Community Forums

rffowler55 · 09-12-2021, 01:10 PM

Just pulled into an RV site in our 2007 Newmar Bay Star, turned off the ignition to setup outside, came back in to start RV to lower the jacks and power to dash and levelers but absolutely no sound of the starter even attempting to crank. Checked fuses and they seem good, checked battery with multimeter and was 13.4 volts.

Any ideas?

Skip426 · 09-12-2021, 01:18 PM

Do your gauges operate?

Dash fan for the AC come on ?

What chassis ? Ford ? Workhorse ?

CRV2 · 09-12-2021, 01:46 PM

There are a lot of possibilities, a voltage meter would help if you have one. Recently this happened to a fellow RVr and it was that the transmission was not in park all of the way. I would test that as it is simple to test, if it is in park, shift to drive and back to park and try again. ~CA

rffowler55 · 09-12-2021, 01:52 PM

Ford F53

All dash gauges work, a/c fan works.
Have moved from park to drive and back several times. Cleaned battery ground wire, disconnected battery and reattached. Used multimeter and ignition plug at bird was 13.4 volts.

CRV2 · 09-12-2021, 02:33 PM

Have you (or can you) check the voltage at the starter? I believe the F53's have the solenoid on the starter which also means that in an emergency situation you could trigger the solenoid to make the starter engage, you would connect from the battery cable side of the solenoid to the small terminal which should engage the starter... if the solenoid isn't the cause of the issue. ~CA

Barneyb · 09-12-2021, 05:51 PM

Is it in park completely, try it in neutral maybe.

rffowler55 · 09-12-2021, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigav

Have you (or can you) check the voltage at the starter? I believe the F53's have the solenoid on the starter which also means that in an emergency situation you could trigger the solenoid to make the starter engage, you would connect from the battery cable side of the solenoid to the small terminal which should engage the starter... if the solenoid isn't the cause of the issue. ~CA

I thought it might be the solenoid and since the solenoid is one piece with the starter I replaced the entire unit. It still will not crank unless I jump as you noted above. I did confirm there is power to the ignition terminal.

I have read it could be start switch switch circuit which includes the ignition and transmission safety switch, does that seem possible? If yes where is it located?

CRV2 · 09-12-2021, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rffowler55

I thought it might be the solenoid and since the solenoid is one piece with the starter I replaced the entire unit. It still will not crank unless I jump as you noted above. I did confirm there is power to the ignition terminal.

I have read it could be start switch switch circuit which includes the ignition and transmission safety switch, does that seem possible? If yes where is it located?

Yes, certainly could be the neutral safety switch and in fact a common problem on many vehicles with enough time. I am not sure which transmission is in yours, but the switch on most all trucks that I have seen is that it is located on the transmission, commonly where the shift linkage connects.

One easy test that you can do is check if the backup lights turn on when in reverse. If the backup lights turn on at some other location than R or perhaps not at all (and you don't have dead bulbs) then that would also indicate a bad switch as the backup lights and neutral safety switch (prevents starting when not in park or neutral) are housed in the same switch assembly. However, the switch itself has multiple contacts inside so if the backup lights work and only in R position, then that doesn't prove the neutral safety portion (starter lockout) of the switch is good. You could likely test the switch with your ohm meter, but a wiring diagram may be needed. ~CA

jpstakun · 09-13-2021, 10:24 AM

Bad starter solenoid. Common problem.

rffowler55 · 09-13-2021, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpstakun

Bad starter solenoid. Common problem.

Changed the starter and solenoid but still will not make any attempt at starting. I can start the coach by turning on the ignition switch and on snap the starter placing a screw driver between the battery power terminal and the terminal that receives the ignitions signal.

Since I am getting power at the starter from the battery but no voltage on the ignition signal terminal I think it may be the transmission position sensor/neutral safety switch. If the PCM sent a signal to the transmission position sensor and it did not report back the coach was in park or neutral the PCM would not send a signal to the starter to crank the coach.

The problem I am having is trying to find the above mentioned 15 year old replacement parts and have not even been able to find schematics showing where these parts are on a 2007 Ford F53.

Skip426 · 09-14-2021, 09:30 AM

Ok , a little bit of an issue with terms here , between the ignition switch and the activation terminal on the side of the starter mounted solenoid , is a device I refer to as a " starter relay " that some call a solenoid .
The starter relay , has two large terminals and two small ones .
Large terminals are battery power and the feed wire to the starter activation terminal .
Small terminals are , power from ignition switch crank position and a ground wire that goes to the neutral safety switch .
Ford used to use one that looks like this picture .
I'll see if I can track down a photo of the relay Ford used on the 2007 F-53 chassis.
Some how over the years the terms relay and solenoid have started to be used differently than when I started out in automotive repair.

Skip426 · 09-14-2021, 09:59 AM

Ok search turns up a new design and and old thread from here in the forums with a diagram of the location ( but not your chassis year ). I'll see if I can find better info with regard to year.

www.irv2.com/forums/f23/f53-no-start-258645.html

Skip426 · 09-14-2021, 01:23 PM

It would appear that Ford changed this system ( starter relay )around , about as often as some people change their socks .
From grounding the relay through a neutral safety switch ( 4 terminal relay ) to interrupting the power from the ignition crank position with a shift selector module ( 3 terminal internal ground relay ) . Picture 1
Common theme is location , above right side frame rail , pictures 2 & 3 , but picture 3 ( 2013 chassis ) shows a different relay ( white x in red box ) and several part sites show that style of relay when I went looking.