Intermittent starting issues
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Joined: Mar 2014
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Intermittent starting issues
Hey all!
I am having a heck of time figuring this thing out, been looking around at other posts and have tried some of those fixes, and didnt help. hopefully someone can give me some ideas.
I have a 91 f150 4.9 5-speed rwd.
The truck has an intermittent starting issue. Sometimes it starts fine, and other times as soon as I turn the key the trucks acts like its dead, it will turn over real slow and not want to start. I did a tune up (spark plugs, wires, rotor, cap), didnt help. Got the battery load tested, it's fine. got the alternator checked in and out of the truck and it's fine.
I saw another post saying that the starter might be bad because the battery wires get REALLY hot when I try to start the truck unsuccessfully. The wires to the starter were very old and some of the insulation was gone, so when I changed the starter, I also changed the negative battery wire and the wire from the starter solenoid to the starter. I also replaced the starter solenoid. The ecu relay and the fuel pump relay come on reliably every time I can hear the fuel pumps (front or back, which ever one it's switched to) kick on for a few seconds.
Today I found, and cleaned every ground on the truck I could find. checked all the wires, everything looks ok.
I got out the multimeter and checked the battery. always at around 12.6-9 when off and 14.6-8 when the truck is on. I took off the neg battery terminal and check if any amps were being drawn while the truck is off. its sitting at about 200-250 mA. Called ford, ford said up to 500 Ma is ok. Just to be sure, I pulled all the fuses, and the radio pulls about 150ma and i couldn;t figure out what the other is drawing from. Regardless, the battery is never dead when I try to start the truck, the last 6 times I started the truck, the battery was at 12.6ish when I tried to start it. sometimes it starts fine, and sometimes it just acts like it's dead, but it's not. I dont ever have to jump the truck. If i wait 10 minutes and try again, it will start, or if I just try to start it a bunch it will eventually start. I'm just afraid to get stuck somewhere and not be able to start it.
If anyone can help or give me any ideas I would appreciate it!
I am having a heck of time figuring this thing out, been looking around at other posts and have tried some of those fixes, and didnt help. hopefully someone can give me some ideas.
I have a 91 f150 4.9 5-speed rwd.
The truck has an intermittent starting issue. Sometimes it starts fine, and other times as soon as I turn the key the trucks acts like its dead, it will turn over real slow and not want to start. I did a tune up (spark plugs, wires, rotor, cap), didnt help. Got the battery load tested, it's fine. got the alternator checked in and out of the truck and it's fine.
I saw another post saying that the starter might be bad because the battery wires get REALLY hot when I try to start the truck unsuccessfully. The wires to the starter were very old and some of the insulation was gone, so when I changed the starter, I also changed the negative battery wire and the wire from the starter solenoid to the starter. I also replaced the starter solenoid. The ecu relay and the fuel pump relay come on reliably every time I can hear the fuel pumps (front or back, which ever one it's switched to) kick on for a few seconds.
Today I found, and cleaned every ground on the truck I could find. checked all the wires, everything looks ok.
I got out the multimeter and checked the battery. always at around 12.6-9 when off and 14.6-8 when the truck is on. I took off the neg battery terminal and check if any amps were being drawn while the truck is off. its sitting at about 200-250 mA. Called ford, ford said up to 500 Ma is ok. Just to be sure, I pulled all the fuses, and the radio pulls about 150ma and i couldn;t figure out what the other is drawing from. Regardless, the battery is never dead when I try to start the truck, the last 6 times I started the truck, the battery was at 12.6ish when I tried to start it. sometimes it starts fine, and sometimes it just acts like it's dead, but it's not. I dont ever have to jump the truck. If i wait 10 minutes and try again, it will start, or if I just try to start it a bunch it will eventually start. I'm just afraid to get stuck somewhere and not be able to start it.
If anyone can help or give me any ideas I would appreciate it!
Last edited by mjricha; Aug 3, 2014 at 09:34 PM.
1994 F150 XLT 5.8L 2wd
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 2,150
Likes: 249
From: Iowa
Have you checked the ignition coil? They have been known to cause intermittent problems as they fail. Usually when I do a "full tune up" I replace the coil as well, only $10-$30 on rockauto.