdriver or small wire and on the relay solenoid you just replaced, jump the large terminal that goes to the battery + to the small terminal labelled "s" on the solenoid. When you do this the solenoid should click and the starter should turn over. That will tell you the starter, the large wiring, and the solenoid you just replaced is working.

OK thank you what about the ignition?

 

[franklin2]

If you can get it to turn over by jumping the solenoid, get someone to help you turn the keyswitch on, glow the plugs , and then you crank it over under the hood and see if it will start. If it does, then I am wondering if your neutral safety switch has a problem. It's under the dash on the clutch linkage if it's a manual trans. It's on the side of the trans if it's a auto trans.

 

[Chase knight]

OK but acts like it doesn’t have any power that’s the weird thing so I don’t know if I try that if the fuel cut off solenoid would be open or not

 

[riphip]

Try what he instructed 1st then look for another problem if it does not turn over. Could just be the starter crapped out on you. It does happen

 

[Chase knight]

Okay

 

[Clb]

Stuck on the side of the road?
Read the stickie\header?

 

[snicklas]

Stuck on the side of the road?
Read the stickie\header?

If this is his only vehicle and sitting it the driveway it qualifies also. There are other circumstances than just stuck on the side of the road.

 

[Clb]

True, the last post along with this one did not sound like an sos situation to me....
Sorry bud.
@snicklas

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Try what he instructed 1st then look for another problem if it does not turn over. Could just be the starter crapped out on you. It does happen

I'll agree with this. You thought the batteries were going bad so I read this as the engine was turning over slowly with the starter. You are getting power from the key in the on position since the glow plugs are cycling. The fuel shut off solenoid won't keep the starter from turning the engine over whether it's working or not. Replacing the starter solenoid on the fender did nothing. When you tested the batteries, did you check the voltage in them or did you load test them? The only way to test the batteries properly is by a load test and they can't be connected to each other. If they are, you won't get accurate results. If the batteries are in good condition and fully charged, then the voltage regulator also won't affect the operation of the starter. I'm not trying to talk down to you. I'm just pointing out facts. I'm also hoping that you'll do some testing before just throwing more parts at the truck (like the starter solenoid). Sometimes you get lucky by doing this, but usually you'll just end up spending extra money that you didn't have to.

 

[Chase knight]

I'll agree with this. You thought the batteries were going bad so I read this as the engine was turning over slowly with the starter. You are getting power from the key in the on position since the glow plugs are cycling. The fuel shut off solenoid won't keep the starter from turning the engine over whether it's working or not. Replacing the starter solenoid on the fender did nothing. When you tested the batteries, did you check the voltage in them or did you load test them? The only way to test the batteries properly is by a load test and they can't be connected to each other. If they are, you won't get accurate results. If the batteries are in good condition and fully charged, then the voltage regulator also won't affect the operation of the starter. I'm not trying to talk down to you. I'm just pointing out facts. I'm also hoping that you'll do some testing before just throwing more parts at the truck (like the starter solenoid). Sometimes you get lucky by doing this, but usually you'll just end up spending extra money that you didn't have to.

No I agree but I’ve just never had any problems like this also my key likes to get stuck in the ignition as well so my next thought is would be the ignition but every Thing else does seem to check out but I know even a crusty terminal can cause this issue I’ll try and clean them and see what I can do

 

[IDIBRONCO]

my key likes to get stuck in the ignition as well

There's actually two "ignition" switches. The key switch is the one that you put the key into. The ignition switch itself is farther down the steering column. It has a bunch of wires that hook into the top of it. If your key gets stuck in the key switch sometimes, I'd be thinking about changing it out soon. I had one that did this until something inside it broke. It was all that I could do to get it to turn on so that I could make it back home. It happened at a gas pump. I would try jumping the starter solenoid as the next step. If you do this and the starter still doesn't work, then you know that the starter's probably bad.

 

[RetiringColt]

I had a similar problem. Though it was the neutral safety switch on the E4oD. Installed a new on due to the old connector being fuzzy green inside. Still a no crank condition. Did a wiggle test on the starter switch pigtail on top the steering column while holding the key in crank position. Found some wires had melted the plastic tabs to the switch and caused the pigtail to back out. Ordered a new one on Ebay for ten bucks. Back in business.