Starter/Ignition trouble?!
09-29-2015, 03:33 PM
#1
Starter/Ignition trouble?!
Hey guys,
I have a 91 F150 5.0, duel tank EFI. I have this truck for years now, and as long as I have had it, it was always sluggish on the start. You would crank the key, which has the propensity to stay in the forward position, and the truck just chu..uh..uh.uh..then caught. It always seemed to be lagging on the start. About a month ago, it just died. No turning it on at all. The battery is new, and I had been expecting the starter to give out so I managed to get it running long enough to get to an Auto Zone. I changed out the starter and turned the key. Dead. I then decided to change out the starter solenoid since I don't know if it had ever been. It turned out like a champ. For the last month it has been turning on perfectly, quick starts, and right away.
Today, however, I had to cross into Mexico and the line was about a 45 minute wait in 100 plus degree heat. I stopped at a gas station and when I went to turn it on, the truck stayed in a limbo position. It was not quite on but it wasn't off. It was sounding as though it was cranking AND running at the same time. No matter how I turned the key, the truck would not turn off. At one point the key was in the off position and the truck was still trying to turn on. It finally stopped on its after a while. Next thing I know, I saw smoke from under the hood. I open it up and the positive battery cable had burned through the red plastic sleeve and melted with the battery strap handle. Further, the a small wire on the solenoid was also melted to a piece of plastic that it was rubbing on. I cleaned both as best I could, wrapped them in electrical tape, and I got the truck running. Now, however, it's back to starting very sluggishly, like it was before, as though the battery is dying or the starter won't catch. What is wrong?!!
I have a 91 F150 5.0, duel tank EFI. I have this truck for years now, and as long as I have had it, it was always sluggish on the start. You would crank the key, which has the propensity to stay in the forward position, and the truck just chu..uh..uh.uh..then caught. It always seemed to be lagging on the start. About a month ago, it just died. No turning it on at all. The battery is new, and I had been expecting the starter to give out so I managed to get it running long enough to get to an Auto Zone. I changed out the starter and turned the key. Dead. I then decided to change out the starter solenoid since I don't know if it had ever been. It turned out like a champ. For the last month it has been turning on perfectly, quick starts, and right away.
Today, however, I had to cross into Mexico and the line was about a 45 minute wait in 100 plus degree heat. I stopped at a gas station and when I went to turn it on, the truck stayed in a limbo position. It was not quite on but it wasn't off. It was sounding as though it was cranking AND running at the same time. No matter how I turned the key, the truck would not turn off. At one point the key was in the off position and the truck was still trying to turn on. It finally stopped on its after a while. Next thing I know, I saw smoke from under the hood. I open it up and the positive battery cable had burned through the red plastic sleeve and melted with the battery strap handle. Further, the a small wire on the solenoid was also melted to a piece of plastic that it was rubbing on. I cleaned both as best I could, wrapped them in electrical tape, and I got the truck running. Now, however, it's back to starting very sluggishly, like it was before, as though the battery is dying or the starter won't catch. What is wrong?!!
Last edited by ValleyGunner; 09-29-2015 at 03:36 PM.
09-29-2015, 03:47 PM
#2
Sounds like the ignition switch on the column (further down, with lots of wires on it) may be sticking in the start position.
Before that you either had a bad fender mount solenoid (relay) or a bad connection, or both.
You're probably needing to replace a few parts that just got fried, probably put a new ignition switch on it and Clean Your Connections - all of them including the grounds.
Lots of people clean up the connections they can see easily and don't even look at the other end of the ground wire where it bolts to the frame and the motor.
Just as important as the power connections.
Before that you either had a bad fender mount solenoid (relay) or a bad connection, or both.
You're probably needing to replace a few parts that just got fried, probably put a new ignition switch on it and Clean Your Connections - all of them including the grounds.
Lots of people clean up the connections they can see easily and don't even look at the other end of the ground wire where it bolts to the frame and the motor.
Just as important as the power connections.
09-29-2015, 04:12 PM
#3
Sounds like the ignition switch on the column (further down, with lots of wires on it) may be sticking in the start position.
Before that you either had a bad fender mount solenoid (relay) or a bad connection, or both.
You're probably needing to replace a few parts that just got fried, probably put a new ignition switch on it and Clean Your Connections - all of them including the grounds.
Lots of people clean up the connections they can see easily and don't even look at the other end of the ground wire where it bolts to the frame and the motor.
Just as important as the power connections.
Before that you either had a bad fender mount solenoid (relay) or a bad connection, or both.
You're probably needing to replace a few parts that just got fried, probably put a new ignition switch on it and Clean Your Connections - all of them including the grounds.
Lots of people clean up the connections they can see easily and don't even look at the other end of the ground wire where it bolts to the frame and the motor.
Just as important as the power connections.