No hot start problem fixed

[Anthony Fremont]

Maybe this belongs in the electrical section, maybe not..... My truck didn't like to start when the engine is warmed up unless you smacked the starter with an "encourager" or some kind while someone else turned the key. Needless to say, this sucked pretty bad so I decided to see if the madelectrical.com people were right....

I took a hefty wire and clipped it to the S terminal on the starter solenoid and touched the other end to the battery + post; it cranked fine. I took a 40A relay and attached it to the firewall. I ran a new heavy wire to the S terminal on the starter and connected it to the relay output. I ran the same gauge wire from the other relay "output" to the battery. I took the purple wire that was attached to the S terminal and connected it to one side of the relay's coil. The other relay coil terminal was connected to ground. Starts like a dream now and I didn't have to use any Ford parts.

DISCLAIMER: The MADElectrical way is better, but you need a much heavier switching current capacity(hence the Ford solenoid) because it switches the power to the starter motor as well. I didn't have a Ford solenoid laying around and I didn't want to pay $35 for one (wtf? is up with parts prices). I did have a 40A relay and it does the job of switching the factory solenoid on and off just fine.

[Captainfab]

Thanks for the info......I'll have to remember that if I have that issue.

[Anthony Fremont]

No problem, just thought I'd post an alternative method using a regular relay. Looks like the mods thought it should be in the electrical section. ;-) Works great so far, not one single no-start situation since putting it in.