My 97 F150 was running great yesterday. Shut it off and now it wont start. One single click coming from center of dash area. It is not battery or cables...all in excellent shape. Tried bumping starter...no good...
Any ideas?

 

Anti theft equipped?

Think your hearing the starter interrupt relay cycling.. It's in the RPO relay block centered in the instrument panel close to the radio.. Check fisrt to make sure the engine will/won't crank in 'neutral' (auto trans?), as well as check the starter fuse in the junction box fuse/relay panel.. If ok, then look for 12v (key cranking postion) at the tan/red wire at the starter relay (looks like a starter solenoid) in both park and neutral.. If anti theft equipped, and the RAP (theft module) module is triggered, it will interupt the power distribution through the tranmission range sensor (park/neutral start positions) on out to the starter relay mounted on the right side rear of the engine bay.. By adding 12v to the T/R wire on the starter relay, the engine should crank...

 

First, thank you for you help...it is greatly appreciated.....
yes, anti theft equipped
yes, check fuses 20, 21 both ok
yes, tried to start in neutral...no go...
before your response I was leaning toward starter, selenoid...something in that area. I will check your suggestions tomorrow.
I tried one last time this evening and the 4x4 light flickered and the doors locked and unlocked???????
Thank you again for your help. I will keep you posted.

 

ok. Found out that the braided wire connecting the solenoid to the starter was burnt away with what appears to be battery acid. Replaced starter. Still did not work. Voltage as you had mentioned was ok but pulled fuse 4 & 8 inside the cabin. Works like a charm. Thanks for the tip on the theft device....Couldnt have pulled it off without you....