94 delayed cranking. Starter, ignition switch, or other?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

SUMMIT CRUISERS said:
Just to update. It's been about a week and truck cranks immediately with every turn of the switch. It is fixed(no delayed starting).
Just to clarify what was done. I know the video I posted appears to be a complete bypass of the solenoid. This I did not do.
As @jvazquez53 mentioned, the ignition switch wire (black with red stripe) goes to the "S" terminal on the Ford solenoid. A 12 volt fused wire goes to one side of the solenoid and another wire then goes directly to the starter solenoid wire connector. I used all 12 gauge black stranded primary wire.
Thanks to everyone who commented on this thread.
Click to expand...

This forum kills me. Had my first delay start this morning. Yesterday beat the rig a tiny bit so it makes sense. Thanks for saving me a considerable amount of time.
 
morganism said:
Some nice relays to consider
https://www.amazon.com/Pack-OLS-Relay-Switch-Harness/dp/B01NBAO1SA/?tag=ihco-20

https://www.amazon.com/OLS-Waterproof-Relay-Switch-Harness/dp/B01N66W2XF/?tag=ihco-20


and connectors for cutting into ignition wires for a push button switch

https://www.amazon.com/Solderless-Quick-Splice-Connector-through/dp/B01N3PYV89/?tag=ihco-20
Click to expand...
These ones look fine, however, we have never used them. They don't look like they can handle the juice like an older, large Ford starter relay. Myself I have used OEM Ford and after almost 10 years, it hasn't failed.
 
johnalex said:
Has anyone taken pictures of where the different wires go into the starter motor?
Click to expand...
There is a picture here, plus a couple of videos on YouTube.
 
Havn't had a delayed start since i cleaned the connections on the ignitor/coil pack, and ran a backup ground wire to the wheel well. I am making sure i have the fan turned off before starting too, but have forgotten a couple times, and is still starting on first pump and full choke.
 
The other plus about using the ford solenoid is that if the ignition switch/trigger wire goes bad, you can easily jump the solenoid with a screwdriver to start the vehicle.
Thanks to @jvazquez53 for this awesome bullet proof mod.
 
Last edited:
Like I said, I have used it since 2007 and never failed me...
 
Anybody have a really good relay they recommend? Seems they are all made in China now. Even the Motorcraft I ordered from O-Reilly's was from China.
 
Bryan E. said:
Anybody have a really good relay they recommend? Seems they are all made in China now. Even the Motorcraft I ordered from O-Reilly's was from China.
Click to expand...
OEM Ford, 1980s-90s
 
No-start free since Feb 1st, 2011.

Ahhh...the crappy memories... use the relay in the link contained in my super old post below. It hasn't failed me and its inexpensive.

roncruiser said:
Screw this s***. I've checked everything, and it's all ended up, in essence, as temporary fixes. This intermittent BS keeps coming back. The wiring in my rig is just old and the ignition switch can't handle the current to activate the starter solenoid. This weekend, I plan to install a relay to the small black wire that activates the starter. This should take care of any current limiting BS in the stock wiring. My woes shall be vanquished!

Had this in my garage for some time now. About time I install it: Painless Performance Products 30202 Painless Hot Shot Relay
Click to expand...
 
roncruiser said:
No-start free since Feb 1st, 2011.

Ahhh...the crappy memories... use the relay in the link contained in my super old post below. It hasn't failed me and its inexpensive.
Click to expand...
After a couple years of hot engine no-start problems, I finally broke down and installed the Painless 30202 this weekend. I really wish I would have started (pun intended) there, rather than all the parts I've thrown at the problem (starter, battery, ignition switch, battery-to-starter cable, fusible link, engine-to-firewall ground cable).

I liked the idea of being able to bypass the relay 'just in case' so I made a trigger wire to carry in the truck (female spade connector on one end connects to the small wire on the starter, ring terminal on the other end to tap on the B+ to start).
 
Yesterday I had the same issues in the OP which led me to this post. I had already ordered a new Denso starter on Amazon ($111) as my friend swore it had to be the starter.

I replaced the starter last night and it fired up instantly. So I drove to get gas. Got back home and shut it off. Then I went to take a video of it starting up to send to my buddy to show him he was right, and nothing. Same issue as before: no cranking whatsoever, not a single click. WTF!?!?!

So I went and found my wire brush and cleaned the heck out of the power wire that bolts on top of the starter. Now it cranks up instantly again.

Fingers crossed that this issue is now resolved. Although I'll likely add the Ford solenoid to my summer maintenance to-do list as a precautionary measure.



This past weekend I had taken the truck to three different hunting spots so it got several mud and deep water baths, so it makes sense that the water and mud might've pushed that weak, corroded connection over the ledge (so to speak).

Now I'm going to take my old starter to a local guy and have him test it, clean it, potentially rebuild it, and then I'll have an OEM spare just in case.

Thanks everyone for the informative posts and links!!
 
After years of tolerating the click...no start. And years of randomly throwing money at the problem (new starter, NSS, fusible links, etc etc). And years of my wife being afraid to get stuck at the Costco gas station again - I decided to try jvazquez53's recommendation.

I used a Cole Hersee solenoid I had laying around and went from an expected click-no start at least once a day to absolutely ZERO. And wouldn't you know it, my wife has decided to take it to work instead of her Tesla tomorrow.
 
MINO said:
After years of tolerating the click...no start. And years of randomly throwing money at the problem (new starter, NSS, fusible links, etc etc). And years of my wife being afraid to get stuck at the Costco gas station again - I decided to try jvazquez53's recommendation.

I used a Cole Hersee solenoid I had laying around and went from an expected click-no start at least once a day to absolutely ZERO. And wouldn't you know it, my wife has decided to take it to work instead of her Tesla tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Yup.
 
malteserunner said:
I agree that this is adding another possible failure point. In turn, a lot of vehicles use a starter relay, as it takes the load off the ignition switch, neutral safety switch, etc.

I used a Bosch style relay, rather than a Ford solenoid, since I think the solenoid is overkill, and the Bosch relay requires less from the original switches and wiring.

If, in the future, the relay were to fail, it would be simple to bypass and diagnose.

Since this mod, the engine cranks instantly, every time, when the ignition switch hits start.
Click to expand...
Do you have a link or details on how you implemented this? I haven't fully ruled out my starter or wiring yet as I can't seem to get the solenoid pin connection off of the starter in order to check how many Volts it is getting on crank. But I want to explore this option vs the Ford Solenoid.
 
jatree said:
Do you have a link or details on how you implemented this? I haven't fully ruled out my starter or wiring yet as I can't seem to get the solenoid pin connection off of the starter in order to check how many Volts it is getting on crank. But I want to explore this option vs the Ford Solenoid.
Click to expand...
I used a standard 4 pin relay. Next to the terminals on the relay, there are numbers, 30, 85, 86, and 87. Connect as follows...

30=fused power to positive battery terminal

85=ground

86=original starter signal wire

87=starter solenoid


1915849
 
Only reason I have used Ford solenoid all these years is that I transferred that "technology from the 60s VWs. I have seen here some modifications that, if they work, that is very good!
 
malteserunner said:
I used a standard 4 pin relay. Next to the terminals on the relay, there are numbers, 30, 85, 86, and 87. Connect as follows...

30=fused power to positive battery terminal

85=ground

86=original starter signal wire

87=starter solenoid
Click to expand...
Thank you!

Although I have a reman Denso 280-0169 that will be going in (original starter, 165k miles), I am seriously considering doing this anyway. I know how to test how much voltage I am getting at the solenoid on crank but have read from people that even while getting battery voltage on that connector while disconnected, that number went way down when connected. How does one even measure that?

Even though in principle I would like to limit my modifications, I am thinking to do one of these options or the third one I read about splicing some wire into the existing connector-wire and leaving it aside as an emergency jumper. I'm just not ready to cut any wires yet!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom