Any idea which wire to start with? I'm guessing that it is going to be in the battery/ solenoid/ starter line but where do I look and what am I looking for, an open? A short?

 

Start w/ the cable clamps themselves. Remove & clean to fresh metal.

I would emery cloth the cable/wire connector's on both sides of the solenoid. Do one side at a time so you don't mix up the cables.

In order for there to be completed circuit, there needs to be a return to the battery negative. Just as important as the "power to" path. Inspect, clean & secure all ground cable contacts. The factory did not install any 'extra' ground cables. If any have been removed, replace them.

 

Thanks for the help. This am, I'm sad to say, I gave up. I did not have any power to the field. The ignition switch didn't even buzz when I stuck in the key.
In total defeat I called the junk man. Thanks for the help but it's over now.

 

NOOOOooo!


Check Fuses & Fuseable links!!!

 

I agree!

Oh, and ymeski, I see you finally have your self-portrait up as your avatar...

 

Did you notice I shaved?

 

I just couldn't go on any more. I might sound like a whinny-baby but I have been fixing it for so many years that I can't keep doing it. The other day I had a heater hose blow then the next day a fuel pump went in traffic finally this crap with the electrical system.
I have my eye on another F150 right now so I'm keeping all my motorcraft parts stored and hoping high
BTW Yemski I like the new avatar

 

Check your alternator they have an internal voltage regulator if it fails it will not charge the battery, and will indeed slowly drain it. If you have a volt meter switch it to DC hook it to your battery, in a full charged state it will have 12.5 VDC, start the truck blip the throttle a couple of time to make sure the alternator has switched on now look at the voltage it should now read 13.8 VDC this tells you the alternator is functioning as it should if the voltage does not increase to 13.8, or if it increases above 13.8, then the internal voltage regulator inside the alternator is bad. You can just replace the regulator but it is easier and I think better to just replace the whole alternator. It always seems that whenever I just replaced the regulator the rest of the alternator failed shortly afterward.

 

Good for you. There are so many used F150's on the market it is a no brainer. I think the primo year for a 9th generation F150's is the 1996 model. It is the last year for the 4.9L L6, 5.0L, or the 5.8L V8 engines. It is an OBD2. These engines sit in what I think is one of the nicest looking F150's ever made, I am rather partial to the Flareside.

 

I think the 4.9 is totally bullet proof. I asked it to do alot, sometimes more than I should, and it always came thru! That old truck was Awsome! I like the look of the 96 but I have to wonder about it, I don't have a computer reader so everything I do is a shade tree kinda way. And if a simple short lead to this destruction...