Starting issue 1985 Ford F-250
50

Asked by J_Suds Jul 04, 2016 at 07:49 PM about the 1985 Ford F-250 XL Standard Cab 4WD LB

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

So one day my old Ford wouldn't start. No click in solonoid,
nothing... I narrowed it down to be an issue somewhere
between ignition and solonoid as I could jump posts on
solonoid to turn it over. Dropped steering column and
noticed ignition switch was pushed all the way back so I
adjusted it and it started right up (one time) then nothing.
So I replace the switch, hook it up and starts right up. Okay
problem solved put her back together! Ugh... I bolt steering
column back up and test it... nothing again so I drop it back
down and nothing still. I have a bright idea of jiggling
steering column back and forth while holding key over and
what do you know it starts again. Well at this point I'm
curious so I do that 3 or 4 more times to see I'd I can see
anything odd and now the starter gets stuck on. I pull the
key still on. Run around to pull the battery cable and now +
side of my battery doesn't show juice with test light and if I
reconnect negative cable the starter starts turning over. Do
I have a bad ground under the dash or what? I'm somewhat
mechanically inclined but I hate troubleshooting electrival
issues.

2 Answers
70,925

Kelly answered 8 years ago

tilt wheel/bulkhead connectors are a common problem... I WOULD PUT A NEW SOLENOID ON IT...THERE INEXPENSIVE...IT CANT HURT...ALSO SPAY EVERYTHG IN STEERING COLUMN AND WORK IT THRU EVERYTHING.. ok...

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50

J_Suds answered 8 years ago

New starter solonoid on firewall already put on if that's what you are referring to. That was first step. I didn't even know I had tilt until I was tightening down steering wheel nut and it dropped a position, thought I had broke it at first . Could that have done something to the connectors. The only wiring that looks questionable is where they spliced in a tekonsha (spelling) trailer brake box into a yellow wire running up the column. They used one of those cheap 2 wire into 1 plastic connectors.

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