# 04 F350 wont crank



## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

So about to shove off friday night to commence ops and low and behold, my plow shorts out my truck AGAIN. I find the frayed wire, repair it, then replace the fuse it tripped, ok, back to normal. Truck runs fine for 30 minutes, then shuts down again. Same fuse, but it can't be the same wire. Anyway, I take the plow off the truck, back it away, then shut it off. Go to move it again, and nada. all lights come on as normal, but zero ignition. All light testable fuses are good. Not sure how to test the relays though. Ive also heard rumors that a loose shifter lever can short the ignition out, (which I have). First need to get it running, then need to bullet proof this set up before next storm, I lost a cpl thousand dollars last storm not having it available. As far as the plow is concerned, I'm buying fresh wire plow side to install please advise


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

you ck all the fuses under the dash? did you look at the trans range sensor,,,see if its burnt etc...
as far as plow shorting out the tk,,,,where do you have the plow "hotwire" hooked into?


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

dieselss;1594674 said:


> you ck all the fuses under the dash? did you look at the trans range sensor,,,see if its burnt etc...
> as far as plow shorting out the tk,,,,where do you have the plow "hotwire" hooked into?


The plow first time had a loose connection at the pump on the positive. The second time it had a frayed sheath on a wire to a solinoid. The truck fuses check out, but the relays I dont know how to test. Have not looked at the trans range sensor. Ill have to look that up because I have no idea what that is.Truck was running tops before I hooked the farkin plow to it.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Might be the signal wire to starter as well. Might need to crawl under there and test light the small wire at the starter while someone "cranks" it.


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

Anything else, I'm going to start working on it today...


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

You could psi wash it underneath if you wanted to. Lol


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

dieselss;1594849 said:


> You could psi wash it underneath if you wanted to. Lol


Gee thanks.. I'm actually taking the bed off in the spring and making a flat bed dump body. I'll be scraping and undercoating the frame when I do that.


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

Netural switch wont let it start either
Get a code reader see if showing any codes


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

Antlerart06;1594885 said:


> Netural switch wont let it start either
> Get a code reader see if showing any codes


Thats why I mentioned the loose shifter.... Dash is showing no codes, maybe a flike?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Just b/c s.e.s ain't on don't mean no codes. 
When you put into rev, do you get b-up lights??


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

dieselss;1594906 said:


> Just b/c s.e.s ain't on don't mean no codes.
> When you put into rev, do you get b-up lights??


Will check on that today.


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

Cant get the truck into reverse without it starting. Lights do not dim when keyed so no power going to starter. Switched out the starter relay with another one, and no luck there either. Checked fuse number 2 and that is good. All other fuses have been checked. Pulled steering column open, and no frayed wires. Havent been under the truck yet.


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## lilpusher (Nov 16, 2009)

ducaticorse;1595710 said:


> Cant get the truck into reverse without it starting. Lights do not dim when keyed so no power going to starter. Switched out the starter relay with another one, and no luck there either. Checked fuse number 2 and that is good. All other fuses have been checked. Pulled steering column open, and no frayed wires. Havent been under the truck yet.


I'd check why you can't get it to shift to reverse. With key on you should be able to run through the gears. The shift position sensor may be causing your problems


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

X2 on lil.pusher. should be able to get it outta park with 1 or 2 turns of the key foot on brake I assume ?


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

Cool, I'll look into that. Is this the neutral safety/trans position sensor switch?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes. But that's not Gunna stop you from going into gear. Not 100%. On the ford autos,,,but gm you can turn key one click and go into any gear,,,even without pressing in the brake


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## theholycow (Nov 29, 2002)

lilpusher;1595734 said:


> I'd check why you can't get it to shift to reverse. With key on you should be able to run through the gears. The shift position sensor may be causing your problems


I'm not familiar with Ford's sensor but I can't imagine that it would prevent shifting. I would look at the key cylinder, its linkages, etc.

If it wasn't concurrent with the not starting, I'd say not being able to shift is a matter of the brake-shift interlock or brake switch, but I doubt any of that would affect starting (unless the Ford requires you to step on the brake while starting, the newest Ford I've driven was a 2002 and it didn't).

Or it could be two separate problems, possibly the brake-shift interlock got screwed up while poking around looking for the starting problem.

I would definitely be probing stuff with a meter or test light...start with the ignition, accessory, and starter wires near the steering column, probe them while operating the key cylinder. You can look them up at the12volt.com or a similar site by looking for remote starter wire colors, or at a remote starter manufacturer's site (Bulldog Security's site usually has good info), or of course in a factory service manual. If everything checks out near the key cylinder then follow the system and probe it at other places to make sure it's live where it needs to be live. I assume you've already probed the input to the solenoid (relatively small wire I imagine)?

Are you sure the truck is in Park? If the shift linkage is messed up, and depending on where the neutral safety sensor is, the truck could be in gear and the starting system is working properly.


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

ducaticorse;1594893 said:


> Thats why I mentioned the loose shifter.... Dash is showing no codes, maybe a flike?


Can even be the shifter cable They known break the clips at the tranny I have replace one when it was broke You couldnt get it out of park you had crawl under it and put cable back in holder
If you get it out of park it should start in netural


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

It was the starter solenoid. Come on guys no one entioned that!!!!


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

ducaticorse;1595926 said:


> It was the starter solenoid. Come on guys no one entioned that!!!!


A starter solenoid

If you couldnt run thru the gears I wouldnt think starter solenoid be the problem 
But on these trucks who knows any more

Glad you have it fix


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

Thank you all for the help!


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## theholycow (Nov 29, 2002)

I can't speak for anyone else but I thought that's what you meant by this:



ducaticorse;1595710 said:


> Switched out the starter relay with another one, and no luck there either.


Technically the "starter solenoid" is not a solenoid at all, it is actually a relay, but it's traditionally called "solenoid" in the starting system (and many, though not the ones on a Ford, ARE a solenoid as well as a relay), so I figured that's what you were talking about. Is there another relay that you replaced?

Those Ford starter solenoids are the first thing I check, using the old suicidal "short it with a screwdriver" trick that throws sparks everywhere. They seem more failure-prone than others, but on the other hand they're cheap and so easy to replace (unlike the more common ones that are integrated with the starter).

Edit: Come to think of it, the shorting trick isn't conclusive evidence to blame the solenoid anyway. Haven't worked on a Ford in forever.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

4th post. I said you needed to ck the signal wire going to starter while someone cranks it. I never got response back as to result 
Hey,,,its fixed good deal. Gunna fix the plow wiring now ?


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## NBI Lawn (Oct 15, 2007)

Starter solenoid was my guess. Had the same thing happen to me last year.


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

Spoke too soon. Replaced solenoid and still no crank. Super awesome. Can jumpbthe starter and truck runs though.


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

Running. Was the brake sensor switch. Now I have a spare solenoid.


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## theholycow (Nov 29, 2002)

So are you required to step on the brake to start the engine?


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Not that I've ever seen,,,this is baffling batman ??


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## theholycow (Nov 29, 2002)

Well, it's easy to see how the brake sensor switch would be required for the shifting issue, but I can't figure out how it affects the starting issue.


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## Antlerart06 (Feb 28, 2011)

theholycow;1596520 said:


> Well, it's easy to see how the brake sensor switch would be required for the shifting issue, but I can't figure out how it affects the starting issue.


To get it out of Park you have step on the brake
I thought you had to step on the brake to start it 
I cant remember for sure Im trying think last time I drove my Auto F350 Im going check tomorrow


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

Dont need brake to start. BUT you need a functioning brake sensor to start.


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## theholycow (Nov 29, 2002)

How does it know if the brake sensor is functioning or not? Is it more than a simple switch? If a simple switch fails, it's either going to appear to the computer that it's on or off, and it sounds like it should start either way.


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## ducaticorse (Oct 16, 2012)

theholycow;1596757 said:


> How does it know if the brake sensor is functioning or not? Is it more than a simple switch? If a simple switch fails, it's either going to appear to the computer that it's on or off, and it sounds like it should start either way.


I'm assuming it has something to do with the current in the switch. Open or closed. one way the switch interrupts key ignition if it's not functioning correctly. You can still jump the truck on the starter with the key in the run position though. Weird.


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