1995 F150 intermittent starting issue
01-07-2018, 06:27 PM
#11
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If that is the correct way you have it, disconnect that one wire from the solenoid, leaving that large terminal with no wires hooked to it, and see what happens. Do this as a troubleshooting measure only. Report what happens when you do that and we can advise you farther.
01-08-2018, 12:57 AM
#12
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You didn't say what brand the replacement starter is, or where you got it.Right - that's how solenoid-type starters are wired. Yours isn't. This diagram shows how to convert a '66-77 Bronco (and '78-91) to the '92-up wiring:
https://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/870249 (for phone apps)
01-08-2018, 03:24 AM
#13
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Starter brand
I bought the new starter at O’Reilly auto parts. They offered me three options ranging from $90 to $140. I bought the most expensive one ( aside from the Motorcraft offering ) with all new parts. Ultima brand select professional series starter with a lifetime warranty.
It came with a little baggies of parts and a special little note saying I had to swap out the little pigtail that hooks on it for one with an eyelet on the end due to some corrosion issue that Ford had acknowledged. However, my truck doesn’t have its original starter in it to begin with, so somebody had already switched that out for an eyelet ended pigtail before I got the truck.
If I can find some time tomorrow, or rather today I suppose, I will see if I can go back out there and mess around with the solenoid. I did swap out the brand new solenoid for the old one since apparently there was nothing wrong with that one due to it not fixing the problem when I replaced it... I just wanted to see if somehow the solenoid that I bought was defective. I know I had to return the first one I got because it didn’t actually fit with the connector that the truck has due to some plastic parts that stock up. So I had to go with the cheaper one that only had a one year warranty. Anyway even with the old solenoid in place, I got the same thing with no start but whirring starter.
It came with a little baggies of parts and a special little note saying I had to swap out the little pigtail that hooks on it for one with an eyelet on the end due to some corrosion issue that Ford had acknowledged. However, my truck doesn’t have its original starter in it to begin with, so somebody had already switched that out for an eyelet ended pigtail before I got the truck.
If I can find some time tomorrow, or rather today I suppose, I will see if I can go back out there and mess around with the solenoid. I did swap out the brand new solenoid for the old one since apparently there was nothing wrong with that one due to it not fixing the problem when I replaced it... I just wanted to see if somehow the solenoid that I bought was defective. I know I had to return the first one I got because it didn’t actually fit with the connector that the truck has due to some plastic parts that stock up. So I had to go with the cheaper one that only had a one year warranty. Anyway even with the old solenoid in place, I got the same thing with no start but whirring starter.
01-08-2018, 12:31 PM
#14
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The solenoid is ON the starter - are you saying you disassembled the new starter?
https://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/285644_1
Or are you talking about the starter RELAY on the fender near the battery?
https://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/829914
https://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/285644_1
Or are you talking about the starter RELAY on the fender near the battery?
https://www.supermotors.net/registry/media/829914
01-08-2018, 07:24 PM
#15
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Solenoid
I guess technically it’s a starter relay but the box that it came in is labeled solenoid and that’s what it got looked up is at the auto parts store when I bought it. But yes it is the one mounted on the passenger side fender wall right near the battery. I replaced that. Then I swapped it back out for the old one just to see if maybe the part was faulty. Same result.
01-08-2018, 08:14 PM
#16
Senior Member
OK - perhaps some terminology challenges. What I am calling the solenoid, and what is shown in the previous post pic is the switching device that supplies power to the starter to roll the motor.
The solenoid assembly on the starter engages the Bendix, throwing the starter gear out into the flywheel gear.
At any rate, the starter and its attached Bendix solenoid should only have power when the Start command is active.
Suggest we need to know whether the downstream post for the lead going to the starter of the solenoid in the above post pic is hot when a Start is not active. The upstream post should be hot at all times since it is connected to the battery.
Hope this helps more than confuses...
The solenoid assembly on the starter engages the Bendix, throwing the starter gear out into the flywheel gear.
At any rate, the starter and its attached Bendix solenoid should only have power when the Start command is active.
Suggest we need to know whether the downstream post for the lead going to the starter of the solenoid in the above post pic is hot when a Start is not active. The upstream post should be hot at all times since it is connected to the battery.
Hope this helps more than confuses...
Last edited by wde3477; 01-08-2018 at 08:15 PM. Reason: typo fix
01-08-2018, 08:42 PM
#17
Senior Member
Well Valeri, the object you have pictured under #15 is called both a relay and a solenoid. The important thing is that when more than one person is talking about an object, all persons are on the same page so to speak.
Now back to your problem. Is there only one wire hooked on one of those large posts on your fender mounted solenoid, and does that wire run down to the top of your starter?
Now back to your problem. Is there only one wire hooked on one of those large posts on your fender mounted solenoid, and does that wire run down to the top of your starter?
01-09-2018, 05:10 PM
#18
On the fender mount solenoid all the wires should be on one side EXCEPT the little one that goes down to the starter- it should be on the other side all by itself.
The side that has the big wire from the battery is where all the other wires go.
Excluding of course, the little push on one that activates the solenoid when you turn the key. I know, that should go without saying but I will anyway.
The side that has the big wire from the battery is where all the other wires go.
Excluding of course, the little push on one that activates the solenoid when you turn the key. I know, that should go without saying but I will anyway.
01-09-2018, 09:05 PM
#19
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Right. It's a bad practice by many parts suppliers (including Ford sometimes) & counter men. But Ford says it's the starter relay, and that's the technically-correct term. Since your truck actually has both a starter relay AND a starter solenoid (as do all F-series after '91), it's best to use the correct term to avoid confusion. Since you know it's not the problem, you don't really need to; but if you ever choose to replace it, a MotorCraft relay (which is built correctly) is available & affordable:
(phone app link)
Actually, the relay in that pic only amplifies the START signal. The actual cranking power is switched at the back of the solenoid. The large stud at the top of the solenoid is hot at all times. Look at the Right half of the last diagram I posted. That's how '92-up Fs are wired.
(phone app link)
OK - perhaps some terminology challenges. What I am calling the solenoid, and what is shown in the previous post pic is the switching device that supplies power to the starter to roll the motor.
...the starter and its attached Bendix solenoid should only have power when the Start command is active.
...the starter and its attached Bendix solenoid should only have power when the Start command is active.
