David4202000

I have a 89 f150 XLT 4x4 super cab short bed. It has a 5.0 v8. this is my first truck and i love it i have had it only about one year.
since i bought it i have fixed and installed alot of things including; instrument gauges (only the speedo worked when i bought it.),ranch hand front and rear replacement bumpers, headace rack, aluminum diamond plate toolbox, New fuel pump, New fuel pick up (i only replaced the front tank pickup cause i was low on money.) new head unit, 2- KC fog lights (mounted on front bumper, behind grille guard.) New pioneer speakers (2- 6x9's in the back, and 2- 6 1/2 in the front doors.), and offical ford seat covers and steering wheel cover.
Well The other day i decided it needed a tune-up so i went out and bought a new battery, battery cables, power steering fluid, motor oil, oil filter spark plugs and spark plug wires. after i installed all of this it was running great, but a couple of days after that i ran out of gas and couldnt get it started again, even after i put 4-5 gallons of gas in it, when i tried to turn it over nothing (the solenoid was just clicking) so i figured it was a dead battery and got a tow home.
Once i got home we tried to jump it with some cables and no luck.
So then a couple of days later a had my uncle look at it and he said it was the solenoid so i went out and bought that too. but still even after i put this on the solenoid was just clicking, so at this point i thought it could only be the starter, so the next day i bought a new starter and installed it, it turned over and started on the first try!
But the next day i started it in the morning and it started again but it sounded like the starter was trying to run with the engine already on! so i tried to turn it off but the engine just started puttering instead of stoping (even with the keys out of the ignition) so i popped the hood and disconnected the negative battery cable. i waited a minute or two reconnected the battery and tried it again, it started making that sound again but quit after i stepped on the gas pedal. it ran fine all the way to my friends house.
But once i tried to leave it wouldnt even turn over just that same clicking noise from the solenoid. a friendly neighbor came over and tried to help me out by jumping me but again nothing. so later that day i got another tow home.
By then i was pretty pissed! so i called another one of my uncles and he said to take off the starter so he could look at it. when i did it had a wierd smell and my uncle said the new starter might have burned up. so i tried installing the old one to see what would happen. still just the clicking sound, so my uncle took a screw driver and jumped the solenoid, and it started right up. so i drove around the block and everthing was fine.
The next morning i started it the same way and drove to school. After school it started right up again and drove to the store for some gas, after i got gas i went to start it the same way but it sounded like the battery was dead. i was pretty sure that was not the problem, so i called a friend to see if he could come jump me when we tried though the engine wouldnt even turn over. so he towed me home.
And now i am pissed i have no idea what it could be and low on money.
but would anyone have an idea what could be wrong with it now, if you could help i would appreciate it

hutex

I had a simular issue with my 88 f150. One day when I came out of the store when I tried to start it all the acc. worked fine, when I tried to start it was dead. I jumped the selinoid and drove directly to Advance. I put the new one on and it was fine for a day. The next day I was at a friends and when I went to go home it did the same thing, just kept turning over and over. It started then I cut the key off and it kept turning over. I went baak to Advance and got another seliniod and installed it...no problem since.

David4202000

I have already gone threw two selinoid since then (3 if you included the one i first replaced.
Some one told me it could be my altenator so im gonna bring it to advanced auto parts in a few days.

NGM

Testing the alternator is a good place to start. Another test to do is a voltage drop test. Test your battery voltage then test voltage at the starter, since you have a solonoid you will have to unhook the wire and test voltage with someone turningthe key to the start position. If you have over 1 volt drop then you need new cables. I see you got new batt cables but did you also get the cable from the solonoid on the fender to the starter? If so ignore this whole post and ask for that 1 minute of your life back.

jcboof

WUT HE SAID Pretty common probem. Not as common as those lovely solenoids but common enough. Never underestimate the power of a bad cable!

And as far as the starter staying engaged, More than likely it was a bad starter from the parts store. Alot of times a starter will do that if the bendix drive is bad. basically its a clutch that wont release until the motor stops spinning.

Do yourself a favor though, most Advance Auto, Autozone, Pep boys, or Checker stores carry CRAP ignition, alternator and starter parts. Find a Carquest or NAPA and get the GOOD STUFF. Definitely worth it IMO. Even though those OTHER guys carry a lifetime warranty on their parts or whatever, Paying a little more up front rather than replacing the part under warranty 18 times pays off in the long run. Especially if your out wheelin in the sticks!

David4202000

Thanks for the advice, i brong the altenator to advanced yesterday and they said it was still good, so i guess ill try to get that wire from the solonoid to the starter because it does look a little ragged!
Im also gonna buy a new distributer and new iginition coil today, so ill go get those install them and write back

David4202000

well i went to the auto parts store today and told the guy what was goin on with my truck he said i didnt need ignition coil or a distributor cap, but he did give me a fuel filter and said that when i ran out of gas that i probably sucked up all kinds of gunk, so im gonna change that and see what happens, i really dont think its the filter but ill try it.

88blkf150

when the guys at the parts store try to tell me what i need for the stang i tell them listeen this is what i want and its what i need if you have a problem wiht that ill go sumplace else. i tell them its not a stock mustang highly modified so i look up the part numbers i need online or in thier books and then i tell them what i want and they know mee well enough now that they give it to me weather its for my specific year or not

Ty

yep, those people have a hard time grasping many things....

jcboof

Parts store Mechanics are the best. Especially if their from auto zone or advance auto parts!!!
Those guys are soooooo damn smart.

I dont even bother telling the guys what i'm trying to fix there, I just go in and tell them what I want and if they tell me that I should try something else, I just show em my ASE master cert and tell them to give me my damn parts!!!!
I always try to stay away from them stores and stick with a NAPA or Carquest because they never question you.
Those guys at the discount parts stores are only good for one thing in my opinion, Thats typing stuff in the computer and pulling parts.