Still problems - starter?
 

Ok, since the Admin closed my help post i'll give a bit of an update:

Finally replaced the neutral safety switch today - simple really except for the $120 I paid for it and oh wait for it, the truck still doesn't start!

I have never had an issue with the starter, no difficult starts no clicking, nothing. I've now replaced this gizmo and I've checked the starter relay in the PDC, looks fine, nothing has shorted or burnt on it or the PDC. So what else is it?

I could remove the starter and check it out I guess, maybe add new brushes and contacts or do I just get a new starter? Do they just go bad like that?

I just forked out $1100 for a new timing belt and water pump on my TDI daily driver but now that the weather is better I've got lots of yard work to do that involves my truck and I'd like to get it rolling again.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

there is a fuse in the fuse box i think it number 9 its a 20amp or 30amp check that
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here it is

Attachment 48111

I'll take a look, thanks.

Get yourself a Haynes manual. I get one with ALL vehicles I own. Easy troubleshooting steps to follow. I scanned the page for you.

Thanks, I've got the 1200 page factory manual but I spent a few hours looking at this today and it gets worse every time I look at it.

There appears to be a loose connection somewhere in the under dash panel somewhere because when you climb in and throw the key sometimes the key dispays the indicator lamps on the dash cluster and sometimes it does not. When you raise and lower the tilt steering the lamps come on and off too. I've started to pull everything apart and seem to think that everything is related to the starter alarm thing that doesn't work any more that is still in the truck.

The connections are all starting to fall apart by all accounts and I am really getting pissed off at this truck. When it runs it runs great, when it doesn't, it's a paper weight that has insurance on it...

Anyway, if it isn't raining tomorrow I'm going to look at it more and see what I can find.

The starter may still be the problem but that doesn't explain the lamp issue on the dash cluster. I don't know.

Cheers,

what about the actual key switch if its anything like the 1st gens could be a problem i lost power to the heater and the electric windows the other day have them wired to the battery until i get a new switch :w2:

oh you have what i had if you use the steering wheel tilt alot the red man power to you key switch brakes and comes loose pull you bottom cover off its two screws and check that red wire i had to fix that at a job site pulled in shut it down then came back to go home no power at all

Coyropin:

The heavier red wire to the actual truck key? I'll trace it back because yes, I use the tilt everytime I drive this truck - have every since it was new the day I bought it.

If you grab the wire loom that runs under the column the lights go on and off so this makes more and more sense. I'm looking into it tomorrow.

Thanks guys.
Any other ideas or pictures, keep them coming because this will help me but will certainly help someone else.

Cheers,

i still have my steering apart i will get a pic right now

Awesome! Thanks.

here you go the red wire was my problem but these go to your key switch


Attachment 48108

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and you can see it messed my horn up too by the buttconnections
needless to say i dont use my tilt that took a long time to get use too

hope this helps

I'll check that harness on my setup. It is very possible that this is the problem. Thanks for the picture. What are the but connectors used for in your case?

my horn stopped working found them rubbed thru from the tilt:argh: that was a fun find

Well, after an inspection of this part the red wire was a little loose but not out of the connector at all. I've got to go all the way down the column and check to see if there is anything grounding out but that's not going to be for a while yet.

Thanks again.

how many miles on the truck? You every changed contacts on it? On both my trucks they went out between 170k-175k. one a 5spd one an auto. The 5spd was having issues of not cranking over then it would after 6 key cycles and then finally it wouldn't.

He does have a stick - cant remember if its a 5 or 6 speed ...

NV5600... still dead in the driveway. It might stop raining for me to take a look this weekend.:tu:

Damn, that sucks

Ok, so I had a chance to look at in greater detail.

I am reasonably certain that it is either the key ignition cylinder itself or some other issue with the wire harness that plugs into it.

I started removing the dash and started to look at the number of wires running to various locations. I removed the dash cluster and inspected that. There appears to be nothing wrong with that and yet when I reinstall, sometimes there is a display whilst other times there is not. I need to get all that removed and inspect each part one by one I suspect.

I am considering taking it to a shop but it has to be towed to get there since I can't get it started but if something doesn't happen soon I will be pulling the insurance off it and parting it out I suspect.

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Well, after charging the batteries (repeated starts with no go or a problem such as this with faulty power always drains them) I managed a boat load of codes:


1693 - JTEC Module
0380 - Intake Air Heater Relay #1
0215 - Fuel Ijection Pump Control
0382 - Intake Air Heater Relay #2
0577 - Cruise Switch Failure (Open)
1698 - No CCD / J1850 Message from TCM / PCM
0562 - Charging voltage too low.

Now, I'm certain that most of these will go away once the batteries come up but it is interesting to see 0577 as this, if I'm not mistaken would be located in this wire loom and connector under the steering wheel, would it not?

Another day... No truck...:td:

Parting it out? wow - this has to be fixable.

Evil,

I'm pissed off that I can't get this to work. I have had power / battery related issues since the truck came out here from Alberta and no one, including me has ever been able to find. Now this. What a piss off.

I have inspected the wire loom, checked the connections to the connector on the bottom of the column and all is well based on my testing equipment, test lights and wiring diagram from the big blue book. So, replacing the key switch or whatever on the wheel to make this work is pretty much my last straw because right now I have to get it towed to get it to a shop for a costly seek and destroy repair job which I'm not looking forward to.

Enough is enough.:dang:

Being a standard you might be able to pull start it.


I imagine its hard to find a good electrical shop to look at it out there. Good luck.

wow what alot of bad luck any updates

I'm busy working now. Headed to Edmonton tomorrow so it sits until I get more time.

I'm still pissed off mind you.:argh:

have you used a voltage meter to check if one of your wires might be broken or have the proper voltage could have a broken wire and not be able to see it i dont know if this will help but sure would like to see you find the problem but probably not as much as you :humm:

there was a recall on the fuse box under the hood i dont remember all the years but mine had a problem, it has to do with the main power wire coming into the box something goes wrong like the stud or some thing might wanta look at that have you checked all your grounds. I will look around there was a recall website

recall site? This one?

Heres the TSB's - Dodge Ram Pickup TSB index

and heres the recalls - http://dodgeram.info/tsb/RecallCanada.htm

thanks dr evil i looked every where
we should make that a sticky good to have

I will see what I can do.


www.dodgeram.org is basically a bible for anyone with first and second gen Cummins diesels.

well, after a month of sundays I have got the truck running. I'm not proud but it would seem that my original testing of the starter relay was poorly performed. I couldn't get a reading from the 86 side of the relay today so I replaced it and poof, it started.

Now, I've got one helluva mess to cleanup inside the truck with respect to the trim and bits from the dash but it was worth it at least partially anyway. With all this apart as it is now, I'm thinking I will remove the fan and replace that since it doesn't work either.

The mess that was made with the installation of the remote starter and the alarm when this truck was new is still something that just drives me nuts and since I now have most of it pulled apart I think I'll just get if all fixed on my own.

I need about 3 days of solid work on this thing to get it back to what I would consider good but it sure was a sound for sore ears when it fired up and I stood on the skinny pedal and threw some soot...

Now for a line on replacement fans, receiver dryers (a/c is dead too). It's needs a clutch and a new windshield as well as to solve an oil leak from the front diff cover, and the sump as well.

9 years old I guess it is time to throw some money at it...

Thanks guys for the help.

good im glad you got it.


i

Great news bud :c:

Now if it would stop raining so I could get in there and complete the dash re / re... Nuts, when it rains it pours.:scare2:

If it makes you feel any better the clouds are still full of rain this side of the Rockies.

well i'm headed back to Edmonton on the 19th so...

...so empty them clouds before sending 'em on over! :canada:

thats good news glad to hear it :yeah:

good luck with the rest of it:c:

Well,

I get back and think ok, well I'd best look at the truck and get it all fixed up so I can drive it camping etc. Well, should I be surprised but IT DOESN'T f*ckin' start!

While in Edmonton I met up with my old friend Dr. Evil and we talked about a few things and he said something that I thought is is very possible but I have never heard of it being a problem before and this is the BTS (battery temp. sensor). After reading the book about it it would seem that if this isn't working correctly it could be ground out and if it is ground out then it is drawing power from the batteries.

I have done all the testing I can think of as far as draw testing and such and nothing ever shows up but this could be it.

The other issue is that I still have a good reason to believe that there is something wrong with the ignition since the cluster is having display troubles again.

Frankly, I'm really ready to sell this thing but until I get it running it isn't worth much.

It is a 7000# PITA right now.:argh:

I missed your call - sorry forgot my phone at home today.

I would measure the resistance/continuity across the battery temp sensor. Afaik, it adjusts battery output depending on the ambient temperature. Although I am not certain it would cause enouugh of a draw or ever make your truck not start. I just wonder if this might be ECM issues???

I would unplug the underhood light, as well as the light in the glovebox. I also recall something about the seatbelts staying energized causeing a parasitic draw but thats about all I can remember about that.

I had a lot of battery issues until I finally shelled out for Optima Redtops. Havent had one single starting issue since.