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ginga
Novice

Jun 15, 2009, 6:51 AM

Post #1 of 10 (1321 views)
Please Help Me Sign In

1976 Ford E-350 460 cubic inch. Motorhome.Will not start.Replaced starter and solenoid.When i turn key Nothing not even a click.Battery is fully charged,but for some reason it is losing its charge.And the solenoid for the aux battery is hot on the neg.side.Pretty sure i have a short somewhere but don't know where to begin looking.I am at th end of my rope with this thing


Loren Champlain Sr
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Loren Champlain Sr profile image

Jun 15, 2009, 3:58 PM

Post #2 of 10 (1314 views)
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ginga; With the 460, you may have two starter solenoids. One on the fenderwell near the main battery, and one on the starter. Double check all of your connections, including the ground cable at the engine block. If you really do have 'hot' on the negative side of the battery, get out the fire extinguisher. This should NOT be hot. Pirate
Fords tend to have more connection problems than most. Remove and clean all four battery terminals. Remove the negative cables first and connect them last. Even if they 'look' clean. Check the connections at the solenoids. They tend to work loose. And,they get corroded where you can't see. Batteries; Batteries can be fully charged (13.2V) but still not have enough cranking amperage to turn over the engine. Have them load tested. Good luck.
Loren
SW Washington


ginga
Novice

Jun 15, 2009, 6:09 PM

Post #3 of 10 (1307 views)
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Loren: I have 3 solenoids on the ford.one for the starter,one for the main battery and one for the aux.battery,the neg. cable on the aux solenoid is the one that gets hot.i took out that battery.Now what is doing is that something seems to be draining the main battery,i can put it on acc.and listen to the radio,then it just goes dead.Will come right back on with a jump,but when i go to try to start it all i get is a click.Do you think it could be the voltage regulator.
Ginga


Loren Champlain Sr
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Jun 15, 2009, 6:33 PM

Post #4 of 10 (1306 views)
Re: Please Help Me Sign In

ginga; The auxillary battery is for just that. Lighting, ect. You should be able to completely disconnect that battery and still start and run the vehicle. If that terminal is getting hot, there is a drain somewhere. I'd still have the main battery tested as it shouldn't run down that quickly. Just re-read your post. Make certain that the cables going to the aux. battery are insulated so that they can't touch anything. You can disconnect the negative cable from the main battery and connect a test light between the battery cable and the negative post of the battery. If it lights brightly, that will tell you that there is a 12V drain in the system. It won't tell you how much amperage is being drawn, however.
Although rare, you can unplug the voltage regulator and see if the drain goes away.
Loren
SW Washington


ginga
Novice

Jun 16, 2009, 1:53 AM

Post #5 of 10 (1293 views)
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 Thanks Loren.I will give it a try.I am at the end of my rope with this thing.Will keep you informed.


(This post was edited by ginga on Jun 16, 2009, 1:55 AM)


ginga
Novice

Jun 17, 2009, 2:00 AM

Post #6 of 10 (1282 views)
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Loren: Here is the latest update from yesterday.When i turn the ignation to acc.everything works,but when i turn it to on i lose everything,try to start it and nothing.going to take the battery and have it tested today,thinking it might be the ignition switch.When i jump the battery and try to start it all i get is a click.Also is there supposed to be a wire going to the solenoid on the starter?? there wasn't one when i replaced the starter.


Loren Champlain Sr
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Jun 17, 2009, 12:17 PM

Post #7 of 10 (1275 views)
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ginga; Just checked. The starter does not have a solenoid mounted on it. The only 'wire' will be the cable coming from the battery. There is a solenoid (should be mounted near the main battery) that 'triggers' when you go to the 'start' mode. If you are hearing a 'click' when you turn the ignition to 'start', that would eliminate the ignition switch. What you are describing, sounds like a bad battery, bad connection, or Heaven forbid, a seized engine.Unsure
Loren
SW Washington

(This post was edited by Loren Champlain Sr on Jun 17, 2009, 12:19 PM)


ginga
Novice

Jun 17, 2009, 2:12 PM

Post #8 of 10 (1269 views)
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Loren: Thanks for your help.I finally got a hold of my old mechanic.He is coming over after he gets out of court to try to figure it out.The thing ran fine for me when i bought it.Drove it home then went out 3 days in a row and it started just fine.On the 4h day i tried to start it and i thought i saw a little puff of smoke come up from under the hood on the right side,then absouletely nothing.It was dead.and has been ever since.God I am hoping the engine didn't freeze up.Would it do that after starting fine and running fine then nothing??? Oh and that starter did have a solenoid on it but no small wires were attached to it.Just the main feed from the battery.


Loren Champlain Sr
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Jun 17, 2009, 3:17 PM

Post #9 of 10 (1264 views)
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This is what the starter should look like, according to my database. No solenoid. Just a terminal for the battery (from solenoid) cable. The 'little puff' of smoke could be electrical (poor connection), exhaust leak, or from the carb/throttle body if it 'backfired'. If and when you get this running, I'd have the charging system checked along with connections and have the system checked for a possible drain.
Loren
SW Washington


ginga
Novice

Jun 17, 2009, 9:20 PM

Post #10 of 10 (1258 views)
Re: Please Help Me Sign In

Loren: The starter didn't look like that.It does have solenoid attached to it and a heat shield over it,here were no wires attached to the solenoid on the starter,My mechanic is coming over today.Hopefully he can figure it out.I would like to get in a little camping before winter sets in.Will keep you informed on any progress.AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP






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