BadFish523

Check all the connections between the battery and the starter. I've had many bad connections act like that. Clean the battery post and all other points where an arc could corrode and get a bad connection. Even if they look good Id clean them. My wife's explorer actually did this the other day would not turn the starter at all not even a click! Clean the battery posts even though they looked good and haven't had a problem since. The driving hard/driving easy could just be a strange coincidence. Cleaning connections is FREE too!

jkirksey1889

Had already done that. It will crank when shorting it out. Bad solenoid?

Raybz

More than likely....OR the solenoid isn't getting the fire signal.

jkirksey1889

How would I go about checking to see if the solenoid is getting the fire signal or not?

Martian

Put a meter on the connections and see if there's power going in / coming out

techrep

iTrader: (1)

and if you do not have a meter use your tongue... or a test light. lol

Raybz

Meter on thew small screws in reference to ground One terminal will not chance one should change with the key to start position

jkirksey1889

I'm an electrician. I'm just not a mechanic. I know there is no power going out of the solenoid because if I jump it the truck will crank. What I do not know is what makes the solenoid send power out. I need to make sure whatever part does that is doing it's job.

Raybz

The solenoid is just a big relay

Small screws are the coil Big ones are the contacts

Martian

Don't be so sure. You should test it anyway because there could be a problem between the solenoid and the starter.