Hello!

I have a 1988 F150 Manual transmission 4.9 engine that is giving me problems starting at times. It just kind of buzzes instead of starts if that makes sense.

I thought maybe the cold weather was affecting the battery so I brought it in for a night and put it back on in the morning and still did nothing.

Thinking it might be a ground problem I grabbed my jumper cables and ran the negative side from the battery to the block and it started turning over. Then I also noticed that the negative battery cable was getting warm. So I replaced it. Tried to start it up and still just buzzed. Then I was able to jump start it. That may be coincidental because it sat for a week and consistently tried to start it.

Two days later it went right back to just buzzing at me.

The odd thing is it has these little signs that seem to point to it being a ground problem however,whenever the weather starts warming up the truck seems to start.

I've been messing around with this thing for awhile now. I have replaced the starter,alternator,spark plugs and wires and still at the same point I was at when it all started.

I'm not very car savvy and really only understand some of the more basic things like changing the pil. This thing has me stumped at this point. I thought about taking it to the shop however,if I can drive it to the shop then it's starting which makes it hard to diagnose.

One other things about all this is that after it's ran for awhile and I turn it off and go to start it a short bit later it just turns over for a little bit and then roars to life.

I think it may be bi polar or hates going to work as much as I do.

 

If the battery's not pooched, it's a bad connection, or possibly a faulty (fender mount) solenoid. If the solenoid is not getting enough juice, it will engage but when it does it puts the big juice to the starter which takes everything and the solenoid lets go. Now the starter is not taking juice so the solenoid has power again and engages.The starter takes power, the solenoid disengages.
That makes a click click click noise or if it does it fast - a buzz.
I think that might be what you've got there.
Clean up every connection in the system (shiny clean) and that will probably fix it.
If not, fender solenoid. If that doesn't do it, probably battery or positive cable.
Pay attention to the grounds.

 

Thanks for your reply. I replaced the fender wall solenoid and put another new battery on it. My other battery very randomly went completely out.

After I put the new battery on it,it still just buzzed at me. Next day I replaced the solenoid and the battery was mysteriously dead. I got it charged just a little bit ago. It took a few turns but it finally started up.

I don't think it's fixed yet though. I noticed that when starting it up the radio is still resetting itself. Going to try to rerouting the negative battery cable maybe. Right now,it runs from the battery to the wall (for some reason it's in two pieces and connected by a metal clamp and from there runs to the starter.

Can I run it directly from the battery to the block or does it have to be wired like that?

Right now,it would have really helped having had some auto training

 

From the factory, the negative cable goes to the block, but it has a piece that sticks out and is bolted to the frame. It grounds both.
From what you describe and what you've done, you probably have a dirty connection - either ground or positive.
Undo all the big ones and clean them up shiny, even rub the flat of the nuts on sandpaper, clean the inside of the battery clamps and the battery terminals till they're shiny.
With a new starter and battery it should crank right over no problem, so I would think you most likely just have some dirty connections.

 

Since it was a little warmer today,I went out and put a new negative and positive cable on it. So far it's firing right up. Only problem I had was on the negative cable it looks like it's sheathed in the middle with a metal clamp grounding it to the frame. Unfortunately,that little metal clip looks like it's welding shut so I wasn't able to replace it. I'm going to see if it acts up and if it does go to Autozone or someplace and see if I can find something that will replace it.

 

Or a short cable from the engine to the frame.

 

That seems to have fixed my starting problem. Every once in a while when the weather is really cold the radio resets itself but I can deal with that.

I have another question though. My wiper switch seems to have gone out again. It's stuck on delay. I was going to buy a new switch for it in a little while. I have noticed that for my particular truck they make several different parts that supposedly fits it. However that is not the case. Such as the alternator. It has several different styles that all supposedly fit but there is only one that actually does. Why is that? It's always been confusing especially in matter like this switch..$42 (identical) and $20 for an off brand that is made different.

 

Looks like the original equipment one may have lasted about 28 years. Wonder if the $20 will do as well.

 

First off with alternators unless the truck's been modified for the saginaw pump any specified alt should bolt on, the difference being the pulley size to compensate for A/C causing extra belt length.

With your wiper switch you'll be looking for the ones that are with intermittent, it has a wire/eyelet that you need in order to operate the delayed/intermittent wipers. If you are planning on keeping this truck for 20+ years then get the motorcraft (OEM), if you're only planning 5-10 years out of the truck then most off brands would be fine- just stay away from AZ's duralast parts.