We have had this truck for a little over 2 years. Not driven it much... But have changed out the fuel tank for a brand new one, replaced the radiator with a better one (not new, but used) and have now just changed the power steering pump yesterday.
My husband isn't really mechanically inclined when it comes to his truck yet.. but he's willing to learn! We got a chiltons manual (if thats how its spelled...) but he has lost it this last year.
We have been having 1 new problem with the truck that we've never had before.. It has ALWAYS started up on a dime. Easily.. no problems.
My husband recently drove it home about 80 miles the other day with it overheating every 20 minutes or so... (powersteering pump was out, so the belt wasn't attached to the fan to cool the engine/radiator) It got home fine..
Now when he went and installed the powersteering pump, it wouldn't start. It turned and turned, but wouldn't fire. The spark plugs were changed out 2 years ago..
We got it going by bypassing the solenoid... (he also tried charging the battery at the same time by jumping it with our van, so now I'm confused as to what made it start...)
We hot wired it, basically and got it started.
Let it run for about 20 minutes, and it was just fine! Drove it around the block no problem.
BUT- after her turned it off, I told him to try to start it up with the key again.... and it started right up without the bypassing of the solenoid...WTF?
Do you think the solenoid is going out..?? I told him he shouldnt have tried jumping the truck battery AND bypass the solenoid starting at the same time... because now we don't know if it was the battery, or the solenoid.
ANY OPINIONS!??? We don't have any additional money to bring the thing into the shop right now, and would like to do any fixing on our own.
OH YEAH.. and the wiring is crapily done. It could be something with that as well.. Im really not sure where HALF of the wires go in this thing. It's so badly done..1977 Ford F150 starting problems.. And other Misc. questions?
My assumption from afar is the battery was low.
If the truck starts easily, measure the voltage across the battery when you crank it and when it starts. The cranking volts should be higher than 9 volts and the running volts should be higher than 13.5 volts.
If it isn't starting very well or at all with the key, but does bypassing the solenoid, the small wire on the solenoid should have battery voltage when the key is in the start position. If it does, solenoid is probably bad.1977 Ford F150 starting problems.. And other Misc. questions?
Connected to your starter solinoid, on the passenger side inner fender is a small black wire, that has a lumo on it (fusable link) This wire under the lump can be and probably is corroded. change this wire, will probably fix the problem.1977 Ford F150 starting problems.. And other Misc. questions?
you need to throw the chiltons manual in the garbage,get either a motors or haynes.
then replace the battery.
for the wiring, go to alldata.com1977 Ford F150 starting problems.. And other Misc. questions?
this is easy clean your battery cables and your solenoid connections that should do it but just make sure you put everything back on the way it came dirty connections cause alot of resistance so cleaning them should do it
