Starter relay?

[69rangerman]

Back story: Ran the battery down while running speakers to headliner, leaving door open, testing etc. Jumped it off, charged ran fine (2 weeks ago).

Last weekend: Went to start it, crankcrankcrank never caught - before battery completely died swapped points back in and it started and ran fine.

Today: Went to start it, it turned over caught and I let it die. Turned the key again it caught turned over then stopped as if something electrical went.

Battery is charged, power to relay positive side. Starter side of relay is hot.
Hooked up remote starter and relay goes clunk - clunk each time I squeeze the trigger. Juice does not "seem" to be getting to starter.

Did the relay fail?

Thanks for any help

EDIT: I get meter readings on both sides of the relay (Red probe on positive batt post, black probe on starter side of relay. Also, when I keep the key turned over or the trigger squeezed it does the "cliketyclikety click" noise. Starter?

EDIT 2" I tried jumping it from a running vehicle - same noise - no difference. Thanks.

[Thunderfoot]

Starter Relay/solenoid sounds like a good possibility, also double check the ground wire connection from the battery to the engine, and that the starter relay is grounded good to the fender.

[fordman]

make sure it is grounded good. clean the rust behind it. if it still goes clcik and you know the battery connection is good when jumping it try tapping on it with a plastic screwdriver handle while crancking it over. it might just be trying to stick.

[69rangerman]

Thanks guys.

I scrubbed the back of the relay and the fender area to bare metal. Did the same thing to the engine ground.

No luck - clicketyclickety.

I'll try the tap idea today.

I put a circuit light on the relay, and starter terminal - when I squeezed the remote starter trigger the light goes out and click starts. Let go of trigger and light comes back on.

At this point should I relace the relay and see if that works before removing the starter?

Thanks

[Thunderfoot]

You can bypass the starter solenoid with a jumper cable to see if it is the solenoid or the starter… (still could be the battery as well)
Take and hook a jumper cable lead to the Positive cable first, and then touch the other end to the starter lug on the solenoid. It will spark but should turn the motor over if the starter and battery are good. Note: you DON’T want to do this the other way by touching the cable to the positive side of the battery, as the spark it makes when you touch it to the battery could blow the battery up by igniting the battery gasses…

If it turns over bypassing the solenoid then the starter solenoid is bad, if it doesn’t I would try swapping the battery with a known good one (not just jumping it). A bad battery can sometimes be more then jumper cables overcome…

Then move to the starter.

[69rangerman]

Neat idea Thunderfoot - thanks!

I'll give that, and a different battery a try.

[69rangerman]

OK-here's what I've got...

Jumper from batt positive to starter cable post at starter - result was sparks but nothing else.

Swapped 3 month old batt from wifes vehicle into ford - result was a single click when turning the key. Also, starter side of relay got reaaallly hot, as in "I smell something" hot - touched it an immediately regretted it. Un hooked battery and let relay cool off.

Hooked wifes batt back up, hooked up remote starter and squeezed - result was a single click, sparks from the starter side of relay, and the starter cable visibly convulsing when I squeezed the trigger. Relay started getting hot again - unhooked battery.

The only other thing I did was to put the ford batt into wifes late model car. It would turn over once then start clicking, but the ford batt is noticeably smaller than her batt. I hooked jumper cables up to ford batt in wifes car, and wifes batt in ford (unhooked) and her car started. I let it charge for about a minute, turned off and back on - it started right up. I don't know if the ford batt, being smaller, could not power her starter (hi-amp) of if the battery was low. I stuck a meter on both and they read the same.

What's next?

Thanks

[Thunderfoot]

Well that sounds like your starter is toast and froze up, it is getting plenty of voltage (with other battery) from everything you observed and smelled ... only other thing would be the motor is not turning over, can you turn the motor over with a wrench? If not you will still want to pull the starter just to be sure it is not holding the motor up. (I think you would have gotten some signs if it were the motor I lean towards the starter now)

I would also put your truck battery on the charger for a while as it probably is a little low from trying to start the froze up starter.

[69rangerman]

Thanks again Thunderfoot. I'll hand crank the engine as a last test, then remove the starter.
I'll chime back in to post my findings.

[69rangerman]

Could it be the neutral safety switch?

I've replaced the starter and solenoid. I think my battery is drained to much to turn it anyway, but when I hooked up my other cars battery with jumper cables to the truck battery all it would do is buzz or click. I tried it again, and on one attempt, when I was fiddling with the shift lever, it began to turn the motor.

I haven't tried again because it's late, and the exhaust is not connected (had to remove to move the headers enough to get the starter out/in).

I also pulled all the plugs and turned the motor by hand just to make sure it hadn't siezed.

Any ideas?



EDIT: I got it. Started and ran it to charge the battery, then did it again today to make sure. Fires right up.