bugman114

Hi, yall. This is my first post, and my first ford. It is a 1988 F-150 with a 302 5.0L fuel injected, with a 4 speed MANUAL tranny. I bought it for $300 from an old lady who knew nothing about it. ANy way when i tried to start it, it just cranked. I replaced the rear (has two tanks) fuel pump, and i got fuel pressure. But stilll just cranked. Then i replaced the Computer (the one against the body on the drivers side next to the pedals). I also replaced the solinoid, and the battery cables. I made sure all of the wires on the solenoid were in the right place, because i compared it to a friends truck.

Any way when i went to start it, it started but there was a short and chunks of the battery cable were flying everywhere, and it was smoking from the cables, so i shut it off. It was only running for a few seconds. Now when i go to crank it it sounds like the starter is grinding against metal, almost like it broke the starter gear or something. Any ideas.


Oh, and i know someone is going to ask, but i chose the name bugman, because i am deep into restoring old aircooled VW beetles. I own 3 beetles, and the only reason i have this ford, is because there is NO RUST anywhere on the body, and NO DENTS, which i found to be amazing, and i couldn't bear to sell such a great looking truck ( i was selling for $500, but i just couldn't).

thefonz

I would pull the starter, look at its gears and bench test it. Also check the flywheel teeth. Once you get it back to where it will crank, if it still doesn't start you need to verify spark and fuel.

bugman114

Hi, yall. I replaced the starter, starter solenoid, and alternator (tested bad). The only thing i need to know now it how the wires hook up to the solenoid. When i bought the truck the wires were off, and i had it on, but when the whole thing shorted, i left them off. Anyway i need to know how they hook up to the solenoid. I have the small ignition wire hooked up, i just need to know how the:
-battery cable
-starter motor cable
-two other clusters of wires

I need to know how these go hooked up on the solenoid. A pic would be great, or just explain. Thanks

thefonz

Battery positive to left side of solenoid, right side goes to starter. The only wire on the right side should be the one going to the starter.

bugman114

cool, i was actualy went to a junkyard, and thats pretty much how they had it. they had the starter cable on terminal closest to the front of the truck, and the wire cluster and battery cable on the terminal farthest from the truck. I just wired it, and i still have to hook up the alternator, and then i'll see if it startes and runs. I'll let yall know what happens (assuming i dont die in some firey explosion, because of wires shorting :)