Scotty, Help! I have a 1997 Ford F250 HD 2 wheel drive, 5 speed manual with the 5.8 gas engine, with around 230,000 miles. I've owned this truck over 6 years. Kept good maintenance. Recently replaced spark plugs, plug wires, distributor cap and rotor. Oil change and fuel filter replaced. Recently, it wouldn't start. You turn the key and you can hear a clunk. Replaced starter twice, selenoid, and new battery. Still goes "clunk". You can feel the starter clunk when somebody else turns the ignition on. Replaced the main frame to battery ground wire. Still goes clunk. Replaced the main positive wire. Still goes clunk. It started and ran fine until it went clunk. It will roll start within a short distance. Engine runs fine. I'm stumped....Please Help
Well for some reason you're probably not getting enough power to the. If you can roll start at the engine is not locked up. So anything from a weak ignition switch to wiring between the switch and the starter can make it just go clunk and not start including even a bad ground cable on the engine
You replaced the frame-to-battery cable, but is the frame-to-engine cable OK? The positive battery cable? Even if they look good at a glance and accessories work there could be corrosion inside. Does the starter work if you hot-wire it briefly direct to the battery? (If you do this be sure not to make the final connection at the battery, you don't want a spark there.)
