When I turn the key to start it just ticks. Ticking noise coming from behind a grey plate beneath the spark plugs. Is this a dead starter. It doesn't even crank and I'm getting zero fuel to the rail line.

 

How is your battery? Have you tried jumping it to see if the extra juice makes a difference? These trucks are VERY sensitive to low power situations.

 

Yes and still nothing, it's not cranking, churning at all that's why I'm thinking it's the starter. Where is the starter? I'm gonna tsp it with a hammer to see if it responds. Again the ticking is coming from beneath the spark plugs on the passenger side behind a grey plate.

 

Yes I tried a jump start and still nothing. I'm not getting a crank at all. I believe it's the starter. How can I check this out? Where is the starter? When I turn the key I'm not getting fuel to the rail line. Could this be due to not enough juice getting to the pump? J may try to jump start again. I should still be getting fuel to the rail line even with a bad starter, correct?

 

The grey plate below the spark plugs is a heat shield for the starter. The starter is behind there. Take it out and have autozone or the like test it for you. Free test.

 

Yes you should still have fuel pressure if it is only the starter that is bad. Sounds like there is something else going on. Let us know what you find out with the starter.

 

Well if the starter is not turning the motor then it is not receiving signals to send the fuel to keep trying to start the truck. If you tap the starter then it may work since it can go out some times and work others. Usually you should have had some sort of idea that it was going out just by listening to it.

 

The starters rairly fail. Use a voltmeter to check the voltage at the battery and then check it after the battery. My guess is a bad positive or ground connection.

 

The fuel pump starts working when you turn the key to the #2 position before the starter is even engaged at the #3 position. Sit outside the truck near the gas tank and have somebody turn the key to the "ON" position and you should hear the fuel pump turn on.

 

Yes, in theory you would be right. I just had the CPS go out on my D2 and I could not hear the fuel pump either when I would turn it to #2, replaced the CPS and fired right up.

I am not sure what the issue is but checking out the starter would be first after the battery, could be a bad connection somewhere so just start tracing the wires.