On Mon, 11 Feb 2013 09:08:02 -0800, Larry Jaques
wrote:

On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 22:15:47 -0800, Gunner
wrote:

My roommate has a '97 F250 7.2L gas, XLT 4 door pickup with a starter
problem.

7.5L V-8 gas?


She hits start..the starter solenoid on the fender well clicks..no
start.

I shorted across the primary power leads of the starter solenoid..no
start.

I had her hold the key in the start position and crawled underneith
and shorted across the two big nuts on the starter.... and it started.

Huh? Ford starters normally have one wire only to the starter. Are
you sure this wasn't a Chebby?

The Ford solenoid (starter relay) is fender-mounted and supplies hot
only when engaged. Crossing the battery cable should have turned it
over if it wasn't a starter problem.


I didnt think at the time to measure the small red wire power to the
solenoid ON the starter and only realized it as I sat down to type
this..damnit. I should know better..sigh

Yeah, the small wire energizes the coil for the bendix. Shorting
between the two large nuts should have -spun- the starter, not started
the truck. Very strange setup.

I was a Ford man but got out of the bidness in '86 with the back
injury.


Assuming there is a start signal TO the bendix solenoid "coil"...can
they be repaired or is a starter replacement required.

I used to be pretty damned good at this sort of thing..the
stroke...shrug


Hell..I cant even remember the name for the coil that drives the
bendix.

That would normally be the starter solenoid. Energizing the coil will
kick the bendix out to engage the ring gear and the contacts at the
back of the solenoid (which are closed by the kick-in) will spin-up
the starter. The way you tested it showed that the solenoid on the
starter is bad. Go with a lifetime-guaranteed rebuilt starter &
solenoid combo from Autozone. I had semi-bad luck with most rebuilds
from most shops until I found those. It's a new solenoid on a rebuilt
starter, with new bushings and freshly turned commutator.


Or am I missing something? This LOOKs like a basic starter with
switch operated solenoid ON the starter...powered by the small red

Huh! Why did Ford go to chebby-style starters?


wire...but come to think of it..that fender mounted solenoid...wtf?

Good question. Backup relay for the starter?!? Has Ford cut their
costs by hiring Chebby engineers? shudder
By the description that is starting to come together hear, I would
say the contacts in the sterter mounted solenoid (apply solenoid)
have failed. The fender mounted starter solenoid switch and the
starter mounted starter apply solenoid are connected in series. With
the key in the start position, the fender mounted solenoid (relay)
pulls in and sends power down the heavy wire to the starter, and the
starter mounted apply solenoid pulls in, pre-engaging the starter
drive. It is SUPPOSED to also connect the power from the stud with the
battery cable on it to the stud where the starter fields connect to
the solenoid - but it doesn't - so jumping the 2 big contacts on the
starter with the starter relay energized starts the truck.

Almost certain there is a problem in the starter apply solenoid that
can be repaired by replacing the starter mounted apply solenoid.

Clear as mud now?????