2001 F250 7.3L Turbo Diesel won't start

The batteries appear to be ok. (Tested with volt-ohm meter.) But the key just clicks once when trying to start the engine. Lights dim some. How can we test what to see if the solenoid and/or starter is the problem? It appears to be the original starter on the truck. There was a small spark when we layed a screw driver across the 2 front posts but did not try to start it while it was jumped, or is it supposed to start by itself just because it is jumped? Bad starter?

If you jump the solenoid it sound like the starter I would pull it and carry up to napa or another part store and have them check it they can check and see if it is bad. but it sound to me like the starter I would start there first and make sure your ground is good

Jim

I would have the batteries tested. They go out in an instant and they will have power but when you apply a load they drop to 8 volts. It is way easier to take out the batteries than the starter so that is where I would start.

You mentioned you checked the batteries with a meter but did you check the voltage while trying to start the truck? If you have 14volts with the starter than disregard what I said. LOL.

I just had to put brushes in the starter on my powerstroke (240,000 miles).

Similar symptoms, but the truck would still start sometimes.

Now it's good as new.

Greg

Sounds as if there is low voltage. Do a LOAD TEST on the batteries, if that checks OK, take a good look at all battery connections, they MUST remain CLEAN. As has been mentioned, a battery will fail at an instant, especially if any of the plates get together, and if one of the batteries is bad it will soon over tax the other along with your alternator, trying to charge into a short! I would think if the starter was at fault, it would either indicate a short (big spark or big drain) or nothing at all. In my experiences, for what it's worth, if the starter solenoid "rattles", it usually a sign of low voltage being supplied to it.

Just mu $0.02,
Dave.

Thanks guys. When you put the key in and try to start it just makes one click sound. The lights do dim though. I guess I will pull the batteries and go on down to autozone to get them tested. I bought both batteries new in July 2007.

Ok, the one click is coming from what looks like a relay or solenoid on the passenger side of the fender. There does not seem to be any power going to the starter. I put a screw driver across the 2 front terminals and only got a little spark, nothing else happened. The front headlights are strong and do not dim when trying to start. Should I try replacing that relay on the fender or do you all think it is the starter? Battery is 11 v on pass side and 12 v on driver side. ????
Nick

need to do a load test on batterys yes the solenoid on the firewall or relay could be bad have someone try to start it and hold the key in start and take some voltage test after the relay all the way down to the starter. voltage on the battery sometimes shows good but under a load will drop to low even with head lights you can't sometime tell

Well that was a waste of $40. Put a new relay in, still does the same thing...one side of the relay has power and then the other also after the key is turned on to start it. Starter does not seem to have power going to it though when checked at the starter??? Guess I will through some more $$ at it and get a new starter...

ProStreetFairlane wrote:Ok, the one click is coming from what looks like a relay or solenoid on the passenger side of the fender. There does not seem to be any power going to the starter. I put a screw driver across the 2 front terminals and only got a little spark, nothing else happened. The front headlights are strong and do not dim when trying to start. Should I try replacing that relay on the fender or do you all think it is the starter? Battery is 11 v on pass side and 12 v on driver side. ????
Nick

Pull the batts. and have them tested, if one batt. is bad, it will pull the other one down!! 11 or 12 volts tells me both are weak or one is killing the other!!! Unless they need charging, 11 or 12 volts aint enough.

Ok, let me get this straight. You went and started replacing parts and you haven't even had you batteries tested yet (which is free)? Why don't you throw some cash my way if you just want to throw it away. The batteries are always the first thing to go that's why I suggested starting there. Your multi meter test does shit for load testing a battery other than telling you your battery is fubar with 11 and 12 volts.

Battery is 11 v on pass side and 12 v on driver side. ????

They should be 13-14 volts not 11. BTW,You need to replace both batteries at the same time as well.

12.66 is 100% charge on a 12v batt.

even at 12.0 volts they should at least attempt to roll the engine over.

My bet is the starter is dead............as I suggested.

richter69 wrote:12.66 is 100% charge on a 12v batt.

even at 12.0 volts they should at least attempt to roll the engine over.

My bet is the starter is dead............as I suggested.

While I agree it could be either I disagree with your statement. The no-load voltage has absolutely no indication on what is happening under load. When the batteries went out on my 2003 7.3l it had the exact same problems as described. The battery went out on my daughters explorer last week and showed 12v on the meter but would drop to nothing with a load (re. starter). When the batteries went out on my buddies 01 7.3l it did the exact same thing. Heck I changed the battery in my 56 this week and it would show 12+ volts till I hit the starter and the voltage drops out to 9 and won't even turn over the little 302 in it.

Autozone, Pepboys, Napa etc all load test batteries for free and they are a heck of a lot easier to get out than the starter so that sounds like the easiest place to start.

You misunderstood what i was saying, the 12.66 is a no load number, anything over that is a surface charge.

Battery's should be load tested, simple voltage number just reflects state of charge.

Battery volt drop while starter engaged will tell the tale.................stuff is hard to tell a fella how to test or repair over the net........

richter69 wrote:You misunderstood what i was saying, the 12.66 is a no load number, anything over that is a surface charge.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I did a quick search on diesel starter draws and this is what I found.

From Alldata:
Current Draw Under Normal Load 230-630 Amps
Max. Load 2400 Amps
No Load 170 Amps Max.

450-475 amps is what i used to measure

Holy cow, I never would have guessed it to be that high.

Yeah on a cold engine is pretty good, throw in the 200amps the glow plugs are sucking and now you understand why 2 Batterys are needed lol.

Heck, after I replaced the brushes in my starter, I bench tested it with my 175 amp battery charger. It pegged the ammeter on the charger and the motor didn't spin very fast at all.

I was really worried that the starter was dead.

After I put the starter back in the truck, it spun the engine over so fast it was unbelieveable. I think for the last year I've been running the starter on two brushes (instead of 4) and the starter was only half strength.

Throwing parts at this problem is going to end up costing you $$$$$$$.

Deliberate testing will get you the resluts you need without wasting bread.

Greg

Jasonf, I DID replace both batteries in July 2007 as I said. Both say just over 12 v. I am getting them tested at AZone today. I don't think it is the batteries but we will see.
Nick

I have one that won't start either. It'll spin over great, just won't fire.... It's not my daily driver so I'll keep plugging away at it.

batteries load tested fine. Must be the starter as I originally suspected. Well, I "hope" it is and not the computer

I would pull starter and carry it and have it checked that will tell you witch way you need to go to me it sound like the starter as I said earlier I now some starter is harder to pull than other but it only takes the time to pull it and have it check instead of $$$$ spent for no reason.

ProStreetFairlane wrote:batteries load tested fine. Must be the starter as I originally suspected. Well, I "hope" it is and not the computer

If it is just clicking I don't see why it would be the computer.

jbozzelle wrote:I have one that won't start either. It'll spin over great, just won't fire.... It's not my daily driver so I'll keep plugging away at it.

Check the fuses under the hood! Mine did that and it was the heater located in the bottom of the fuel filter housing. Apparently got a short in it, so I just disconnected it and replaced the fuse, ran good as new. don't need a fuel heater here in La. anyway!!!

Thanks dirtbogger. I'll check that. My dad's Excursion recently had a bad PCM relay. If I can't find it I'll have the local shop find it for me. Once I do that it's going up for sale.




ProStreetFairlane - pull that starter and have it checked. I had a starter that I suspect was killing batteries on my 2001. I went through 4 batteries in 3 years. Once the starter was changed the battery problem seemed to go away. It's easy to pull the starter.

So I put in the new starter today after 4 days of rain. Starts right up...happy! However, the little battery light is lit up on the dash. Now what? Anyone? Batteries tested fine. Put in a new relay. Alternator??