Hey guys, so check this one out.

went out to my truck, got in, turned the key, everything lights up like normal. turn the key to start, nothing. As in the truck goes into the on setting of the computer, and you can push it to the start spot and you get no noise, clicks or crank. Loads of power, it has a brand new optima yellow top.

Its done it twice on me, only when cold from what i can see.

when i left my gf's last night i went out, turned the key and held it on start. i counted to 4 and suddenly the truck cranked and fired up. turned it off right away, tried it again, fired up like it normally would no delay.


Anybody know whats up with this? its like it has to stop and think about the task at hand before it says OH! i need to start now.


ill see if i can get a video of this.

 

Ignition switch

 

hasnt done it the last 4 times i fired up the truck.

so holding it in start counting to 4 and it starting is the ign switch.

care to explain how you assume that?

 

my 2011 sometimes has issues starting as well. wouldnt start after 4-5 attempts yesterday, i gave it some gas while starting and it finally fired up. hasnt done it to me since.

 

couple months ago when i tried to turn it over i kept hearing a metal on metal sort of grinding or slipping and it wouldnt start. i kept trying until it did start because i have fords 5 year warranty on the truck so i dont really give a **** what i ---- up.

 

maybe i should better explain this. its like getting into a truck or car with manual transmission, and trying to start it without pushing in the clutch. nothing happens when you hold it on start. like nothing as in no noise, no movement. i held it without letting off once, had 4 seconds of silence, and the truck suddenly cranked.

thats something beyond a basic bad connection, or it wouldnt work at all.

 

Bad battery ground? Is the ground cable corroded? Could make it intermittent

What you're describing happens to mine sometimes...I believe its the ground cable that needs replacing.

 

i just cleaned the cables when i put the new battery in.

also today was the coldest in a few weeks and it didnt do it so it must not be temp related.

 

Could be a different ground cable too, not necessarily just the one on the battery.

 

has yet to repeat it so far..

 

you need a new starter. plain and simple. what you have is worn pinion bushings allowing the armature to contact the field coils inside the starter. instead of spinning and pushing the pinion gear out into the flywheel the armature is dropping onto the coil and "sticking" to it. the reason it suddenly starts after holding the key for several seconds? because you are applying constant amperage and the starter will start drawing more and more amperage from the battery until it either starts smoking or turns the armature. why will it start right away sometimes when shut off and turned back on? because the coil and armature are coated in a thin plastic like coating. the armature may not have the coating worn through all the way around, basically it leaves you with a "dead" spot in the stater motor.

 

good to know. it hasnt repeated it in well over a week. when it goes ill have service replace it under warranty.

thanks!

 

no problem

 

Not a starter problem if you don't here a click from your starter relay, plain and simple.

Is your truck an automatic? Sometimes the neutral safety switch is in a dead spot and and the gear shifter is not fully seated in park and it thinks its still in reverse. Thats why you said its similar to not pushing in a clutch. These switches place an open circuit to the starter relay ground. So if the clutch is not pushed in or the automatic transmission is not fully in park or neutral you starter relay won't click and the starter solenoid won't receive power.

Next time it happens wiggle the shifter or put it in neutral to see if it starts.

 

tried dropping it in neutral, no change

 

does not explain why it will sometimes start to crank if the key is held on. this is a super common problem with all makes and models of starters

 

seems to only do it when damp and very cold. im curious if the contacts on the starter are freezing over. amperage heats it and melts the ice.

Again, did it once last week and has been fine since.

 

if it were my truck i would replace the starter

 

yep i will when she finally craps out. no sense doing it now, if it goes before 118,000 its under warranty.