Need 7.3l mechanic help in BA...

[JesseR]

I recently bought a used excursion with the 7.3 in it. I noticed it turned over slow a couple of days ago but fires up and was smooth on the idle. Thursday I pulled it in the back yard and today it won't turn over.

The lights are own, I hear the fuel pump pressurize the line, I hear the under dash relays switch, but after the glow plugs are warm and I turn the key, nothing. There is no noise from the starter, no clicking, nothing.

I don't know what to check next aside from putting a meter on the starter to see if it has juice. I'm looking for help/suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Defnestor]

Diesel Power Plus. 918-625-8191. They may be have the time to give you a suggestion. Remember they feed their families by selling their time, so please be courtesly brief.

 

[HiredHand]

Diesel Power Plus. 918-625-8191. They may be have the time to give you a suggestion. Remember they feed their families by selling their time, so please be courtesly brief.

+1 Doug is a good guy.

First, I would check all your battery terminal connections thoroughly for corrosion.

 

[yukonjack]

Battery/charging problem.

 

[UnSafe]

Interior lights dim?

Charge batteries fully. If you jumpstart it, use the pos terminal on the exposed battery (Vehicle Right side) and frame/ decent ground. It'll typically take another diesel or big jumpstart pack to start a PSD. Look for interior lights left on, or other common sources of drain as well as the usual- You bought a used truck just in time to replace the batteries.....

Think of simple stuff as the cause before you go off and start chasing complicated/ expensive stuff. If it turns out to be the batteries- My $0.02 is to use Walmart's Maxx batteries (65N). NOT because they're better (They're OK, BTW), but because in 3-4 years, when one or both dies at 9PM on a Saturday night in bumfu*k, you're never far from a WM and can use whatever warranty is left on the replacement. Try that with Interstate.

Good luck, buy your oil in bulk and drive it forever!

 

[DPI]

Load test the batteries. You can buy a cheap tester at harbor freight. It's the Only way to tell if the batteries are truly bad.
Parts stores will test them for free. But if you can't get them to the store that doesn't do you any good.

 

[tntrex]

it takes a lot of juice to turn that flywheel on them-battery
if you hear other noise after fuel pump pitch noise its something else

 

[bgdrhntr]

Can you hear the starter engaging at all or the solenoid clicking? If you can hear anything like that then its your batteries. The slow sluggish starting earlier also leads me to believe that's your issue also. I own a F-250 with the 7.3 best engine ever made. If its not the batteries then the starter and solenoid are the next in line. Agree that the load tester at harbor freight is a great idea for deisel owners as it takes a ton of battery power to get that beast started. Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

[JesseR]

Ok, got up early and took out the two batteries and had them tested. One was just past ok, and the other was marginal. I now have two new batteries.

The truck still doesn't nothing when the key is turned. All the lights are on, everything starts out the same, but I get nothing from the starter. I do hear the internal relays under the dash clicking, but there isn't even a try from the starter to turn over.

What do I try next?

 

[Nifrost]

Go with your gut feeling: "I don't know what to check next aside from putting a meter on the starter to see if it has juice. I'm looking for help/suggestions."

See if you're getting voltage to the starter on the large cable when a helper turns the key. If this check shows no voltage on the big wire, see if you have voltage on the little wire going to your starter solenoid when your helper turns the key.