1987 E-350 changed out fuel / water seperator

[My87Landmark]

Changed fuel/water seperator with after-market one & now it won't turn over. The key was hard to turn back to pull out. Had to force it. I'm thinking it has something to do with the key for why it won't start. Any ideas ???

 

[DirtyWood]

It's likely just a coincidence that the key acted up when it did. If the key won't turn smoothly then I would dig into the column a bit. You need to remove the steering wheel to access all the relevant parts. The lock cylinder engages a mechanism that may need to be lubricated or the ignition actuator rod may have failed. If you do tear into the column I would replace this, https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=634745&cc=1126549&pt=1506&jsn=10734 , while you're in there since they are known to fail.
Exploded view of steering column, https://carschematics.com/wp-content/images/Ford_F250_Steering_Column_Diagram_Parts_9829.jpg

 

[IDIBOBS]

Charged my battery last night and my tire went flat.

It’s 2 totally different unrelated things. Try another key first. Then as already stated start tearing into the colum.

 

[ttman4]

It's likely just a coincidence that the key acted up when it did. If the key won't turn smoothly then I would dig into the column a bit. You need to remove the steering wheel to access all the relevant parts. The lock cylinder engages a mechanism that may need to be lubricated or the ignition actuator rod may have failed. If you do tear into the column I would replace this, https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=634745&cc=1126549&pt=1506&jsn=10734 , while you're in there since they are known to fail.
Exploded view of steering column, https://carschematics.com/wp-content/images/Ford_F250_Steering_Column_Diagram_Parts_9829.jpg

Hummm..... @DirtyWood for whatever reason when I click on the first RockAuto link it opens up ok for me.
I click the second link "carschematics" link & for a split second I get a pic then it jumps to another site -McAfee & says "WEBSITE LOOKS SUSPICIOUS"..... Don't know if problem is on my end or what.
Wish I could get a pic if that Schematics though.

 

[DirtyWood]

Hummm..... @DirtyWood for whatever reason when I click on the first RockAuto link it opens up ok for me.
I click the second link "carschematics" link & for a split second I get a pic then it jumps to another site -McAfee & says "WEBSITE LOOKS SUSPICIOUS"..... Don't know if problem is on my end or what.
Wish I could get a pic if that Schematics though.

I dunno. The link opens up fine without any warnings on my end. It's just a link to an image found using the DuckDuckGo search engine. But I also don't use McAfee or Windows/Mac so my internet security situation is different.
Side note: You should watch the documentary about the guy who started McAfee. The doc is called "G R I N G O: The Dangerous Life Of John McAfee" and the story gets a bit bizarre at times.
Wow, the site even censors Spanish words too, hence the G R I N G O.

 

[Nero]

Charged my battery last night and my tire went flat.

It’s 2 totally different unrelated things. Try another key first. Then as already stated start tearing into the colum.

Why would a second key make a difference? They dont have anti theft. Are you just using chatgtp for responses?
As for @My87Landmark check to make sure you didn't accidentally pull the crank signal wire off the fender mounted start relay. I've bumped mine off a handful of times, or just straight up forgot to put it back on before...

 

[franklin2]

Changed fuel/water seperator with after-market one & now it won't turn over. The key was hard to turn back to pull out. Had to force it. I'm thinking it has something to do with the key for why it won't start. Any ideas ???

If you have a tilt column, you may have broken the actuator inside the column. Very common problem. When that happens, you turn the key, everything on the dash lights up and works, but it will not crank over.

 

[DirtyWood]

When the engineers were designing that actuator I would have thought someone might've noticed that it looks friggin' ridiculous and that there must be a better way.

 

[My87Landmark]

I was thinking it's in the column because of how out of the blue the key wouldn't turn back k to remove smooth. I do not have a tilt but it's sloppy. Thanks everyone for your info

 

[tradergem]

You should also check the actual ignition switch that is located lower down on the column. I had one that was starting to come apart and my truck would only start intermittently when I turned the key.

 

[Cant Write]

In the interim, can he turn the key to on and jump the starter solenoid or use a “lone wolf 6000?” To get it going if he needs to?

Story time: 1990 or so, 1987 Buick century (iron duke) something happened to the ignition/column/switch. Needed to get through winter. Found I could turn the ignition to on, and I had my trusty 2” steel plumbing strap was the perfect curve to short the starter. Thank God it had EFI

 

[Nero]

You absolutely can. When my column broke while out and about one day I has to screwdriver start it.

 

[franklin2]

I was thinking it's in the column because of how out of the blue the key wouldn't turn back k to remove smooth. I do not have a tilt but it's sloppy. Thanks everyone for your info

Many people including myself when I got my truck, do not know they really do have tilt. Look at the slot where the turnsignal lever comes out of the column. If it looks like a sideways "T", grab the bottom of the steering wheel to support it, and then gently push the turnsignal lever toward the dash. Keep pushing, you think you are going to break it off, but then all of a sudden the steering will loosen up and move.