Help! Why won't my truck start?

The needing to be in reverse to start sugests a wireing prob
if tranny was out it would still start. With the limited info I say it’s in the electrical, maybe a loose conection.

I concur, and to narrow it down a little, maybe in the interlock system.

It would start in reverse? Sounds electrical. I tend to stay away from FORD‘s, but I would try finding the sensor or switch that lets it know it’s in a certain gear and have that checked. You should only be able to start it in neutral and park, or if a stick, having the clutch engaged.

Though you should’ve been a little more descriptive on “how” it won’t start. Does power come on when the key is in the on position? Does it crank over? If so, how fast? If not, does it click? Does it run for a second?

Before you check wiring on the shifting area, get out a voltmeter and turn the key while someone reads the voltage going to the starter. It should read about 12V+ I think. If not, there’s your problem.

Well… I don’t know but it seems like a car payment might be a cheaper option than this money pit.
I had a 92 Isuzu Trooper. One day on a vacation trip the engine seized. I wanted to buy a new replacement engine but the cost was like 4000.00–5,000 from Japan. I decided to buy a rebuilt from a yard in Michigan. The engine was sent to NY. The engine was only firing on 2 of 6 cylinders. Eventually they cleared it up and there was some gunk or some shit in the cylinders. I also had to replace the water pump, starter, and radiator. Then it didn’t make sense not to replace the clutch. After all repairs, parts, cost of engine and labor etc. it basically cost me thousands anyway. A week later it was running like a top but I overlooked the one thing I was wanting to do before the engine seized-replace the worn brakes. I rear ended a guy on the highway after he stopped short and my brakes weren’t responsive causing a three car pileup. The front end was totaled. Luckily no one was hurt. The car was towed off the highway by the only local company that was authorized to do so. A week later I was facing large parking rates and tow rates. They said I could junk the car and it would pay for the parking etc. I gladly accepted. At this point I would have paid them to take it.
It was a very painful lesson but one I will never forget. If you find yourself pumping lots of cash into a car at one point it’s best to cut your losses.

All of the power comes on, @Axemusica I would normally stay away from Ford too, but it’s just what my parents had. It doesn’t crank, but it does make a clicking sound, like the fuel pump is engaging it’s and auto.

The clicking sound isn’t the fuel pump. the fuel pump sounds like a buzzing sound as it primes for the start. The click is the starter. Get under there with a voltmeter. I bet you don’t have voltage after the key is turned as if your trying to start it. If somehow you do, they might have pinched a wire somewhere when installing the tranny.

You have a faulty Park switch, attached to the transmission, it detects when the car is in park or neutral, so it can be started. The fact that the car had to be in reverse to start points to a faulty or possibly loose switch.

Now, the switch is misoriented or malfunctioning so it never tells the car it is in Park, so the car never thinks it is in the correct gear to start.

@PerryDolia that might be right, I had a car that had that problem, but it was a Chevy. Now I only buy Toyota. I’ll never own a Ford again. Been there, done that. Had more problems with that damn fuseable link and other Ford-only crap.

@SeventhSense If you had recently broken a mirror, that entire episode should cover for the 7 years of bad luck.

This was years ago.

You need to be more specific about the ‘no start’ condition:

Is the truck cranking but not starting? Is it not cranking at all? Is it clicking? Silent?

mabey your batterie is dead, bring it into a car repear chop ad see what they can do to it.

@Cheeseball451 GA! Answer of the month!