1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

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1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Wogtur
Heres my 1985 beast I own. Planning on doing a full restoration to it, and swapping in a manual tranny and a 6.9l diesel. Currently my dump run truck for the current shape it's in. Was running a couple weeks ago but since I replaced the starter it has only tried to crank over then I get a loud clang and the motor on the starter goes wild. Battery was disconnected for maybe a day and now it doesnt even attempt to turn over. Any ideas? My next thing to replace is either the neutral safety switch or distributor.
Charlie
1985 Ford F350
351w H.O. Auto
4x4
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

FuzzFace2
Welcome to the forum.
What motor & trany is in the crew and why was the starter replaced?
Are all the battery cable is good shape? FYI you can not loot at them to tell as they go bad from the inside out.

If you plan to do a diesel / trany swap to the crew I would look for a donor to pull everything from to use.
Besides the motor & trany you will need the wiring harness & fuel system.

On another forum a member did a cab swap from a the family gas truck onto a diesel frame to end up with the truck he always wanted with the family cab.

FYI I took 2- 81 F100's to make 1 good truck. No they weren't diesels but I did have to swap wiring harnesses, AC, style side long bed to flare side short bed and more.
We are here to help you how ever we can.
Dave ----
Dave G.
81 F100 flare side 300 six / AA OD / NP435 / 2.75 gear
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1980-Ford-F100?page=1
81 F100 style side 300 six/SROD parts truck -RIP
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1981-Ford-F100
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Gary Lewis
Administrator
In reply to this post by Wogtur
Charlie - If the starter spins then the neutral safety switch is working.  And while it could be the distributor, give us some more symptoms to explain what happens.  Where does the clang come from?  And when you say "the motor on the starter goes wild" do you mean that after the clang it spins?
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

salans7
Would love to know the history on that truck. That's a very unique shade of green and I wouldn't be surprised if this was an ex Forestry Service truck.
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Wogtur
Hi sorry currently at work. It has a 351w "High Output" engine backed by a C6 transmission. And the symptoms it did have before it stopped turning over was the loud clang, which I believe was the starter trying to engage the flex wheel but hitting it or not letting it spin. Then all you hear is the starter motor spinning.
Charlie
1985 Ford F350
351w H.O. Auto
4x4
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Wogtur
I've replaced the cable that goes from the solenoid to the starter too. Should I also replace the positive and ground wire on my battery? Since I'm getting no power to the truck
Charlie
1985 Ford F350
351w H.O. Auto
4x4
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Gary Lewis
Administrator
If you have no power to the truck but the starter will engage then the positive cable is probably good.  So that suggests you either have the fuse links on the wrong side of the starter relay or Fuse Link L or M are bad.  You can see them below:


Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Wogtur
In reply to this post by Wogtur
I will have to look at that tomorrow. I'll try switching the cables tomorrow then if that doesnt work then I'll find the bad fuses. Possible they are bad since putting new electrical parts in a old truck with old wiring
Charlie
1985 Ford F350
351w H.O. Auto
4x4
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Wogtur
I switched around the cables on the solenoid and still no spark, but the starter can be jumped but still no actual start. Just a loud clang then the starter motor spins. Will be looking at the wiring tomorrow
Charlie
1985 Ford F350
351w H.O. Auto
4x4
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

FuzzFace2
Can you post a picture of the solenoid we may spot something not right.
You have all the small wires with the eyelets on the stud the positive battery cable is on?

You have 2 smaller studs on the solenoid how many wires do you have going to them?
If 2 swap the wires and see what happens when you turn the key to start.
If only 1 wire make sure it is on the stud marked S.

Can you turn the motor over by hand to make sure it if not frozen.
If frozen when the starter gear hits the teeth on the flex plate / fly wheel it will make a loud clanging noise.
Dave ----
Dave G.
81 F100 flare side 300 six / AA OD / NP435 / 2.75 gear
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1980-Ford-F100?page=1
81 F100 style side 300 six/SROD parts truck -RIP
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1981-Ford-F100
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Wogtur

This is the solenoid and I don't have the right size bit to turn the engine over but I will get one and do that tonight
Charlie
1985 Ford F350
351w H.O. Auto
4x4
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

FuzzFace2
Wogtur wrote

This is the solenoid and I don't have the right size bit to turn the engine over but I will get one and do that tonight
What cable is from the battery red or the black?

OH WAIT BACK THE BUS UP!
You said you replaced the cable to the starter right?
That would be the black one as it looks all shinny and new.
If so you have the small wires under it on the wrong stud they need to be on the one the cable from the battery is on and that looks to be the red one.

The small ones also look like they maybe replacement fuse links as they don't look to be factory.
Dave ----
Dave G.
81 F100 flare side 300 six / AA OD / NP435 / 2.75 gear
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1980-Ford-F100?page=1
81 F100 style side 300 six/SROD parts truck -RIP
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1981-Ford-F100
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Wogtur
Dave if you were local i would buy you a drink right now. The truck actually gets power to it now, but it still has the issue of the starter. I have a few videos i will post that i hope will help.
Charlie
1985 Ford F350
351w H.O. Auto
4x4
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Wogtur
20190608_135550_1_1.mp4
This is the clang that I've been talking about. Also the starter must have caught or something because in the video it actually tries to turn over
Charlie
1985 Ford F350
351w H.O. Auto
4x4
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

FuzzFace2
For some reason I can get that MP4 to play.
If I click on it it open a web page in Greek, Im not Greek.
I even tried to open in a player and that was also a no go.
Maybe someone else will have luck?
Dave ----
Dave G.
81 F100 flare side 300 six / AA OD / NP435 / 2.75 gear
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1980-Ford-F100?page=1
81 F100 style side 300 six/SROD parts truck -RIP
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1981-Ford-F100
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Gary Lewis
Administrator
This post was updated on .
Let's see if this works:

No, that did NOT work. I'm still looking to see how to show that MP4......

Let's try this:

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Wogtur
Looks like that seemed to work gary! Over the last few days I've been thinking to myself about my starter though. Is it s possibility it's just not aligned up right? When installing it I didnt exactly tighten the bolts evenly, would that cause it to not engage properly?
Charlie
1985 Ford F350
351w H.O. Auto
4x4
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Gary Lewis
Administrator
It is possible that the starter isn't lined up correctly.  But it is more likely that you have the wrong starter.  There was a starter for manual transmissions and one for automatics, and you may have been given the wrong one.  Also, there was a change later in the number of teeth on the drive gear.

Do you have the old starter?  If so, I'd pull the new one and compare.

And, you can see the part numbers here: Engines/Starters.
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Wogtur
I dont have the old starter as it was used for the core but I compared both of them and they looked the same. Local parts shop said it was for a A/T. However I will pull the one I currently have installed and check the part number to make sure
Charlie
1985 Ford F350
351w H.O. Auto
4x4
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Re: 1985 Ford F350 Crew Cab Long Bed

Steve83
Banned User
In reply to this post by Wogtur
Wogtur wrote
Possible they are bad since putting new electrical parts in a old truck with old wiring
No, don't blame the parts.
Wogtur wrote
This is the solenoid...
As Gary's diagram shows, that's actually the starter RELAY.  A solenoid would be ON the starter, but the solenoid style of starter wasn't used on Ford gas trucks until '92.
Wogtur wrote
Is it s possibility it's just not aligned up right?
Is it loose on the bellhousing?  Is its rear face parallel to & hard against the shim plate between the block & bellhousing?
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