Electrical with no clue

[Matt69olds]

Take a hammer, smack the starter a few times. It’s not uncommon for the solenoid to get stuck, brushes not making good contact, etc. if it starts after hitting it s few times, then you know the starter is the issue.

BTW, this will also sometimes get in tank electric fuel pumps going again, power window motors, etc. If all else fails, get a bigger hammer!

 

[Tyff]

Lol I tried that today and it didn't work deffinitely know there's power there though cause there were Sparks. Went ahead and picked up a new starter today and I'm hoping to put it in tomorrow and hope that's all it is and not a circuit somewhere

 

[75Monza]

One other thing I forgot to ask, if you reach under or from the top, can you turn the motor over by hand? Sure hope you can, I got that surprise once because my temp gauge didn't read right and I may have been a little drunk to notice. Drove home late at night, next morning would not start, did all the same song and dance till I found out motor was seized solid.

 

[75Monza]

One other thing I forgot to ask, if you reach under or from the top, can you turn the motor over by hand? Sure hope you can, I got that surprise once because my temp gauge didn't read right and I may have been a little drunk to notice. Drove home late at night, next morning would not start, did all the same song and dance till I found out motor was seized solid.
Damn, double posting again.

 

[Tyff]

So just put in a brand new starter and still nothing when key is in run. Power everywhere but nothing in run and the ignition switch isn't even a factor because I have put In push button (which is only two wires so can't really be screwed up) one wire from battery to switch and the other to s post on starter per instructions and still nothing

 

[AuroraGirl]

Yeah, take a cable straight from battery positive to the positive on the starter. If nothing happens, you need either a rebuild to an extent or a new starter. Ive tested a 1991 ford ranger this way before.

 

[chengny]

So just put in a brand new starter and still nothing when key is in run. Power everywhere but nothing in run and the ignition switch isn't even a factor because I have put In push button (which is only two wires so can't really be screwed up) one wire from battery to switch and the other to s post on starter per instructions and still nothing

If - as part of your diagnostic procedure - you have already tried a new battery ground cable, you can disregard this post.


Sounds like you've been concentrating only on the hot (positive) side of the system - and you have confirmed power is available everywhere. But for the various circuits in an automotive electrical system to function they need to have a path back to the battery negative. These paths are created by grounding cables.

On your truck there are two grounding cable that connect to the battery negative. One is the engine block ground and the other is the sheet metal ground. The primary purpose of the engine block ground is to complete the starter motor circuit. It is a much heavier gauge wire than the sheet metal ground. One end is connected to the clamp on the battery's negative post and the other end generally terminates with a big ring terminal which is bolted to the alternator bracket. The starter motor windings are internally grounded to the starter casing. The rest of the ground leg back to the battery is: starter casing to engine block, through the block to the alternator bracket, from bracket to the battery negative on the battery's ground cable. Obviously the weak link in this part of the circuit is the cable.

Here's the thing with battery cables; they can sometimes appear to be in great shape as observed for the outside, but under the insulation things may not be so great. Some of the copper conductors may have broken. When enough have separated, it will have an impact on current carrying capacity of the cable.

Anyway, unless the following means that you have already installed a new ground cable:

I have all 10g wires to and from the starter

I would spend the $20 and get a new one. As a test, you can try creating a temporary engine block ground using one side of a pair of jumper cables. Just clamp one end to the battery and the other end to bare metal somewhere on the engine. Try to crank. You probably won't crank fast but if you get anything at all, try a new cable.

BTW - the reason you get dash lights, buzzer and the heater fan is probably because they are grounded to the sheet metal. The gauge lighting and warning buzzer ground to the common ground bus and the blower motor grounds to the firewall. They, among other things, are ultimately grounded to the battery by the smaller black lead that bolts to the radiator support frame.

 

[Battlac40]

Welcome to being a square body owner!
These trucks have their ticks.
I recognize your's, this sounds like your column.
Be gentle with her, she is particular.
Grab the shifter and gently wiggle it up and around.
Try to find the sweet spot and start she will.
The columns on these things are picky.
If you or someone has been rough with her, she is not going to start for you.
Find this spot and remember it. If not you will spend lots of time in parking lots or lots of money buying mystery parts.
Or drop some coin on a column and NSS.

 

[Mark Desaulniers]

I am a master electrician. I have worked in a custom Electric Vehicle shop doing R&D and have a mini farm with plenty of equipment to give me problems. Some may think it's excessive that i clean and apply electrical grease to battery connections and grounds on an annual schedule. The weather in my region is zone 7 and salty fog being coastal with mild winters. Everything is wet from September to May. Anything unprotected corrodes. My shop friends are the following spray cans on a shelf like little soldiers ready for war. LPS, Fluid Film, T9 boeshield, Silicone spray, white lithium, oxide electrical grease ect. All my equipment has high current flexible ground straps bonded to the starter cases, the chassis, and the back of the alternators back to the battery negative. This makes sure the engine critical components are at a negative potential and not being used as a path for current to flow. For this I get starters that engage, alternators that charge and no electrolysis destroying the engine metals. I look at it all like Its a marine environment.

I am sure you gained a fair bit of experience replacing all those components although I will share a lifetime of experience with you in saying that Aristotle, Newton and Occam were on to something when it came to assumptions. The problem with your electrical is most likely simple yet not obvious. It's a 40 year old truck. Time corroded it. Make sure that your starter and solenoid are grounded to the battery with good cleaned and greased connection path. Have a beer break. Use an incandescent lamp tester like an 1156 bulb with 10 feet of #14 wire to the lamp base or soldered to it. Ground the lamp at the starter housing and connect the other lead to the solenoid driver wire at the starer. Put the lamp where you can see it. Turn the Ignition key to the start position. If ya gots no light then It's time for another beer. Then take a 10 foot piece of #12 wire and connect it to the solenoid "S" terminal. Route the other end to the front of the truck. Take another 1 meter(39.4 inches) piece of wire from the battery positive( don"t make sparks around wet cell lead acid batteries) then touch it to the 10 foot wire that goes to the starters "S" terminal. If the starter doesn't engage then have another beer. Cause the starter solenoid has prolly had it. If the starter engages then its one of the other problems mentioned in other members posts. Like broken or burned wire. It is routed close to exhaust manifolds. Neutral safety switch. Switch on the clutch pedal. Ignition switch. A blow fuse for the solenoid driver circuit. Be methodically linear in your process of elimination. This all assumes the battery is charged to its %100 SOC and in good shape (meaning it can deliver the CCA labelled on it)