So I go to start my truck today, leaving the donut shop, and it does nothing. You know, the "I twist the key in the ignition as hard as possible and it does nothing?" type of deal? Well, today I try to start my truck leaving the donut shop and it doesn't do anything. Usually after it won't start I just turn the key again and it fires, but this time I turned the key about 20-30 times and no start. So I found some wire and hotwired the starter from the engine compartment.

First of all, the strange thing is that after I drive a few miles and turn it off, I try to start it again and the thing fires right up. Since then today it's started fine 4 times. How that works, I have no idea; maybe I had a bad connector to the started solenoid? I don't see how the connector could have been bad, but oh well...

Anyways, now that it's left me stranded once I figure that it'd be good for me to go and replace whatever is giving me the problem. It's only once done the same thing before, but that was a bad reverse-neutral switch and I replaced it. (Although coming to think of it, it was probably the stupid switch just acting up again... Had I thought of wiggling the shifter stick, the ignition would have probably worked... )

Long story short, how do I discern between the ignition switch/ the starter relay/ the reverse-neutral safety switch? And could a bad reverse-neutral switch result in a key that still works but is just harder to turn?

Thank's for any help. Next time I'll remember to wiggle the tranny shifter before I go through the trouble...

 

Get a 12 volt test light. When it won't start, clip the test light lead to the small terminal on the starter and stick the pointy end in the negative battery terminal. Hit the key. If the light lights, you have power to the starter. If not, keep working back up the chain until you get a light.

 

Well, I had the same exact problem as you on and old ford tractor. Would do nothing at the switch, So you always had to short the starter ou to get it to run, then when the motor warmed a little, it worked just fine. My best guess would be the starter relay(because this solved my problem with tractors) then the nuetral safety switch. I would try what wannadiesel said, which will find your problem the most reliable way. I have never had this problem with any truck. So I really dont have a clue. But I will try and help you.
Wheelo

 

I am having the same problem with mine, but the most that it has ever went without starting was maybe 2 or three tries. I assume the previous owner had the same problem and bought an ignition switch but he never put it in, so I have a new ignition switch, but hate to go to the trouble of trying to put it in if that isn't the problem. Especially since it is alot easier to change the starter relay. If it does happen to not start one day, I am just going to try jumping the starter relay and if that doesn't work I guess that it's the switch.


Chris

 

I was experiencing the same problem; the battery was good, but I would turn the key and nothing happened. Coming back later to try again, it fired right up. Then no problems for a while, until it did it again and left me stranded in a shopping center.

I replaced the starter relay and that solved my problem. It is located on the front driver-side wheel well, near the grid heater connections. Only a few dollars from the local parts store. Good Luck!