'02 F350 wont even crank!!!

[NVstickbow]

I was driving my '02 f350 today and when I came to a stop sign I could hear a "metallic" sound (kind of?). I stopped to go into a store and when I came back out the truck wouldn't even turn over. When I turn the key on I can hear what I think is a relay clicking (very fast pace) and that is it. All of the lights and everything else works great it just wont turn over. When I turn the key off I can hear a very quiet "thunk" sound like maybe contacts in a relay. The truck has 200,000 miles on it. I have only had the truck for a couple months and have had nothing but problems. The tymar is on it because the factory air cleaner had all of the clamps broken off and they used a drywall screw to hold it together. I've had to replace the glowplugs and relays and it still won't start unless I plug it in. The only codes it threw before today was a "low boost pressure". I love having a F350 PSD again but this thing is driving me nuts.

[230Grain]

I just had the same fast relay clicking and no start issue last week. All I did was clean the battery terminals and I was good to go. Don't know if it will help but it's free. As far as your other problems I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be along shortly. Hope you figure it out.

Sean

[justinmix]

I would start with trying to turn it over by hand. Use a ratchet on the crankshaft dampner bolt and try to turn the engine over.

The way you described it with a metallic sound, followed by not turning over almost sounds like the engines locked up. Depends on how bad that metallic sound was. Was it like a knocking/thumping sound?

If it turns over by hand fine then it's probably just an electrical issue.

[NoRalPh]

"Fast Clicking" is a sure sign of insufficient current available to the relays coil.

Either the whole system is low (batteries or cables) or the grounds/supply to that relay has problems.

Start with monitoring the voltage with a meter connected to the "outlet" (cig ltr) in the cab as you try to start. You can also turn your headlights on and have someone else turn the key. If they're bright at first and then dim drastically with the key it's an indication the battery/connections can't handle the load.

How old are your batteries?

[NVstickbow]

The metallic sound is more like something scraping than grinding.
Batteries are about two weeks old.
I'm going to go out with a test light today and see if I can find where the current is stopping.

[NoRalPh]

Take a look at THIS connector under the hood -> POTENTIAL ELECTRICAL CORROSION if your truck is like mine......

[NVstickbow]

I got the truck fixed. I guess that when all of the teeth are worn off of the front of the starter gear and then when you pull the starter out of the truck the drive gear completely falls out of the starter, it doesn't work very well. The clicking sound I finally isolated to the IDM relay under the dash and then found that I had a blown engine control fuse. Replaced the starter and the fuse and the truck started right up; well at least as well as it has been, still runs like crap for a while when I first start it and HAS to be plugged in or it wont start at all.Just gotta get that one figured out and I'll be good. Starting to think that it may be injectors as I've replaced everything in the glow plug system already that was bad.

[kemp2011]

Thankfully your engine isn't blown. I've seen many of the trucks do the same thing when cold. When you finally get it started, it skips and has no power until it get good and warmed up. Injectors is your problem. Pull the valve covers so you can see the injectors. On the top left corner of each injector there is an oil spill port. Start the truck and see how much oil is coming from each one. A bad injector can be identified by observing the flow of oil out of the oil ports. If no oil flow, the injector is not opening. If oil flows constantly, the injector is stuck open. A good injector has a very small amount of oil pulsing from the oil port.