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2002 7.3 wont crank

16K views 13 replies 5 participants last post by  blacksheep312 
#1 ·
I have a 2002 7.3 f250 that will not crank. First I would be very appreciative for any suggestions on how to fix my issue as I do not really have to funds to go to a shop right now. I had this issue about a week ago so I took off the starter had it tested. I also had the alternator off and tested. Those were fine so I replaced the ignition switch and it worked. This lasted for about a week and yesterday it wouldn't crank or anything 2 times, but would fire up just fine after that. Today it will not crank at all again. So I made sure batteries are fine and all the bolts were tightened. I can't figure out what to do now. I drove it over 200 miles yesterday and everything was fine. Today worked perfect on the way to the gym. Then I get home and nothing. Please let me know if you have any ideas.

Thank you, Jade.
 
#2 ·
Just to be clear, by "no crank" you mean it won't turn-over on the Starter (as opposed to actually "running" - right?)

If so, and the Starter won't engage at All, the first thing I think of is the NSSW (Neutral Safety Sw) assuming it's a Auto Trans (could be a bad clutch sw if not). So, next time it happens, hold the shifter selector Up Past P or into N and try again. There's a point in the linkage that gets loose and can be fixed easily if it turns out this works.

Another indication that it's the NSSW is the lack of any click or noise from anywhere when you roll the Key to try to Start. Do you here anything at all when trying to get it to crank over?

If so, look in the manual for the location of the Starter Relay in the Fusebox. Put your hand on it and see if it's making a "click"...
 
#3 ·
Sorry, to be clear when I say "no crank" I mean I turn the key and nothing happens. The engine does not even try to engage. I did mess with the shifter and nothing happened. I tried park and N and moved the shifter all around both of them to try to engage.
The only thing I hear is the glow plugs and then I hear a faint click and it sounds like it is by the ignition switch. However I am not 100 percent on that.
unfortunately I do not have a manual. I will look one up online and try to find that. Thank you for the input.

Oh by the way yes it is an auto
 
#4 ·
I had a no crank at all couple weeks ago and starter was frozen I found out by tapping the starter lightly with a hammer while some one turns the key. Once I found out it had moisture I took the starter off and put it in front of a heater for an hour and yet to have no issues anymore
 
#6 ·
Sometimes there's so much Slop in the linkage your NSSW never "sees" the right position. But that's when your selector is So Far off you're in N for R and like that. Look above the brake pedal, where the Sift Tube transitions to the cable and you'll see a foot, or "L" bracket at the bottom. It's held there with 2 Torx screws that often come lose and retightening just that can fix it.

At this point, you can't find Any position that will satisfy the NSSW?

Take a look at the switch itself. It's on the drivers side of the transmission where the shift cable goes to the input shaft of the selector. It's a Black "box" (kinda round as I recall) that has a couple of screws on the face of it to allow you to turn it for alignment. There are 2 "dots" or maybe even the word Neutral sometimes that gets lined-up with a dot. Put the parking brake ON and the shifter in N. Then loosen the screws and bring those points together. If they're already aligned you might need a new switch (but I would First confirm that the relay in the fusebox is not being tripped as that would be an indication your problem was Not the NSSW at all).
 
#7 ·
Once again I want to thank you for taking the time to help. I felt the "click" on the fuse for the relay. I found the tube you are talking about above the brake pedal, but could not find the 2 torx screws. I will check again in a minute. Also I will probably not be able to get under the truck today. Snow is coming down pretty good and the truck is in the street. Let me know if the click means I should keep down the path of checking the NSSW on the trans or if I need to go another direction.
Thanks.
 
#8 ·
The heads of the Torx screws are facing the firewall, you may not be able to "see" them.

Here's my thinking on the relay, if it's tripping then what's happening is that the NSSW has passed the signal to start and is causing the relay to throw (you could test this by putting the truck in D and see that you now Don't feel it trip)

So, what that means is your trouble is going to be from that point to the Starters Bendix. When you roll-the-Key to Start, it goes from the Ign sw, through the NSSW, and to the coil inside the relay. Once the relay throws it supplies power to the Bendix solenoid on the Starter itself. The Bendixs coil draws an Arm, with the starters Gear on it, into the Flexplate and large contacts get closed that power up the starters motor.

This isn't happening for you and I'd be thinking wiring, fuse ((#113 but, I'm not sure if it's before/after the relay, I'd think after but not sure...) or the Bendix or even the Starter itself. On the Bendix there's a small, (maybe yellow?) wire from that relay. If you can get under the truck, and have somebody turn the Key for you, you should see 12v go to that wire when trying to start.

If so, you have a starter problem (or connection or available power)

If not, something's wrong between the fusebox relay and the sm wire there...
 
#9 ·
Thanks again. I have ruled out all linkage and shifter problems. I reached out to a mechanic buddy of mine and now I am sure it is starter issue or available power. I am not well versed in electrical so I think I am going to replace the starter and see if that does the trick. I know the starter has some miles on it. Do you think it is reasonable to replace the starter and that may fix it?
 
#12 ·
I thought mine was the starter relay, but after replacing it, it happens again. Turned out to be the small control wire that connects to the relay. So far so good.
 
#14 ·
Good to hear!
 
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