anyone else having a interesting day?

[danger boy]

I go to the gas station to fill up the truck with gas... i do that like every other day.. because gas prices are going up almost daily. If you wait more than a week.. you'll be paying several cents more per gallon than just a few days before.

anyhoo.... i go to turn off the truck.. and the ignition strips out.. and I can't turn the crazy thing off get home.. and not sure exactly how to kill the engine once it's running with out a working ignition. ???? I dunno, never had to do that b4.

So I finally locate the electrical assembly and unplug the fuel pump and it works.. kills the engine dead.

but now, how do I get it started again without a working ignition?

[RuSsMaN]

If you have a proper manual gearbox, push start it. Otherwise, get the ignition fixed or hotwire it. If it is still in the 'on' position, your battery will soon go tango uniform too.

What truck, how old etc, and what exactly happened when you say it stripped out.

[fossy]

gotta replace that ignition mechanism ..... obviously

they are not that hard to replace , just a few basic tools , oddest being a wheel puller

[danger boy]

1991 F-150 (ok no Ford jokes needed)

I disconnected the battery to see if that would kill the engine.. it didn't.. ugh!

so I pulled the fuel line electrical plug.. it worked.

I think to start it.. I should just have to plug in the fuel pump connector.. attach the battery again.. and I'm pretty sure the ignition will engage to start it up.

it's a automatic tranny

I was just trying to turn off the truck.. nothing special, and it gave no warning it was going out. but it's stripped.

The shop manual say you have to drill out something under the ignition.. some kind of retaining bolt/screw..

[inspiredsports]

"Run" position and "Start" position of the ignition assembly are 2 separate circuits.

Re-attaching the battery cable will establish "Run" condition, but not "Start".

You will need figure out a way to apply power to the starter motor positive terminal to start the engine and immediately disconnect that power from the starter motor when engine starts. A screwdriver across the terminals used to accomplish that but on newer vehicles I'm not sure. 20 years on an ignition switch (assuming it is original) is pretty good.

[fossy]

after ya plug in the fuel connect , it will be ready to run . but the starter will have to be engaged to turn the engine over. I have a 95 ford with a straight six.The start solenoid is on the left fenderwell in the engine compartment.IF yours is the same confirguration, you can use a THICK wire or a thick screwdriver to jump across the terminals to engage the starter.Just be careful....sparks will be normal....I don't recommend doing this very many times ...but it can be helpful in a pinch

trace the thick gage cable from the positive battery terminal & use that as a base.. there should be 3 terminals on the solenoid ....using the positive thick cable as a base ,,, touch one of the other terminals----or is it touch both terminals --- hmmm it's been awhile but it will work

[AsSiMiLaTeD]

If you haven't already, be sure to ping Jstas, he's our resident Ford guru and should be able to provide some advice if not a direct solution.

[Jstas]

It's an ignition. If it's just a cylinder, it's a fairly straightforward replacement but I don't think I'd recommend it for a novice. I've done them before and I don't even like them.

I'd recommend taking it to a mechanic but first, if you have the same key for the ignition as you do the doors, see if you can find a locksmith that will re-key the new lock to your old key for you. Then get a new set of keys for it because the old ones are likely worn.

I will tell you though, it's not necessarily a cheap repair. The cylinder is anywhere from $30 to $90 depending on if the switch is in the cylinder or separate. The rest is labor. But it typically does involve pulling a steering wheel and that's something that is very easy to screw up and not easy or cheap to fix.

And Al, the truck is 20 years old. Stuff breaks. If it took 20 years and hundreds of thousands of miles to break then you are well past what is considered the "lifetime" of the truck.

[danger boy]

oh yeah.. i know it's no young truck.. it's almost as old as me.. ha!

anyway.. i read in the manual the process of taking the steering wheel off and while not to tough... there were a few steps that I would have difficulty with..

so i'll call my fave shop in the morning and see what they say. THe truck uses different keys for ignition and doors. so i'll just get a totally new key set that comes with the ignition, if that is correct.

they current keys do not look worn out... but as John said.. 20 years is pretty good before it gave up the ghost. It's one of those costs you have to plan for on an older vehicle. I think i'll have them look at the AC unit too..it's only blowing warm air.. not cold. Maybe just a recharge of the system for that one.