need help! 1999 Expedition starting and column issues

[stackz]

trying to help a friend who's been having to catch rides all over the place.

1999 expedition 5.4l engine 2wd

his starter went out on him (rusted through on the ground strap) and I grabbed him a tested used one from the u-pull and put it in last week. cranked right up and the car ran about a minute before suddenly it chugged as you could hear the starter engage and then again and it shut the engine down. pulled it back off and the solenoid was hot as hell.

so he just caved and went to the parts store and got a new one. I got that on and it cranked up again but you could hear a noise. you shut it down and you can hear the new starter winding down...did this three times and you could still hear it so its staying engaged for some reason.

If you just put the truck to the run position on the key though, no starter trying to crank.

Then I realized the truck was in neutral while we're cranking up the truck and he admits to me that it only cranks in neutral. You put it in park and the lever is about 1/4~1/2" from the actual P label on the shifter...

Is this a problem in the actual shifter mechanism on the column or the neutral safety switch on the transmission? such as that if I replace the safety switch it will line the column back up with the shift position letters correctly?? or is it with the column itself. I just want to know what parts to swipe from the u-pull mainly.

 

[CARO'S98EB]

The starter staying on could be the solenoid on the firewall near the battery. Is it getting into park? if it isn't ck the cabel adjustment at the trans.

 

[DevonD]

This might take one of your concerns away, but I just swapped out a column in my 2003 Expi this last weekend and you can line up the needle on the dash (P R N D 2 1) with a dial that is located on the column. If your expi is indeed in the P (park) position and the needle shows it's in R (reverse) you can adjust the needle correctly by moving the needle back to where it shows that it is in park. The dial is on the top side of the column and about 5" back from the steering wheel. You have to remove the airbag and steering wheel to take off the plastic covers that go around the column to get to it. Again...this is on my 03 expi so it might not be exactly like the 99 but should be similar I would think. I don't think where the needle is, has anything to do with your starter though. The needle is just hooked to a string and dial on the column and then connected to the shifting lever, so therefor the needle is just a visual aid and no switches can tell where the needle is at causing other problems.

 

[stackz]

we replaced the firewall solenoid a couple weeks ago thinking that was the problem....not saying it hasnt already fried again though lol.

but yeah, I already found the write-up online for adjusting the shift indicator needle online after posting this thread, will definitely adjust that.

is there another column or shift linkage adjustment aside from this?

just want to make sure when the column shifter is all the way up in the park position that the truck is actually in park. havent found any kind of info online regarding that...just the indicator adjustment where the dial is located by the ignition switch.

I got the starter wiring diagram and it shows the circuit going from the ignition key switch to the transmission switch to the firewall solenoid to the starter solenoid/motor.

so aside from any actual linkage adjustment between the shift lever and the transmission, the transmission switch looks like a likely culprit to check along with maybe retesting/replacing the firewall solenoid again.

edit: apparently the shifter itself being loose is from two loose bolts holding it on:
http://autoforum.classifieds1000.com/Ford-F150/Shifter_linkage_adjustment

edit2: and I guess here's my info on the linkage going from the shift lever itself to the transmission itself.

 

[CARO'S98EB]

the trans adjustment will not effect the starter unless it is shorted internally to the starter wire[ not likely, but possible]. ck the igntion electrical switch on the column to make sure it is not sticking on. to test this when the starter stick on remove the signal wire at the solenoid- if the starter stops it is between there and the ign switch. if it still is going then it is between the sol and the starter [ sol. wires starter....]

 

[LameSuburbanDad]

if you start the truck and the starter stays engaged then you have the wires on the firewall mounted solenoid crossed.

 

[stackz]

the trans adjustment will not effect the starter unless it is shorted internally to the starter wire[ not likely, but possible]. ck the igntion electrical switch on the column to make sure it is not sticking on. to test this when the starter stick on remove the signal wire at the solenoid- if the starter stops it is between there and the ign switch. if it still is going then it is between the sol and the starter [ sol. wires starter....]

I didnt even think of this. that actually saves me time with my multimeter lol.

if you start the truck and the starter stays engaged then you have the wires on the firewall mounted solenoid crossed.

didnt even think of this either. I wasnt actually involved in swapping that solenoid so I'll definitely look at that as well.