Powerstroke having battery or starter issues possibly.

[smithdoor]

I agree
Most time the solenoid needs to rebuilt. Takes 5 minutes to rebuild.

Dave

Did you rule out starter relay or solenoid? Check for voltage at starter while attempting to crank engine?

[motolife313]

Distributor has nothing to do with the starter. Never heard that one before.

Touching the contacts turns the engine over. If you hook a wire from the ignition to the distributor it will start

[motolife313]

I agree
Most time the solenoid needs to rebuilt. Takes 5 minutes to rebuild.

Dave

The starter gear is engaging but turns the engine slow

[farmersammm]

I swear that never again will I get involved in these threads. It's like pounding your head against a wall, backing up, and doing it again.

[motolife313]

Now your going to get John going

[motolife313]

OH! This is an Excellent Point!

If you have a pre-'01 (and even some 01's), then you have a starter relay on the pass side fenderwell. Burnt contacts inside would do exactly what you describe. The easy test is to simply jump the two large terminals together (gonna spark some and will engage the starter motor) and if it cranks fast then you know your solenoid is bad...

Am I missing something on this test or did you mean the solenoid is bad if it cranks slow?

[John T]

I swear that never again will I get involved in these threads. It's like pounding your head against a wall, backing up, and doing it again.

Its just classic moto.

Duhhhh …

[smithdoor]

It could be the contact on solenoid or brushes even the wires going starter.
Just a volt meter and find were voltage drops.

Dave

The starter gear is engaging but turns the engine slow

[motolife313]

Its just classic moto.

Duhhhh …

John got his supply and feed

[John T]

John got his supply and feed

Yep.

And your truck still doesn’t start.

Duhhh

[IAMsteelworker]

First things first charge both batteries unhooked from the truck. Then take them to get tested. If they check out good and you think it's the starter take it off and have it tested. If thats good check the solenoid and all the wires going to batteries,grounds, solenoid and starter. If one battery is bad replace BOTH, not just one. That will kill your one good battery you didn't replace.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[N2 Welding]

I’m starting to think it’s the starter. It has been turning over kinda slow for a while and real slow the last few few days. Maybe the 1 dead battery and only 1 starting it killed the starter

This is unlikely but not impossible. How long has the slow cranking engine been happening?

Turn your lights on with high beams and watch the lights as someone tries to start the vehicle. If the lights go very dim you know the batteries are the problem. If the starter is engaging and turning the motor over slower than usual and what it needs to fire up then either battery, wiring issues or starter is the problem no doubt about it. The starter won’t do jack $hit if the solenoid is dead. If the solenoid on the starter is bad replace both. The starter is old by now and it’s only a matter of time before it does go out. Get a good quality lifetime starter. Keep your receipt. John is not out of line here Moto he’s just not much help either. It seems easier for him to kick a man when he’s down rather than give him a hand to help him up. You have been given good advice by me and others that you have not reported back with your findings after performing tests. If you are not capable of following directions then it’s probably best if you have a competent person perform the required repairs. We have done as much as possible outside of holding your hand and patting you on the head telling you it will be ok it’s not your fault. Maybe auto mechanics was not available in high school in your neck of the woods.

I asked about your oil = fell on deaf ears. I asked about voltage at starter = fell on deaf ears. You know it’s always possible the engine is toast and no starter or set of batteries can fix that!

[scsmith42]

Moto, it’s probably the starter, and it was damaged by the bad batteries.

Much good advice from others on this thread.

Electrical components are designed to withstand a maximum current (amps). Electrical assemblies demand power in watts. When voltage drops (as with a bad battery), the current draw will increase in order to deliver the demanded wattage.
when the current draw increases beyond the designed max, components get damaged.

So repeated starts with a bad battery can cause either the starter, the solenoid, the battery cables or all of the above to get damaged.

[John T]

Did you check the air in the tires?

[Insaneride]

I bet it's the ignition bearings

[N2 Welding]

I bet it's the ignition bearings

Could be low on blinker fluid.

[elgie]

Back in the days before recorded time, the starter solenoid or relay would bypass the ignition resistor going to the distributor. I think that went the way of the dinosaur with electroninc ignitions.

[motolife313]

Distributor has nothing to do with the starter. Never heard that one before.

Ok maybe it’s ignition to the positive post on the battery lol and then it will fire if you turn the starter or bump start a stick shift

[farmersammm]

Moto............... this is the last I gotta say on the matter https://www.freeasestudyguides.com/e...%20read%20zero.

Quit messin' around, and do a proper test. It's about as easy as falling off a log.

[bigb]

Check the big 4/0 wire that leaves the passenger side battery and heads to the starter, The cable assembly on these trucks does not last forever, if there is corrosion on that 4/0 cable you can bet it runs several inches into the end where you can't see it and you can have brand new fully charged batteries but not enough current will reach the starter. The cable assembly is discontinued by Ford and choices are aftermarket which AFAIK only 1 company makes and real pricey, or make your own.
As far as all the talk about the solenoid, 2001 has a fender mounted solenoid which only costs a few bucks, starting in 2002 it went to an ice cube relay under the dash.
As far as battery replacement, always replace both batteries at the same time with the same batteries in a dual battery system, even the owner's manual will tell you that.

[BaTu]

As far as all the talk about the solenoid, 2001 has a fender mounted solenoid which only costs a few bucks, starting in 2002 it went to an ice cube relay under the dash.

Not to nit-pic

But he says he has an '01 and some '01's do have that starter relay under the hood, and some don't (post #18 & 21).

I think everything else's been said before, not sure it's getting through though...

[bigb]

Not to nit-pic

But he says he has an '01 and some '01's do have that starter relay under the hood, and some don't (post #18 & 21).

I think everything else's been said before, not sure it's getting through though...

wasn't aware of that....wonder if they were late 2001 production

[BaTu]

I guess....

But that's why I tell people that there's no such thing as a 2001 wiring diagram, figure out which version you have and use either a 2000 or a 2002

[bcguide]

These are my pet peeve. If I saw them on a truck it would be the first thing I'd fix.
Next I'd check that your alternator is charging at an idle.
A bad alt will with batteries not fully charged will ruin your starter.

[John T]

you guys realize you are talking to the wall right?