I took the starter off my Ford freestyle.It worked ok when I used jumper cables to check it I put a socket on the crank pulley but it wouldn't turn. Is there any other way to see if it's locked up

What about your security system? It is a starter disable. If you remove starter relay and use jumper wire between terminals 30 and 87, the starter motor should crank. If you try that, make sure tranny is in park or neutral and parking brake is set. If it cranks, the problem is on control side of relay, right side, in the diagram. Make sure battery has a full charge.

check your ground strap. This happened to a friend of mine. Worth a look.

All the posted answers are good things to test. Since it died while running I would make sure the engine isn't seized. Get a large ratchet and locate the crank pulley( should be down low on the passenger side, it's the biggest pulley usually) put a socket on it if you can and try to rotate it clockwise. If you can't, you may need to remove the spark plugs to relieve some compression. Make sure you mark, take pictures or do whatever you need to to make sure you get the wires back in the right place. If you still can't rotate it, try rotating it the other direction(but it really should be clockwise if I remember right) if it does rotate make sure your battery is good. Just because it's "new" doesn't mean it's good. Get it and your alternator tested as a bad alternator can kill a new battery very quickly. If they're both good check the wires to make sure they're relatively corrosion free on both ends on all cables Going from the battery AND all the ones going to the starter. If they're all clean and have no breaks in the insulation whatsoever. If there are any breaks get New cables and check the fusable link of the negative battery cable as it will kill the power to the car. If all of that is good check the shimming on the starter as previously mentioned and all the other this. Let us know how it all goes

automatic transmission? mine a stick. and different.
ok.
does it crank in neutral as the operators guide states?
not just park, neutral has fresher contacts, try them.
clean battery lugs first.

here is the list of tests, (not guessing !)

1. fuses all good,
2. battery charged? does jumper cables work now?
3. if jumper cables cranks engine then battery is bad or only discharged (for other reasons, ask)
4. if jumper fail, the starter or key line is dead.
5. we hot wire the starter next. if it cranks now starter is good.
6. if the hot wire fails, starter is bad(battery charged )
7. i the starter hot wires ok that key line is dead.
8. i then check the P/N park neutral switch next (ask)
9. or further up the line to the ign. switch.
10. (or use a scan tool) the newer cars can report more errors. not looking , here, you can miss the boat.

check all fuses first.
what transmission>?
jumper cable starts, use them to start car.
this tells you more in 1 step than anything,
if jumper to other running car ,starts your car, that means
your battery is bad, or weak or discharged.
if jumper cables starts fail check out the tricks here.

http://www.fixkick.com/nocrank.html#tricks

First thing put socket on crankshaft bolt ,it in center of bottom pulley which crank pulley. And turn motor, to see motor is locked up. Next be your battery cables and posts on battery good clean and tight.

This has to be one of two things, first try to start the truck with the headlights on and see if the headlights go out when you hear the clicking noise , if they dont then connections are good,mainly the ground wire. but if the headlights go out when the key is in the crank postion then you need to check the ground connection at the motor, you can also try using jumper cables and only use the ground cable and connect one end to negitive battery terminal and the other end to a good clean metal bracket on the engine and then try to start the truck if it starts then its the ground to engine thats bad, this is only if the lights dim out when cranking. also i have seen bad starters that will test good on the bench until they are put back on the car. when the starter was tested it had no engine to turn this makes a big diffrence. try this, jump the starter at the connections on the starter itself, use a jumper wire, on the starter theres two wires, the big hot battery cable and then the small wire, jump across the two connections with wire on, dont remove the connections and see if the engine spins over, if it does then there an eletrical problem with the small wire but if it still clicks then the starter is bad or engine is locked up, i think if you drove the truck and parked it without a problem then i would say its the starter,but if the engine spins over by jumping it then you will neeed to check the power to small wire thats the wire that feeds the power to start the truck when key is turned, this could be caused by a bad ignition switch or a bad neutral safty switch, thats where i would look first, good day.

If the starter is just clicking,then it is not,but if the starter is kicking the starter drive out,and that is the noise you are hearing then it might be,turn the crank pulley with a socket and ratchet ,clock wise,if it turns then this is not the problem,make sure the ground to the engine is good,if the ground cable has gone bad,this will happen.

put a socket on the crank pulley and see if you can turn it but hand. you should be able to move it . If you can't then there is something wrong with the engine. if you can then try to start it with jumper starter remote. if it starts then it is in your ignition, if you still don't get any movement then the starter you just bought might not be a good one.

I had the same problem with my 94 jeep and i ended up finding out what was causing the problem was the starter relay in the fuse box under hood, i believe its the second or third relay. Try turning the key to the start position and leave it there and poop open ur hood and manuelly start the relay