'88-924S

'92 F-250 with 5.8 liter V8, automatic transmission.
This is the deal, one day no start, knew starter was on last legs, replaced. No start. Alternator replaced, no start. Decided with winter and an unknown age battery, to replace. No start. Knew starter was on last legs, replaced. No start. Replaced secondary solenoid. No start.
Okay, throughout this I can get the car to start with TWO batteries jumping it, runs very well once started. When I turn off ignition and then try to restart there is a CLICK then deadness. Now before I try to start with key in ACC position the radio works, lights, everything, then once I turn the key, CLICK-DEAD, nothing. It's like I'm tripping a breaker or something. In order to get the power back, I can disconnect either neg. or pos. lead from battery and then it has juice again. I'm so very confused so all help is appreciated. Need to get the truck running well so I can do maintenance on the 924S. Thanks

Shutemup

hmm....sounds like there is a short to ground somewhere in the starting circuit.

Cyrus951

Sounds like you have an electrical shortage that's draining the battery.
Did you install anything new in the car? CD player, etc?

'88-924S

Nothing new installed. The battery is holding a charge so far. The only other thing I can think of is the solenoid attached to the (rebuilt) starter I just put on. Rebuilts from AutoDrone can be bad out of the box. I'm just really perplexed about it clicking and then the juice is gone until I 'reinstall' battery again.

Tom M'Guinn

Hmmm...did you check the DME relay.

Seriously, if it takes two batteries to jump it, then it is probably drawing too much current. Since everything else is new, the solinoid or harness are good bets.

PorscheDoc

Start by cleaning ALL of your grounds and cable connections.

Shutemup

It does sound like a solenoid shorting out. I thought Fords had remote ones instead of them being on the starter. If it was a GM with the solenoid on the back of the starter I would jump the terminals with a screwdriver. If it didn't start then and you had a fully charged battery then I would definately take the starter/solenoid back for an exchange.

'88-924S

Apparently there are two solenoids, one piggybacked on the starter and the remote one. I replaced both. I suppose I have to start checking wires then. I'm just so ignorant of electric issues. Any other thoughts welcome.

Shutemup

Well sending power to the solenoid and the starter is the only new thing happening when you go from the ignition on to start. Somewhere in that circuit it's shorting to ground I'm betting. Time to find a schematic and get a meter out.

xsboost90

neVER buy an autozone starter, i had one, two, three in a row on my mustang shoot the bushing out the back when i tryed to start it. Then it would take a heck of a lot-maybe 24v to start it. Check the "new" starter out.

Peckster

Sounds like you need to clean the battery connection. And stop buying parts that don't need to be replaced. There are easy ways to test all the components you've replaced.

83na944

Sounds to like the starter is shorting out and drawing too much current that trips a circuit breaker. Does your truck have circuit breakers?

Granite 944

Well, if its like the one on my '87 F-250, you only have the one solenoid.......the "relay" on the inner fender. These are direct drive starters, and draw a lot of amperage to starter when starting engine. All of the stuff you've replaced, and it should be working, but........you are not getting the amperage, so.......it has to be a bad connection at battery post, bad cable, or another connection point not allowing enough current to flow. It is also possible you have a bad fussible link thats inline with the starter (doubt it if it starts with two battery hookup), and it needs replacing. Also note, if you bought a "new" battery, and it was not fully charged, it can also respond this way, so make sure it is fully, or at least 75% charged before trying it. And the "new" one better be of the rated amperage required for the truck.

PS, this really shouldn't be posted here, it really belongs in OT, since it has nothing to do with Porsche's of any kind.

'88-924S

OT true, sorry if it's not about a Porsche per se, but the same principles apply to any car, even a Porsche, so I thought I'd post here. Thanks for the responses, I'll update when I find the problem.

jc22

Check your battery cables. Same thing happened to my 97 diesel and the cables to both batteries were corroded badly under the sheathing. $200 and 1 hour in the Wendys parking lot later, I was good to go. Good Luck.