Solenoid

joel.beamish · Jul 27, 2009

Hello everyone. Love this forum, has been a great help to me. This is my first Ford truck, a 77 F-150 4x4, short bed, 351M, C6 trans, 9in. rear, Dana 44 front. My question is this: What causes the solenoid to keep dying? This is my third one in 6 months. When I try to crank over the engine, all I hear is a ratcheting sound. This is getting annoying. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

bronc76 · Jul 28, 2009

check to see if solenoid is properly grounded to fender, are there any accessories that are ran to solenoid? might be a bad wiring connection in starting circuit.

joel.beamish · Jul 29, 2009

bronc76 said:
check to see if solenoid is properly grounded to fender, are there any accessories that are ran to solenoid? might be a bad wiring connection in starting circuit.

Thanks, I will look into those ideas.

joel.beamish · Jul 30, 2009

Would it be making the ratcheting sound if the starter was bad?

bronc76 · Jul 30, 2009

When you say ratcheting sound, you clicking sound from solenoid?

joel.beamish · Jul 31, 2009

bronc76 said:
When you say ratcheting sound, you clicking sound from solenoid?

Yes, the solenoid is clicking like a big dog, but no juice is getting to the starter.

bronc76 · Jul 31, 2009

If you had problems with solenoid before, i doubt that the starter is bad since it starts after you install new solenoids. The motor can go bad in starter if you can hear the drive engaging the flywheel with a 'click'. I maybe wrong on this theory but have you asked someone if the voltage regulator has something to do with the solenoid going bad?

John Eversoll · Aug 4, 2009

bronc76 said:
If you had problems with solenoid before, i doubt that the starter is bad since it starts after you install new solenoids. The motor can go bad in starter if you can hear the drive engaging the flywheel with a 'click'. I maybe wrong on this theory but have you asked someone if the voltage regulator has something to do with the solenoid going bad?

B I N G O """"""""""/////John

joel.beamish · Aug 6, 2009

John Eversoll said:
B I N G O """"""""""/////John

( The starter is not engaging at all. There is no click from the starter. I have checked the wires and grounds, the solenoid has been replaced, and the voltage regulator. The battery needs a charge, but when I put a booster pack or jumper cables on it, the volts read in the 12 to 14 range. The solenoid keeps clicking, and I am losing my mind.

bronc76 · Aug 6, 2009

ignition switch?

joel.beamish · Aug 10, 2009

bronc76 said:
ignition switch?

Thank you for all the great ideas. I got the problem fixed. I took the battery in to Advance Auto to have it tested and charged, and get an ignition switch. The clerk tested the battery and it was good and charged. He also told me that I should clean the terminals and connectors, it could be a bad connection. I cleaned them and the damn truck started right up. Can you believe it??? :wacko: Thank you for all your help, I am sure that I will be picking your brains again real soon. This issue is closed out.